The fact that these type of buildings have to be built so multi-purpose means a lot of compromising on amenities. This will be true of the Coop as well. If they get the seating, restrooms, and concessions right it will be a big improvement. Might be too late to make any changes at this point. The original architectural drawings were encouraging. I have become a fan of standing areas at ballparks and it looks like the drawings show some of that. 

I'll share my own thoughts and try to respond to Mulder's as I see them. The first thing I noticed is that it is really bright and noise carries well, and I'm noticing that when we might have filled that place up about 1/4 full. That place was probably rocking for Pitt and I hope the acoustics are as good in the new place at RMU.

The entry concourse from the gate I entered from was noticeably spacious compared to the Forbes side of AJP. On the Duq campus side of AJP, the entry forum helps a lot. This seemed similar

Please note that I came from the other parking lot and went in on the upstairs gate and went downstairs to enter the main seating arena, not the gate Mulder went in. There was an elevator up there as well.

I have complained, probably unintelligible, when they changed the student section at AJP to chairbacks. The student section is meant for standing and cramming as many people in as possible - and it also makes it hard to jump rows when theres chairbacks. IMO this was a smart move on RMU's part both to increase listed capacity and for atmosphere in big games.

The signage of the Colonial logo is really nice, big and can be seen from far away both indoors and outdoors. The graphic packages were really sharp and colorful, which I guess is a testament to the stadium and Duquesne for sending it to RMU. Felt surprisingly at home.

The seats are much sturdier and, since I move around and jump up a lot at big moments in games, I didnt feel like I rocked the whole row of seating, which is helpful to others. I have no comments about the seat width.

I thought there were far more directional signage than in the AJP, although the concourse to the restrooms kinda felt like I was in a class hallway and not in the area I was supposed to be.

Concession stands do seem pretty meh. The chic-fil-a one wasnt well placed and caused a traffic jam during halftime right next to the larger sideline of seating. The concourses behind that sideline and all the way behind the opposite endzone (opposite of student section) was very roomy but it was hard to tell that concessions were back there. Not sure if you all realized there were additional ones back there, but what I think was the biggest one was closed

Overall, that's a very good arena especially for RMU's standards. I rate it pretty highly and I hope the Coop has a lot of similar elements. I look forward to driving there much more than La Roche

I was there last night...  UPMC (RMU) is a very nice facility.   I was appalled there were few if any DUQ students there.  I was told that the students weren't back from holiday break and that was the reason.   Sorry but by January 3rd gotta believe that some were already back, and certainly there are some Duquesne students living in the Western PA that could have been there.  There's no doubt that student support has been eroded over recent years and that  improving relations with them must be a priority.  To that end then, an extra effort to reach out to them needs to be made.  Were buses made available at the Duquesne campus or some collecting point for the students to come out to the game??   Would highly recommend they do so-- now maybe at least for the Davidson game.  

Keep in mind that RMU is competing with teams in the NEC, most of whom aren't playing in palaces. They don't need to have a better place than Duquesne, they need to have a better place than LIU etc. The Coop isn't going to be one of the top places in the A10, but it will no longer be among the worst, plus, KD can, and will always sell the fact that PPG is basically on campus, and is available for big games. Don't underestimate that fact. I know some of you hate playing at PPG, but if you really think you are a big time program, and start to draw those sorts of crowds, you have to play a few games there every year.

VBC wrote:

I found the seats to be narrow.  I hope the Coop seats will be at least 3 inches wider.  I am expecting a much more comfortable seat in the premium area of our new barn.

I wonder if the chic-fil-a concession stand will be open for the game on Sunday as that company makes such a big deal of how holier than thou they are by being closed on Sundays.

I hope we have a much better overhead scoreboard than RMU has.

You probably will have to make do with Popeyes Chicken...Chic-fil-A is unlikely to change their policies to accommodate Duq.
 

gigsr: I think it's a couple more weeks before students return. 

Mulder: Possible the same architect who designed Palumbo designed the Bobby Mo? 

After reading these comments, all of which were excellent by the way, a few things to add:

- agree with MikeR about the multi purpose use of these type of facilities. Didn’t take that into account in judging RMU

- yak-rbc’s comment on access - I knew there was another gate but didn’t think to look at the other entrance. The student seating point makes sense. I’m used to Civic Arena chairbacks from my time as a student but things are different now. I too like the logos around the floor.

