Basketball PDC Virtual Tour

Submitted by MGoShoe on

Just posted at UMHoops.com, but since many of you don't visit that site, check out this virtual tour of the Basketball Player Development Center.  Yes, the PDC will be quite the boon to the MBB and WBB programs. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOH7DZ_hymo

As a reminder:

 

The facility... will provide approximately 57,000 gross square feet, including two basketball practice courts, team locker rooms for players and coaches, athletic medicine and hydrotherapy.

The second floor will accommodate men's and women's coaching staff and administrative support functions, as well as film-viewing rooms and strength and conditioning space.

The proposed design calls for a new entrance to Crisler Arena for players and coaches at the playing floor level and a new, dramatic Hall of Fame in the entry lobby.

the_white_tiger

December 20th, 2010 at 9:30 PM ^

Exactly. I've said it over there multiple times but that site really blows anything MGoBlog provides in terms of basketball analysis, coverage, recuiting, etc. out of the water. It will be interesting if Brian tries to pursue another MGoCorporateTakeover, but until then, UMHoops really fits an in-depth, analytical niche in basketball that MGoBlog provides in football.

mGrowOld

December 20th, 2010 at 9:21 PM ^

Wow that's awesome.  Now we dont have to apologize for our facilities or try and distract our recruits with a really, really big football stadium to get them to come here.  This finally levels the playing field a bit with much of the Big 10 for basketball.

It's hard to convince recruits that Michigan is NOT just a "football school" when all they see is money poured into the football program while the basketball team gets facilities that were outdated in 1978.

Blazefire

December 20th, 2010 at 9:24 PM ^

Hopefully they can come through. A few years back, I uploaded the flythrough of the plan for updates to savage hall in Toledo. Though the final upgrades were awesome and the complex is one of the best, really, in the tri-state area now, a lot of what they originally had planned didn't end up the way they showed it.

 

Yeah... all that beautiful glass fascade? Not so much.

acnumber1

December 20th, 2010 at 9:37 PM ^

Hope that by the time it's done we are able to have some fab fivers represented on the interior posters.  

Noticed the interior of Crisler was devoid of gold seats.

No way R Traylor could have ever sat in one of the swivel chairs adorning the locker room...may have to rethink sizes.

Saw a few (one?) picture on a wall of the way past (black and white)...didn't notice any Johnnie Orr era players...did notice Rumeal, didn't see Glen...hope they can include more history...and assume they will.

Will be a huge boost to recruiting.

 

 

 

MGoShoe

December 20th, 2010 at 10:09 PM ^

...they've ever been released.  Here are the salient points from the Jan 21, 2010 report to the Regents when the project was presented for approval. Essentially phase one is mostly about fixing infrastructure deficiencies.  

Built in 1967, Crisler Arena is a multi-purpose venue with a seating capacity of approximately 13,800 used for academic, athletic, and entertainment events. The arena has received minor renovations since construction, and we now propose addressing its highest priority infrastructure needs, including life safety, mechanical and electrical. The project will include: replacement of the roof and asbestos abatement as needed; new fire detection, alarm, and suppression systems; a new smoke evacuation system; an emergency generator; emergency egress lighting; replacement of the heating and ventilation units; and building elechical system upgrades. The project will also replace the seats in the lower bowl, including the addition of seating meeting the requirementsof the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as relocate and widen aisles and add hand rails to the aisles. An elevator will also be added for accessibility. The scope ofthis project includes the architectural, mechanical, and electrical work necessary to accomplish these improvements. Although there will be a temporary loss of some adjacent parking spaces during construction, there will be no permanent impact on parking from this project.

I imagine when it's time for phase two to be presented and approved, we'll see schematics of the improved concourses and other items as described by Dave Brandon back in April of this year.

The next steps, though, are fixing the fan experience and cosmetic look of the facility. 

“We need wider concourses, we need more restrooms, we need better amenities in terms of food service and service opportunities for our fans,” Brandon said. “We need to re-seat the bowl, think differently about the kind of seating that we use and probably put in some kind of club-seating opportunities to give special experiences to people who are willing to take advantage of those. Probably come up with a different game plan as to where we put the media and just how we professionalize that arena."

Apparently, phase one plans can be purchased here, for anyone interested.

Greenwood_Slumdog

December 20th, 2010 at 10:40 PM ^

I really like how this facility is designed. I also think it will, as kaykay said, be a very strong attraction for recruits who would otherwise be distracted by the ugliness known as Crisler Arena. I have faith in DB and his ability to remake Crisler, but its going to be a big challenge.

I remember my fraternity used to sell food during basketball games for fundraising, and the food service capabilities were horrid. I also think the upgrades in Phase One, while mostly confined to the HVAC and ADA requirements, will also be a boost for fans. The lighting is terrible inside, and the seats in the lower bowl seem like they have been there forever.

dlg

December 21st, 2010 at 12:33 AM ^

As for the interior of Crisler itself, there are 2 rows of seats halfway up in the basketball band's section that were replaced for this year. There are around 5 or so different types of seats they put in these rows. Variations include the type of material such as vinyl or cloth, the shape of the seat back (rounded or square), a block M attached to the back or not and just about any other variation in stadium seats you can think of. My guess would be that these are the seats that are under consideration for the renovations with the fancier ones being club seats.

tdcarl

December 21st, 2010 at 2:35 AM ^

Having been through nearly all of Michigan State's facilities due to prior basketball camps and summer tournaments I must say that the new PDC rivals everything MSU has to offer and then some. This will be huge for recruiting without a doubt.

mert34

March 4th, 2011 at 11:17 AM ^

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