CyTown Announcement - Monday 9/19 (Links in OP)

[Mr.G.Spot]

At the 35 minute mark the research park guy says they aren't expecting this to be a revenue stream for the athletic department but for the Iowa State Center.... wasn't that the whole point? To provide supplemental revenue for the athletic department as tv money dips?

The Center is under the MGMT of the AD. Excess cash flow will go to sports then to the arts.

 

[2speedy1]

The Center is under the MGMT of the AD. Excess cash flow will go to sports then to the arts.

Doesn't the Iowa State Center in this case include all facilities and activities in that area? So it will fund all facilities from Jack Trice Stadium, Hilton, CY Stephens etc, to everything around CYTown and in between. Which they estimate $50M will go towards the Arts portion of ISU Center. Or am I misunderstanding it?

Edited: removed error

 

[Mr.G.Spot]

Doesn't the Iowa State Center in this case include all facilities and activities in that area? So it will fund all facilities from Jack Trice Stadium, Hilton, CY Stephens etc, to everything around CYTown and in between. The remainder. Which they estimate $50M will go towards the Arts portion of ISU Center. Or am I misunderstanding it?

That is as I understand the situation.

 

[yowza]

You wouldn't watch an away game at that ampitheater area when there's a bar and restaurant next to it and hundreds or thousands of other Cyclone fans? What is "swanky" about that? Beer is swanky?

I'd have been there all the time when I was a student.

This will give Ames what a ton of college towns already have. Welch has just never cut it.

I've lived in 2nd and 3rd largest US city past 22 years and this all looks a lot more like a better version of Iowa State than it does those places.

I think it only seems over the top because Ames is so underserved for something like this.

To your first point, that would be weather dependent for sure.

 

[BCClone]

The project will fund itself... if there is demand for it, the revenues that come in, fund the bonds for the next round of development, and so on.

I think this is a creative way to add value to Ames and ISU.

1) I think ISU has a proven model for working with industry at the ISU Center. Adding opportunities for on campus locations for these companies, makes sense.

2) Large public university, USDA, plus growing number of companies partnering with the university - makes sense to have a large conference center to hold events...

3) With 1 & 2 you now can have year round opportunities for hosting events; this supports planned hotel, restaurants, bars... so this makes sense.

4) Now add renovated arenas for sporting events, concerts, etc.. you can attract more people to the area who then increase the value of the hotel, restaurant, bars, etc.


Green Bay, WI has about 100k people. Ames has about 70k. Title town is open year round with concerts and other activities held through the year. But they don't have a huge public university like ISU. This is a huge advantage that can draw many various conferences to the area. No, ISU is not the Green Bay Packers... but ISU has many sporting events through out the year.

Lambeau: ~9 home games (8.5 average + playoffs) x 81.5k = 735k / yr

Jack Trice: 6.5 home games x 58.5k = 380k / yr
Hilton MBB: 19 home games (used 2021) x 12.5k (87% capacity) = 240k/yr

Total FB & MBB: 620k / Yr

How many conferences, concerts, etc. can be booked? we will see... but it's not zero.

Potential is there...

One thing I would say is GB has about 11.5 home games a year. They have 2 preseasons games that sell out and their scrimmage packs it in for 75-80% also (when I’ve been there)

 

[BCClone]

Doesn't the Iowa State Center in this case include all facilities and activities in that area? So it will fund all facilities from Jack Trice Stadium, Hilton, CY Stephens etc, to everything around CYTown and in between. Which they estimate $50M will go towards the Arts portion of ISU Center. Or am I misunderstanding it?

Edited: removed error

Like I mentioned earlier, if this lifts the financial pull of the ISC buildings not named Hilton/JTS, and fixes the parking lots; it will have served a big purpose just there.

 

[Mr.G.Spot]

One thing I would say is GB has about 11.5 home games a year. They have 2 preseasons games that sell out and their scrimmage packs it in for 75-80% also (when I’ve been there)

We have 40 home men's and women's BB games. 20 home wrestling and volleyball matches. Year round meetings and seminars for in Scheman for university and Research Park. Etc.