- I parked in the first lot I came to and while I found a spot I wondered how we were all going to get out easily. Was there another entrance/exit to campus?  Jake’s point is good. Didn’t seem as many people inside as there were cars in the lot. Were other lots better for access?  I like that RMU is much closer to me than Laroche and even more convenient in some ways than the city but parking needs fixed.

- Duq81 - good point about where RMU competes vs our A10 competition (and agree with luckymd’s point on that) though I hope you are wrong about Coop being only “no longer among the worst.”  If we are doing something let’s do it right - like we did in hiring Harper and KD. And I like PPG. I remember being on campus just after PPG opened and thought that it looks like it’s a part of Duquesne. And we do own property on 5th right across so essentially it is.

- VBC - agree seats need to be wider at the Coop and agree with 1111 Vickroy on site lines ( I moved from my assigned seat to an end zone and found that better). And as I said they need to be studier so you can’t feel the guy 5 seats away getting up or sitting down.   And I didn’t mention the scoreboard but that also needs to be better as you said.  Some of the drawings I saw actually showed a large message board - tv monitor somewhere inside. Hope that was accurate.

- ED - not sure about architects but that’s possible. I’ve learned in participating in a new build that they tend to have a style that they reuse

- finally I agree with Townson on the overall look and gjgsr on getting students there when they are back.  No comment on VBC, DSnyder and the meth cook’s ghost on the chicken controversy.

I don’t want to be the one that rains on everyone’s parade regarding seats.   But all the seats opposite the benches are staying the same.   If you read Simms email from Scerbo in an earlier message, he said there will be some new seats. 

The seats opposite the benches both blue and red are staying the same.  The blue seats have had plastic over them the entire renovation.   You don’t put plastic over seats you are tossing out. 

What I would like to see them do is flip the TV cameras like Pitt did.   Put the TV cameras above the new Forbes Ave boxes and out of the red seats.  And put the benches on the opposite side. 

Scerbo’s email said this is a renovation not a replacement.   Again, I don’t want to rain on the parade, but I think a lot of people’s expectations of what the Coop will look like are way overboard.   I blame the school for that.   Other than a few drawings no one knows what it will look like.   Those drawings at the presser are all we have.   And when I have pressed people at DU, the Coop will look like that I don’t get an answer.

Last edited by A83 (1/04/2020 10:54 pm)

A83 wrote:

I don’t want to be the one that rains on everyone’s parade regarding seats. But all the seats opposite the benches are staying the same. If you read Simms email from Scerbo in an earlier message, he said there will be some new seats.

The seats opposite the benches both blue and red are staying the same. The blue seats have had plastic over them the entire renovation. You don’t put plastic over seats you are tossing out.

What I would like to see them do is flip the TV cameras like Pitt did. Put the TV cameras above the new Forbes Ave boxes and out of the red seats. And put the benches on the opposite side.

I thought the court itself was being turned 180 degrees in the renovation. Any old seating remaining will not have the same orientation to the court. 

MikeR wrote:

A83 wrote:

I don’t want to be the one that rains on everyone’s parade regarding seats. But all the seats opposite the benches are staying the same. If you read Simms email from Scerbo in an earlier message, he said there will be some new seats.

The seats opposite the benches both blue and red are staying the same. The blue seats have had plastic over them the entire renovation. You don’t put plastic over seats you are tossing out.

What I would like to see them do is flip the TV cameras like Pitt did. Put the TV cameras above the new Forbes Ave boxes and out of the red seats. And put the benches on the opposite side.

I thought the court itself was being turned 180 degrees in the renovation. Any old seating remaining will not have the same orientation to the court. 

I don’t know what you mean.    Flipping the court refers to moving the cameras to opposite side that they currently are on.  If the cameras are on the opposite side, the seats are still in the same place.   The court will be in the exact same place it has always been.

MikeR wrote:

A83--If seats are being left untouched, while the court is rotated (as I think the original plan stated), sideline seats will now be end zone seats and vice versa.

I never read the court is being rotated in that manner and none of the drawings indicate that.   The student end zone nothing is being done with.

MikeR wrote:

I thought the court itself was being turned 180 degrees in the renovation. Any old seating remaining will not have the same orientation to the court. 

Don't you mean 90 degrees?  180 would just flip the endzones.