DePaul won't move to United Center

[Pakuni]

The DePaul University basketball team won't be moving to the United Center, a source said Tuesday.

The owners of the West Side arena had been courting the Blue Demons, who currently play in Rosemont, with an offer of 10 years of free rent and other perks.
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But it's now understood that DePaul favors a move to the McCormick Place campus, the source said.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/18958391-418/united-center-out-of-running-for-depaul-basketball-team-source-says.html

[GOO]

Right move and gives some hope for DePaul.  As great as the offer was and playing in Jordan's/Bull's home arena, they would get bad dates and times.

A smaller arena, that is their home with the best dates and Saturday night games... that is the ticket, even if it is on the south side.  DePaul should get first shot at weekend dates and times.  I wish Marquette would get more Friday and Saturday night games.

[Benny B]

The DePaul University basketball team won't be moving to the United Center, a source said Tuesday.

The owners of the West Side arena had been courting the Blue Demons, who currently play in Rosemont, with an offer of 10 years of free rent and other perks.
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But it's now understood that DePaul favors a move to the McCormick Place campus, the source said.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/18958391-418/united-center-out-of-running-for-depaul-basketball-team-source-says.html

DePaul turned down Ads by Google?!?  They could have made a fortune working from home.

[GGGG]

The major issue is that it is still a fair distance from campus.  It is really beneficial for the BC to be within walking distance of MU.

Of course this new arena wouldn't be all that close to DePaul either...

[The Lens]

IMO the arena issue is the great debate that allows DePaul admin to be able to run a program like they're Loyola and always have an answer for why they're bad.

They are not bad bc of the Allstate.  They have won there before but they are not willing to do what is needed 365 days / year to compete now.  Until they make a total investment in the program, training facilities, coaches (plural) salaries, travel & recruiting budget they will continue to be a laughingstock that points to an arena near ORD as their reason for failure.

Georgetown played us with 60% full NBA arena miles from campus and something like 400 undergrads in attendance and beat us.  You don't need the perfect arena, you need to be committed 365 days / year.  They need to get their big money donors to invest in the program instead of looking to build another grad school satellite location.  Basketball is clearly not a priority and until it is, they will hide behind the arena issue.

[Pakuni]

IMO the arena issue is the great debate that allows DePaul admin to be able to run a program like they're Loyola and always have an answer for why they're bad.

They are not bad bc of the Allstate.  They have won there before but they are not willing to do what is needed 365 days / year to compete now.  Until they make a total investment in the program, training facilities, coaches (plural) salaries, travel & recruiting budget they will continue to be a laughingstock that points to an arena near ORD as their reason for failure.

Georgetown played us with 60% full NBA arena miles from campus and something like 400 undergrads in attendance and beat us.  You don't need the perfect arena, you need to be committed 365 days / year.  They need to get their big money donors to invest in the program instead of looking to build another grad school satellite location.  Basketball is clearly not a priority and until it is, they will hide behind the arena issue.

DePaul spends more on basketball than anyone in the new Big East other than Marquette and Georgetown. They also spend more than Cincy, Pittsburgh and West Virginia, according to a Forbes story based on 2010 figures.They pay Purnell $1.8 million a year, which puts him in the top 25 of all coaches.
I don't think they're problems all revolve around the Allstate Arena. But I also don't think it's a lack of investment either. It's a lack of smart investment.

[GOO]

It will help recruiting.  A lot of recruits will get to games as will families of recruits.  Will only help.

[Litehouse]

I don't see how the McCormick place location helps them, it's still 8 miles from campus.  The UC is actually only about 4 miles from their campus.

[Groin_pull]

Chicago has the money to build another arena??? Really????

[NYWarrior]

I don't see how the McCormick place location helps them, it's still 8 miles from campus.  The UC is actually only about 4 miles from their campus.

Not really ... DePaul has invested heavily in its Loop campus in the last 20 years -- they are prominent in the Loop now (not residential of course), and just a few train stops from McCormick.

http://www.depaul.edu/about/campuses/Pages/loop.aspx

"The Colleges of Business, Communication, Computing and Digital Media​, Law and the School for New Learning are based here (in the Loop)"

[Litehouse]

Isn't the loop campus mostly grad students?  Do they really make undergrads take a train 6 miles to a different building?  Even so, McCormick place is still 2 miles from their loop campus.  Granted, it's still probably better than Rosemont, but I don't think it's going to help them much.