 

[BCClone]

We have 40 home men's and women's BB games. 20 home wrestling and volleyball matches. Year round meetings and seminars for in Scheman for university and Research Park. Etc.

I know. I was just correcting the GB side so it was more correct in figures.

 

[Frak]

Then if they have some boutique shopping places and a few kids activities, you have a little for everyone. Throw in $5 tickets to go to the olympic events and families have a day event. I don't think people understand how unfun it is to bring your kids to non football games. We enter Ames on 69, and there are limited places to grab something quick and easy for the kids on that route. It's nice when you can park your car, and grab food, entertain the kids, wife can do a little shopping, dad grabs a beer before you go to an game/event.

Football you have tailgating and kids are just running around playing with other kids since there is bound to be several when you have 50k people in one area. Other sports not so much.

Yep. Imagine ISU MBB playing KU in the 3pm Saturday game. You stop at Toppling Goliath for food and a few beers. Then you walk down to the stage where they have radiant heaters, grab some beers and watch the end of the early B12 game on the big screen before filing into Hilton. That sounds pretty f'ing fun to me.

I don't know what people are afraid of. These poor businesses being charged ungodly rent? Having to walk a little further from your tailgate spot to JTS?

 

[DSM4Cy]

Yep. Imagine ISU MBB playing KU in the 3pm Saturday game. You stop at Toppling Goliath for food and a few beers. Then you walk down to the stage where they have radiant heaters, grab some beers and watch the end of the early B12 game on the big screen before filing into Hilton. That sounds pretty f'ing fun to me.

I don't know what people are afraid of. These poor businesses being charged ungodly rent? Having to walk a little further from your tailgate spot to JTS?

100%. This is yet another example of the amazing combination of vision and skills to get things done that JP has. Doubt him at your own peril. This district, when completed, will be absolutely breathtaking and if there’s any group of people who will go above and beyond to support it, it’s Cyclone fans. Jamie would not be pushing this forward unless he was incredibly confident of its success.

 

[carvers4math]

Yep. Imagine ISU MBB playing KU in the 3pm Saturday game. You stop at Toppling Goliath for food and a few beers. Then you walk down to the stage where they have radiant heaters, grab some beers and watch the end of the early B12 game on the big screen before filing into Hilton. That sounds pretty f'ing fun to me.

I don't know what people are afraid of. These poor businesses being charged ungodly rent? Having to walk a little further from your tailgate spot to JTS?

Trust me, JP gonna need a trolley for people who can’t walk more than a block. Fortunately I don’t think we are really losing parking.

Husband and I are in our 60’s and sit in the top row of JTS. At least half the people over 30 coming up the stairs look like they are going to have a heart attack before they get to their seats.

Maybe Cyclone fans could work a carrot or two into the tailgate of grilled fat, chips, and beer.

 

[Mr.G.Spot]

100%. This is yet another example of the amazing combination of vision and skills to get things done that JP has. Doubt him at your own peril. This district, when completed, will be absolutely breathtaking and if there’s any group of people who will go above and beyond to support it, it’s Cyclone fans. Jamie would not be pushing this forward unless he was incredibly confident of its success.

I hope this board does not represent our fan base as a percentage of "negative nancies.". The doubters are vocal which they every right to be. It scares me because we have the lowest percentage of givers to the NCC as compared to all other big 12 universities. We have so few givers.......I don't know why. That is why big money is necessary to take over this project.

Please join the Collective and NCC, even if it is $1 per month.

Exciting times are ahead

 

[2speedy1]

Yep. Imagine ISU MBB playing KU in the 3pm Saturday game. You stop at Toppling Goliath for food and a few beers. Then you walk down to the stage where they have radiant heaters, grab some beers and watch the end of the early B12 game on the big screen before filing into Hilton. That sounds pretty f'ing fun to me.

I don't know what people are afraid of. These poor businesses being charged ungodly rent? Having to walk a little further from your tailgate spot to JTS?

