Tidbits from Pollard on Tonight's Radio Show

[norsemen]

Here's a few news items from AD Pollard on tonight's coaches radio show:

1. The Hilton update and remodel project is still planned, but since it will require the issuing of bonds to raise the needed funds, don't expect any movement on the project until after the new Big 12 TV deal is finalized.
2. Plans for the development of "Cytown" (commercial development between Trice and Hilton) will be shared with high level donors this Friday. A teleconference will be held next Monday to share the updated plans with the general public.
3. In Pollard's opinion, both the Big 12 and Pac 12 will sign new "short term" TV contracts and no conference realignment will take place in the immediate future. What could change this is if the Big 10 expands again, but rumors say the majority of AD's and university presidents are against further expansion at this time.
4. 16,000 fans entered Jack Trice Stadium for the SEMO game via the new bridge gates on the east side of the stadium. Fans seemed pleased with the addition.

 

[FallOf81]

Someone or many educate me on this Cytown. If Ames was a 250K+ population and further South for year round outside dining... I get it.
Not sure what Pollard is driving at here but he seems relentless on this project.

 

[JeanValette]

Someone or many educate me on this Cytown. If Ames was a 250K+ population and further South for year round outside dining... I get it.
Not sure what Pollard is driving at here but he seems relentless on this project.

There is a reason it is called the "Pollard and Light District"

 

[ForbinsAscynt]

Thanks for sharing. I am all growing Ames but I really think cytown is going to be a ghost town most of the year. There is like no housing there at all. Maybe you get some traffic from the research park but I don’t think it’s enough to sustain whatever businesses go in there.

 

[cyclone87]

Look forward to seeing the updated cytown plans. Guess the Pac 12 going to keep limping along until Oregon leaves, which seems inevitable.

 

[FallOf81]

Maybe someone pull Pollard aside and say.... how can we pay the next coach 5 plus million and year and grow facilities? Let's worry about that instead of selling chicken wings and beer to Cytown patrons.

 

[SCNCY]

So it sounds like the PAC will stay together with a crappy tv deal. I wonder if the Big 12 overplayed their hand by being too aggressive?

 

[NorthCyd]

Maybe someone pull Pollard aside and say.... how can we pay the next coach 5 plus million and year and grow facilities? Let's worry about that instead of tossing selling chicken wings and beer to Cytown patrons.

You realize the whole point of Cytown is to generate revenue.

 

[cyclone87]

Thanks for sharing. I am all growing Ames but I really think cytown is going to be a ghost town most of the year. There is like no housing there at all. Maybe you get some traffic from the research park but I don’t think it’s enough to sustain whatever businesses go in there.

Depends on if it can become a destination outside of game days or not. I’ll wait to see the plan and mix of what might be included in it first. From my understanding it’s going to be a partnership with a private developer which would reduce the risk to the AD. Hopefully it can become another revenue stream and help rejuvenate the Iowa state center.

 

[AlaCyclone]

Uh, won't CyTown between Jack Trice and Hilton displace a bunch of football parking?

 

[ForbinsAscynt]

North Ames has grown a ton and even we cannot sustain the 5 restaurants that exist in somerset. A decent Italian place that was one of the only games in town shut down, granted partly due to COVID, but brick city who took over the location feels like it’s on the ropes.

 

[FallOf81]

You realize the whole point of Cytown is to generate revenue.

Well duh. Pollard must have one hell of a financial research study ready to roll out. We will soon see.

 

[IASTATE07]

You realize the whole point of Cytown is to generate revenue.

He did ask someone to educate him.

 

[IcSyU]

brick city who took over the location feels like it’s on the ropes.

No ****? That place was always PACKED in their tiny little previous space.

 

[alarson]

Someone or many educate me on this Cytown. If Ames was a 250K+ population and further South for year round outside dining... I get it.
Not sure what Pollard is driving at here but he seems relentless on this project.

Look at a map of ames.

Look for available space to develop new commercial property. Note that it is all on the fringes.

The ISU AD is sitting on a highly valuable piece of property in the center of town and this is a way for ISU to cash in on it.

 

[NorthCyd]

Well duh. Pollard must have one hell of a financial research study ready to roll out. We will soon see.

No, I'm sure Pollard hasn't thought this through at all, and a bunch of idiots on a message board are way more clued in than he is on this stuff.

 

[jsb]

Thanks for sharing. I am all growing Ames but I really think cytown is going to be a ghost town most of the year. There is like no housing there at all. Maybe you get some traffic from the research park but I don’t think it’s enough to sustain whatever businesses go in there.

Why? Ames isn’t that big. You can go to a restaurant near Hilton any time.

 

[ForbinsAscynt]

No ****? That place was always PACKED in their tiny little previous space.

and still a damn good burger. They send out coupons via text like every week which makes me think they are getting desperate. All my friends say the same thing. Should have never moved locations.

 

[ZuriCyclone]

Maybe someone pull Pollard aside and say.... how can we pay the next coach 5 plus million and year and grow facilities? Let's worry about that instead of selling chicken wings and beer to Cytown patrons.

Coaches come and go, Cytown will have a longer tenure. Need to bring more business into Ames and expand the population.

 

[jsb]

So it sounds like the PAC will stay together with a crappy tv deal. I wonder if the Big 12 overplayed their hand by being too aggressive?

If pollards right on that, it’s bad news.