[The Lens]

DePaul spends more on basketball than anyone in the new Big East other than Marquette and Georgetown. They also spend more than Cincy, Pittsburgh and West Virginia, according to a Forbes story based on 2010 figures.They pay Purnell $1.8 million a year, which puts him in the top 25 of all coaches.
I don't think they're problems all revolve around the Allstate Arena. But I also don't think it's a lack of investment either. It's a lack of smart investment.

Wow...great to know.  I have talked to a number of alums who show great envy to the amenities of the AL, how we travel etc.  I know they have the Ray Meyer Center but that seems to be much more of a student center (and neighbors, my sister in law works out there).

[NYWarrior]

Isn't the loop campus mostly grad students?  Do they really make undergrads take a train 6 miles to a different building?  Even so, McCormick place is still 2 miles from their loop campus.  Granted, it's still probably better than Rosemont, but I don't think it's going to help them much.

a lot of undergrads now .. I guest lectured recently to an undergrad class w the college of comms at DePaul -- those students noted that courses related to their major (and those w/ a business minor) were taken in the Loop.

[Groin_pull]

So instead of taking a sweetheart deal to move to the UC, DePaul would rather wait for a new arena that will never get built.

And we wonder why DePaul blows. Meanwhile, enjoy playing in that dumpy barn out by the airport.

[Coleman]

Loop campus has at least their undergrad business program. Maybe a few others. And there are some undergrads living downtown, though not as many as in Lincoln Park.

Also, McCormick place will be on the red and/or green line (I believe Rahm wants to build a new station just for the McCormick campus and new arena). Much more accessible from Lincoln Park than the United Center. Its a half hour train ride, with campus and the stadium mere steps from their respective L stations. Not bad at all. Also right by McCormick place metra stop.

This is the right move.

[Groin_pull]

Loop campus has at least their undergrad business program. Maybe a few others. And there are some undergrads living downtown, though not as many as in Lincoln Park.

Also, McCormick place will be on the red and/or green line (I believe Rahm wants to build a new station just for the McCormick campus and new arena). Much more accessible from Lincoln Park than the United Center. Its a half hour train ride, with campus and the stadium mere steps from their respective L stations. Not bad at all.

This is the right move.

Apparently, a city drowning in red ink can afford to build a new arena...even with the UC a few miles away.

[Coleman]

This is the right move in terms of developing McCormick Place. Yes, it costs money. So did Navy Pier. Chicago has been agressive in developing its tourism and convention center venues, and its the right move. If you don't like it, move to Mississippi.

[Groin_pull]

This is the right move in terms of developing McCormick Place. Yes, it costs money. So did Navy Pier. Chicago has been agressive in developing its tourism and convention center venues, and its the right move. If you don't like it, move to Mississippi.

Settle down, as*hole.

[4th and State]

As has been discussed, it is fairly common for students to take the L to get to their classes.  I think DePaul should do anything possible to ensure the arena they play at is easily accessable via the L.

[Galway Eagle]

Depaul is almost entirely commuter students who live all over the city so if it's L accessible it'll be better than the Allstate.  Everybody is looking at this as if the school is like MU where off campus means no more than a mile away. Plus Depaul has a Loop dorm shared with Roosevelt and Columbia so in the very least they'll be a lot closer. 

[chr31ter]

Can't imagine playing Providence on a Tuesday night at the United Center in front of 4500 people would do much for the program.

But building a shiny, new 10,000-seat arena/convention hall just south of the loop... and maybe open it up to some of the CPL schools for occasional usage and some playoff games...

[Dawson Rental]

Chicago has the money to build another arena??? Really????

McCormick Place Authority has some approved Bond issuing authority it's not using. 

[Aughnanure]

Apparently, a city drowning in red ink can afford to build a new arena...even with the UC a few miles away.

Ya gotta spend money to make money. The cities that stop building and developing are the ones that get left behind.

[GGGG]

McCormick Place Authority has some approved Bond issuing authority it's not using. 

Yes...$100M worth.

Apparently, a city drowning in red ink can afford to build a new arena...even with the UC a few miles away.

The question that Chicago has to answer is what are they supposed to do with that property to make it, and the properties around it, more valuable. 

[Galway Eagle]

Can't imagine playing Providence on a Tuesday night at the United Center in front of 4500 people would do much for the program.

But building a shiny, new 10,000-seat arena/convention hall just south of the loop... and maybe open it up to some of the CPL schools for occasional usage and some playoff games...

That's a bad move because if they do get good again a 10,000 seat arena isn't going to fit a >25,000 student school + alumni and local fans