The other thing is think about it, what is the average capacity of a bar or restaurant? Couple hundred? Max? People act like there has to be an event with 60K+ people to keep these places full.

Apparently, a few think we have to have Garth Brooks, Metallica, or Taylor Swift in the band shell to pull in enough people to create business.

It is strange to me that when I go out to eat with my wife, that there is an hour+ wait most nights, but for some reason people think that no one would go to a restaurant in CYTown unless there is an event going so there is no way they would have business any other times while every other one around is full.

The local park here has family movie night and draws in tons of people, I believe Jordan Creek has Free Music etc nights where they bring in regional bands etc. Title town has vendor days, where people can come in flee market style and sell their products. The huge parking lots set up perfect for this.

The IM fields have events and tournaments. Spring through fall is not an issue. In the winter, people will be coming for tons of activities in Hilton, CY, and Scheman, not to mention any conventions and guests at the new hotel etc. And the tons of students that will be everywhere.

Then we talk about the thousands of commuters that park their daily that will be stopping before or after work.

I really don't understand the people that are so closed minded that refuse to see this as a positive, that refuse to see how this works, that complain they may have to move their parking spot. I just don't understand that thinking. I think most of those people look at pictures of Jack Trice stadium from 1979 and wish it still looked like that.

 

[theshadow]

Video from Friday's AD reception:

 

[carvers4math]

The other thing is think about it, what is the average capacity of a bar or restaurant? Couple hundred? Max? People act like there has to be an event with 60K+ people to keep these places full.

​

Apparently, a few think we have to have Garth Brooks, Metallica, or Taylor Swift in the band shell to pull in enough people to create business.

​

It is strange to me that when I go out to eat with my wife, that there is an hour+ wait most nights, but for some reason people think that no one would go to a restaurant in CYTown unless there is an event going so there is no way they would have business any other times while every other one around is full.

The local park here has family movie night and draws in tons of people, I believe Jordan Creek has Free Music etc nights where they bring in regional bands etc. Title town has vendor days, where people can come in flee market style and sell their products. The huge parking lots set up perfect for this.

The IM fields have events and tournaments. Spring through fall is not an issue. In the winter, people will be coming for tons of activities in Hilton, CY, and Scheman, not to mention any conventions and guests at the new hotel etc. And the tons of students that will be everywhere.

Then we talk about the thousands of commuters that park their daily that will be stopping before or after work.

I really don't understand the people that are so closed minded that refuse to see this as a positive, that refuse to see how this works, that complain they may have to move their parking spot. I just don't understand that thinking. I think most of those people look at pictures of Jack Trice stadium from 1979 and wish it still looked like that.

Some people don’t like change. I started at ISU in 1979, when then Cyclone Stadium had nothing behind the end zones. When my brothers started college, we were still playing at Clyde Williams. I’m excited to trust the process on this one.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

Trust me, JP gonna need a trolley for people who can’t walk more than a block. Fortunately I don’t think we are really losing parking.

Husband and I are in our 60’s and sit in the top row of JTS. At least half the people over 30 coming up the stairs look like they are going to have a heart attack before they get to their seats.

Maybe Cyclone fans could work a carrot or two into the tailgate of grilled fat, chips, and beer.

I use a carrot to stir my 3 lbs of cheese dip. It's nature's biodegradable spoon.

 

[KnappShack]

Video from Friday's AD reception:

This is ******* forward thinking and visionary!

The suites are amazing and would be a tremendous benefit for the donation.

It reminds me a bit of a mall in Mesa coupled with housing and entertainment.

Amazing work. Will be such a change from my years roaming around campus

 

[JM4CY]

I use a carrot to stir my 3 lbs of cheese dip. It's nature's biodegradable spoon.

Doesn't it feel a little weird suckin' cheese off of a carrot?

 

[3TrueFans]

Doesn't it feel a little weird suckin' cheese off of a carrot?

Regular carrot no, baby carrot yes.

 

[isucy86]

To lazy to watch the announcement. But will the university get 100% of any hotel lodging tax or sales tax at restaurants since the facility is on university property?

Or does state & Ames get cut of "taxes"?