NeauXone Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 I know how much you all hate stadiums/arenas with 1 side of luxury suites. The good news is that the wall of suites are on their way out in this upcoming renovation. The bad news? Well... https://www.ajc.com/sports/basketball/leadoff-hawks-set-begin-philips-arena-renovation-today/x2Jf0WcLDfuzUtk1kLanBP/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimball Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 12 hours ago, the heat suck said: I know how much you all hate stadiums/arenas with 1 side of luxury suites. The good news is that the wall of suites are on their way out in this upcoming renovation. The bad news? Well... https://www.ajc.com/sports/basketball/leadoff-hawks-set-begin-philips-arena-renovation-today/x2Jf0WcLDfuzUtk1kLanBP/ The bad news? The Hawks can't move until 2046? Or that it's another sham of a deal that the public is paying for? "I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific." Lily Tomlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroywen Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 The renovations themselves look like significant improvements over the current 'wall of suites' that exists there. It is truly a shame, though, that taxpayers are paying $142 million for these renovations - nearly three times (!) that of the Hawks' contribution. These are truly the worst kinds of corporate handouts from the government; money that can be better much spent on improving services for the city's residents, increasing affordable housing, investing in public schools, or enhancing the city's infrastructure. I despise that valuable city and state funds are going to subsidize a private corporation to enhance said corporation's revenue streams, with little tangible benefit for the general public. (I'm fully in support of tax breaks and government grants to private entities when there is a clear benefit to the public, or when it is incentivizing actions that are for the public benefit - this comes nowhere close to meeting that criteria.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digby Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Am I dense? Where is the wall of suites going? In that rendering it looks like it's staying, just reconfigured and prettier looking. Also how on earth is there any public money leftover after the Falcons' deathstar across the way? Fan Style ShirtsShowcasing fan-made sports apparel by artists and designers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerslionspistonshabs Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Maybe they'll attract an NHL team. Third time's the charm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfwabel Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 2 hours ago, kroywen said: The renovations themselves look like significant improvements over the current 'wall of suites' that exists there. It is truly a shame, though, that taxpayers are paying $142 million for these renovations - nearly three times (!) that of the Hawks' contribution. These are truly the worst kinds of corporate handouts from the government; money that can be better much spent on improving services for the city's residents, increasing affordable housing, investing in public schools, or enhancing the city's infrastructure. I despise that valuable city and state funds are going to subsidize a private corporation to enhance said corporation's revenue streams, with little tangible benefit for the general public. (I'm fully in support of tax breaks and government grants to private entities when there is a clear benefit to the public, or when it is incentivizing actions that are for the public benefit - this comes nowhere close to meeting that criteria.) A $3 fee per ticket is what is funding the public contribution. 2 hours ago, Digby said: Am I dense? Where is the wall of suites going? In that rendering it looks like it's staying, just reconfigured and prettier looking. Also how on earth is there any public money leftover after the Falcons' deathstar across the way? The lower lever stadium bowl will be reconfigured to what most everyone in North America has. A hotel/motel tax is what covers Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont care Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 4 minutes ago, dfwabel said: A $3 fee per ticket is what is funding the public contribution. The lower lever stadium bowl will be reconfigured to what most everyone in North America has. A hotel/motel tax is what covers Mercedes-Benz Stadium. That and a rental car tax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generalshepherd141 Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 1 hour ago, tigerslionspistonshabs said: Maybe they'll attract an NHL team. Third time's the charm! I'm pretty sure this renovation is being done to optimize sightlines for basketball. So I doubt from this point forward Philips is gonna attract an NHL team, unless they want to go through what the Isles are with Barclays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeauXone Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 The bad news is that the wall of suites is being replaced by basically the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadmanLA Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Atlanta has become this decade's poster child (or city, I guess) for taxpayer-paid venues--ArtieWorld, the Philips renovation, and SunTrust Park. At least Georgia State is paying for the Turner Field reconfiguration into a football stadium out of private donations and revenue (except student fees) generated by the school. Even though the city ended up buying it later on (probably because Ted Turner had no interest in upgrading it), the old Omni was the only major Atlanta sports venue to be built without taxpayer dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroywen Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 49 minutes ago, dfwabel said: A $3 fee per ticket