Miller Park?

[muwarrior69]

Would Miller Park ever be considered for an NCAA Regional site? Is it conducive for basketball?

[Nukem2]

Doubt that it would ever happen.  There was talk of an MU game there, but cold/damp weather is probably too much of a wildcard/probability for that to happen.  Some talk about huge heaters/blowers, but that does not seem too practical in Nov - March timeframe.

[dsfire]

Not sure about tourney games, but there was talk about the Badgers and Illinois playing a game there (and it wasn't just here).  I'd have to imagine there are much better locations for regionals, though.

[4everwarriors]

Sure, if the number of hotel rooms in this town quadruples.

[Markusquette]

Buzz was interviewed during the game today.

[Hards Alumni]

Sure, if the number of hotel rooms in this town quadruples.

regionals have been held at the BC before, have they not?

[GGGG]

regionals have been held at the BC before, have they not?

No.  Only first and second round.  Madison has hosted regionals, but since then they haven't hosted anything.

[Nukem2]

Sure, if the number of hotel rooms in this town quadruples.

Why?  There are fewer teams (4) in a regional than in a 1st/2nd round site (8).

[Brewtown Andy]

Why?  There are fewer teams (4) in a regional than in a 1st/2nd round site (8).

More people are willing to travel to see their team in the regional rounds.

[Mayor McCheese]

I hate how they are moving Regional games to football stadiums... The place looks empty, the atmosphere is lost... I would rather have them play these games in small arenas (Hinkle, Butler's arena, Chaminade's arena, Cameron Indoor) then these giant places where they are a quarter filled, and the atmosphere is killed by the size.

[drewm88]

There has been talk about Miller potentially hosting the Final Four sometime. Like 4ever said, by far the biggest issue is number of hotel rooms.

[GGGG]

I hate how they are moving Regional games to football stadiums... The place looks empty, the atmosphere is lost... I would rather have them play these games in small arenas (Hinkle, Butler's arena, Chaminade's arena, Cameron Indoor) then these giant places where they are a quarter filled, and the atmosphere is killed by the size.

That is the reason that Madison and I believe Austin hosted a few years ago.  They were trying to get that atmosphere in college arenas.  However, I think the lack of hotel rooms was an issue with Madison, and the NCAA wanted to make more money.

[bma725]

There has been talk about Miller potentially hosting the Final Four sometime. Like 4ever said, by far the biggest issue is number of hotel rooms.

There's more to it than just the hotel rooms.  The roof leaks in multiple areas despite being repaired before and they've sort of given up on fixing it.

More importantly, there is no true heating/cooling system.  They can only make the air in the stadium 30* warmer than the outside air.  Given that average temperature in March is 33*, that's just not acceptable for basketball.

[drewm88]

There's more to it than just the hotel rooms.  The roof leaks in multiple areas despite being repaired before and they've sort of given up on fixing it.

More importantly, there is no true heating/cooling system.  They can only make the air in the stadium 30* warmer than the outside air.  Given that average temperature in March is 33*, that's just not acceptable for basketball.

Agreed that the roof would be a problem. However, at the time that was still assumed to be fixed shortly. As for temperature, remember that the Final Four is played in early April, when the average high is in the low 50s. Lows are in the mid to high 30s. Also, IIRC they could get it roughly 40* above outside temp with some temporary heaters included. I assume that would also factor in the heat generated by 40,000+ people. Either way, that should probably cover the temperature unless it's significantly colder than average.

Either way, the article said hotel rooms were the biggest issue. I believe the NCAA looks for a city to be able to hold a crowd of 100,000.

I can't find the article though.

[HoopsMalone]

How could Indianapolis have that many more hotels available than Milwaukee?  Also, there are a ton of hotels in the north suburbs of Chicago which would only be an hour drive to the games. There is also a 1 hour train ride from Glenview, IL.  Can't see how hotels would be that big of an issue in one of the biggest cities in the country with the third biggest city in the entire country just 90 miles south.

[Brewtown Andy]

How could Indianapolis have that many more hotels available than Milwaukee? 

Well, if Wikipedia is to be trusted, Indianapolis has a population size of 200K more than Milwaukee, so you'd have to figure that bigger city = more hotel rooms.

[GGGG]

Well, if Wikipedia is to be trusted, Indianapolis has a population size of 200K more than Milwaukee, so you'd have to figure that bigger city = more hotel rooms.

It's not just that.  Indianapolis made huge investments in its conference center years before the Midwest Airlines center was built and has multiple downtown conference hotels that Milwaukee can't match.  If you go downtown Indianapolis at anytime, you will see a lot of people in "conference gear."

[Hards Alumni]

Indianapolis 500.

that should end that debate.

[lurch91]

Indianapolis 500.

that should end that debate.

Nto really, about 40% of people that go to the 500 end up staying an hour away or more.  The 500 opens the gates at 6am so those people can arrive early.  Still, it's pretty impressive that Central Indiana can accomodate about 300,000 "visitors" (assuming max capacity is 400,000 and only 100,000 local residents attend the race).

[BrewCity83]

Northeastern Wisconsin can accommodate at least that many.  How many were at the "Ice Bowl"?

[GooooMarquette]

Just to frame the comparison between Milwaukee and Indianapolis, I went to the cities' respective Convention and Visitors' Bureau sites.  Indianapolis' site says they have 6,000 downtown hotel rooms.  Milwaukee's says they have 3,000.

I suspect that pretty much ends any debate in the NCAA's eyes.

And while it's true that there are more than enough rooms in Chicago, I'm guessing that most folks don't want to go to a Regional or Final Four and then spend several hours of their weekend going back and forth on I-94.  I love Milwaukee and would be thrilled to see a Regional or Final Four there, but I just don't see it happening.

[MUfan12]

Just to frame the comparison between Milwaukee and Indianapolis, I went to the cities' respective Convention and Visitors' Bureau sites.  Indianapolis' site says they have 6,000 downtown hotel rooms.  Milwaukee's says they have 3,000.

I suspect that pretty much ends any debate in the NCAA's eyes.

And while it's true that there are more than enough rooms in Chicago, I'm guessing that most folks don't want to go to a Regional or Final Four and then spend several hours of their weekend going back and forth on I-94.  I love Milwaukee and would be thrilled to see a Regional or Final Four there, but I just don't see it happening.

And this is my frustration with Milwaukee. There's more empty condo buildings going up downtown than hotels, and it's killing the city's ability to attract any sort of large event.

[Hards Alumni]

I'm not sure how it is Milwaukee's fault... hotel chains... maybe.

[GooooMarquette]

I'm not sure how it is Milwaukee's fault... hotel chains... maybe.

The hotel chains are there to make money, so they aren't going to put hotels in places where there isn't demonstrated demand.  Part of the job of the CVB in any town is to help generate that demand by marketing the city to conventions and others, and then demonstrate the demand to the hoteliers.  If the Milwaukee CVB hasn't been able to demonstrate that demand to the Marriotts and Hiltons of the world, I find it hard to blame the latter for not building hotels there.

By the way, if you think there's high enough demand in Milwaukee for more business-quality hotels, consider this:  I come in from out of town to the MU games, and often stay in hotels.  It isn't at all uncommon to get a nice room in a full-service hotel (like the Waukesha Marriott or the Residence Inn in the old Marshall Fields building downtown) for $100 or less.  Think of what the rates would be like if there were twice as many rooms....

[MUfan12]

I'm not sure how it is Milwaukee's fault... hotel chains... maybe.

Not placing blame, just a general frustration.