New Cardiff indoor arena ….

[kingmo19.1]

Interesting article in the Times on Sunday Business section last weekend ….. chap called Tim Leiweke - his company builds indoor arenas and he was responsible for the O2 in London. He’s also been involved in Ice Hockey - he was president of the LA Kings and also has been involved with the Maple Leafs.

The article focuses on his company and the direction it is taking but one paragraph did jump out that said:-

The current economic climate does not make this (arena construction) easy as he has found out in Cardiff, where he is preparing to build a site. Soaring steel prices have put the economics of the project at risk, the initial quote was £180m, but rocketed to above £300m at one point as iron ore prices jumped. They are slowly coming down and Leiweke is playing the waiting game.

Interesting !!!!

 

[Wannabe2]

Could see some movement around 2040 if things go well..

 

[Ocko]

Could see some movement around 2040 if things go well..

Well you would hope not, as it could be the only viable option for the Devils in the future.

I must be honest I don’t fancy the chances of the long term future of IAW. The whole project has proven to be massively flawed, the light up bar has proved to be the only thing that is half decent - which tells its own story.

 

[kingmo19.1]

Well you would hope not, as it could be the only viable option for the Devils in the future.

I must be honest I don’t fancy the chances of the long term future of IAW. The whole project has proven to be massively flawed, the light up bar has proved to be the only thing that is half decent - which tells its own story.

Light up bar has proved to be the only thing that’s half decent ?????

You obviously haven’t focused your eyes on the Gantry of the Galaxy!!

Sponsorship bidding rights have concluded this week, therefore, please refer to it by its official new name:-

The Coca-Cola, McDonalds, AT&T, Microsoft, Tesla, Vodafone, Amazon Gantry!

 

[Earnie]

Would this Arena mentioned above be the 17,000 seater proposed by the Council to be built nearby where County Hall is now? Atlantic Wharf development and all that!

 

[kettdevil1]

Well you would hope not, as it could be the only viable option for the Devils in the future.

I must be honest I don’t fancy the chances of the long term future of IAW. The whole project has proven to be massively flawed, the light up bar has proved to be the only thing that is half decent - which tells its own story.

Quite intrigued by this comment. Why do you say massively flawed? I would suggest it would ideally be a little bigger (gantry aside ) but it always seems busy and compared to most other rinks it does seem far more of a success. Realistically what would be the ideal scenario for a rink in Cardiff?

 

[James]

There were certainly massive design flaws when it was built. Pillars through the changing rooms, inadequate space given for other amenities (remember it was supposed to have dance studios, they are probably used as cupboards now) I think a lot of the terrible choices have been mitigated through compromise but it was a bit of a mess of a design to start with.

 

[kettdevil1]

There were certainly massive design flaws when it was built. Pillars through the changing rooms, inadequate space given for other amenities (remember it was supposed to have dance studios, they are probably used as cupboards now) I think a lot of the terrible choices have been mitigated through compromise but it was a bit of a mess of a design to start with.

Thanks - I think I also remember a concern that about the benches being too small as well. I suppose I am looking at it from the outside and seeing somewhere that has excellent sightlines, seems to be busy and is in better repair than many. Always interesting to hear about behind the scenes.

 

[Wannabe2]

However it’s still the best home Devils have ever had, and it’s better than 60% of other Elite team homes, and it’s not lifeless and half empty like some of the so called better places. Most other teams would love it,but hay hoe.

 

[James]

We're very lucky to have it and its great in a lot of ways. Which is why it's even more of a pity that after all the work that went to secure a facility so much was badly thought out, cut corners etc. Apparently the main Cafe has excellent facilities though and the gantry is spacious.

 

[Wannabe2]

Spot on James, it’s far from perfect but compared to the dump we moved from it’s not far off. Myself as a simple punter who just wants to watch hockey and have a beer, I love it.

 

[Earnie]

Why are so many knocking IAW?
Be thankful for what you have. Many envy us. I love it.

 

[Kevlar68]

Well you would hope not, as it could be the only viable option for the Devils in the future.

I must be honest I don’t fancy the chances of the long term future of IAW. The whole project has proven to be massively flawed, the light up bar has proved to be the only thing that is half decent - which tells its own story.

I don't think the IAW is flawed, the way its run and maintained is flawed. As for the light up bar that's knackered as it used to change colour, now it's just red constantly. Lets be honest it's not a wonder of the world, its a bar with a frosted plexi fronting and LED's behind it. The same as the IAW sign that used to look really good as you approached it with the colours changing behind it, then LED's stopped working and nothing was done. If they can't maintain the simplest of things how can they run an arena efficiently.

 

[Diablo3]

For all its flaws, IAW is just fine for us. Just hoping our owners manage to get a bid in to the council. For those who keep mentioning the new venue, (if it ever gets built) nowhere has it ever been mentioned, that it would support hockey. It is a music venue first and foremost. Ice hockey doesn't generate the revenue they will need to make it worthwhile putting in the hardware.

 

[Kevlar68]

IF we sold out every game every season i can see why they may expand in to a bigger arena but we sell out to 3 teams most of the time Giants, Steelers and Panthers and that's only cause there's a bit of needle between those teams. There's 6 other teams we don't sell out to so the IAW is the ideal size for us.
We've been here over and over again about bigger arena. Can you imagine a bigger arena with the Conti Cup attendance, it would look like a miserable effort.
It's not a field of dreams scenario "Build it and they will come" it's "If they come then we'll build it".

 

[Wannabe2]

Panthers are averaging 4,000ish per game, half full arena can you imagine IAW averaging 1500 like the Continental cup every week. And Panthers pay huge rent for icetime. And can only play when they are told they can.

 

[moggy#9]

For all its flaws, IAW is just fine for us. Just hoping our owners manage to get a bid in to the council. For those who keep mentioning the new venue, (if it ever gets built) nowhere has it ever been mentioned, that it would support hockey. It is a music venue first and foremost. Ice hockey doesn't generate the revenue they will need to make it worthwhile putting in the hardware.

The early publicity (when they hadn't picked a location) clearly showed an ice pad. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/work-new-15000-capacity-arena-13723353.amp

Admittedly a lot has happened in the meantime, but I'd hope we'd end up with something that could handle a bit more than the latest teeny bopper sensation in concert.

 

[Kevlar68]

With a 15,000 arena that will draw so much but hockey, i don't think it would be good for us, any atmosphere would be lost in the void.
I go to lots of gigs in London and Birmingham as Cardiff doesn't have an arena to hold the larger bands and shows, so this city does need a large event arena, the ones i have mentioned are in use constantly all year round.

 

[Wannabe2]

With a 15,000 arena that will draw so much but hockey, i don't think it would be good for us, any atmosphere would be lost in the void.
I go to lots of gigs in London and Birmingham as Cardiff doesn't have an arena to hold the larger bands and shows, so this city does need a large event arena, the ones i have mentioned are in use constantly all year round.

And there’s a reason they don’t have a ice pad.

 

[lloyd_jeff]

The £180 million arena will never have a Devils Game, sorry, hard reality check.