is what is funding the public contribution. They're predominantly from car rental taxes levied at the airport, per the AJC article: Quote Public dollars will fund $142.5 million of the renovation cost, mostly from car rental taxes collected at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The Hawks will be responsible for $50 million. Obviously the idea (as with the hotel/motel tax) is to fund these projects on the backs of out-of-towners. But those are still taxes being levied. Out-of-towners shouldn't be expected to subsidize the Hawks or Falcons any more than Atlanta residents should be expected to. (It's especially egregious when you consider that the original intent of car rental taxes were to fund road maintenance and infrastructure improvement, not as a way to build or renovate stadiums while not alienating local voters.) And as a person who did pay hotel tax and car rental taxes in Atlanta last year, I am not pleased that my tax dollars are going to line the pockets of a couple team owners down in Atlanta. Just as I was not pleased that my tax dollars here in New York went to line the pockets of the Steinbrenners, Dolans, and Wilpons with their respective venues. I am 100% supportive of paying my fair share in taxes, but not so as to benefit millionaire and billionaire team owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Admiral Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 2 hours ago, tigerslionspistonshabs said: Maybe they'll attract an NHL team. Third time's the charm! NO NO NO WE CAN'T PUT A TEAM THERE, THE ALIGNMENT, THE PRECIOUS ALIGNMENT, WE CAN'T MOVE DETROIT OR COLUMBUS TO THE WEST j/k, they'd totally move Detroit or Columbus to the West for another crack at Atlanta ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HedleyLamarr Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 1 hour ago, MadmanLA said: Atlanta has become this decade's poster child (or city, I guess) for taxpayer-paid venues--ArtieWorld, the Philips renovation, and SunTrust Park. At least Georgia State is paying for the Turner Field reconfiguration into a football stadium out of private donations and revenue (except student fees) generated by the school. Even though the city ended up buying it later on (probably because Ted Turner had no interest in upgrading it), the old Omni was the only major Atlanta sports venue to be built without taxpayer dollars. Well, the Olympic Stadium was built on sponsorship money from Olympic sponsors. Not sure who funded the conversion from Olympic Stadium to Turner Field....ACOG, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerslionspistonshabs Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 2 hours ago, generalshepherd141 said: I'm pretty sure this renovation is being done to optimize sightlines for basketball. So I doubt from this point forward Philips is gonna attract an NHL team, unless they want to go through what the Isles are with Barclays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfwabel Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 7 minutes ago, HedleyLamarr said: Well, the Olympic Stadium was built on sponsorship money from Olympic sponsors. Not sure who funded the conversion from Olympic Stadium to Turner Field....ACOG, I think. The Thrillerdome/McDonalds Center/McCamish has been gutted twice between 1995 and 2012 also. Were both those privately funded by Tech? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadmanLA Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 I guess this was a last minute addition, but the Philips renovation will now include a "courtside bar" carved-out one of the end-zone sections... Also part of the renovations, they'll include a Zac Brown-owned restaurant, Killer Mike's SWAG barber shop, and a suite containing a mini-golf range. Much of the details are here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Admiral Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 The area closest to the field of play as luxury free-range screwabout is an idea whose time was inevitable. Milwaukee and Rockford both do it in the AHL, to the extent that Rockford and the AHL can do luxury. ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfwabel Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 Top Golf is pretty fun for a group outing since when you're not in the tee box you can watch sports on TV, but a Top Golf suite at a live event is greater sports "Idiocracy" than the pools in Phoenix and Jacksonville. This is more airport terminal than sporting venue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Admiral Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 love too pay lots of money not to watch live sporting events but merely to be in proximity to them ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HedleyLamarr Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 Granted, it's been a couple years, but just based on what I recognize from my time there, this is where some of these new features will be: -The oval is where that barber shop is going to be. It's currently a large meeting room/corporate room just behind the entrance closest to the ticket booth. -The ZB is that Zac Brown bar/restaurant, which will most likely be in the area currently occupied by about 3-4 other upscale concession stands/bar, behind the seats. -The TopGolf suites will likely be put in a couple of the current party suites on the north side of the building (side not shown in picture). -That courtside bar behind the basket is on the opposite side of the "elephant doors" end that are used for staging concerts, etc. Underneath was basically a storage place. That bar will be interesting because of the seats. All these are retractable seats. If they're made permanent, that'll eliminate any possibility for hockey. Because of concerts and conventions, I believe that courtside bar will always be a temporarily placed, movable bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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