Illinois will not be playing home games next fall at Carver Arena

[Da Coach]

University of Illinois has made a final decision to play several early season games next year, at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, while the State Farm Center is in a renovation phase.
They will not be playing any games in Carver Arena, which was one of the venues considered.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-illini-basketball-temporary-home-20141030-story.html

[tornado]

University of Illinois is paying the Prairie Capital Convention Center $1.625 MILLION for the five early season non-conference games that are going to be played there instead of in Champaign-Urbana.
(.. a U of I exhibition game on Nov. 8 & regular season games Nov. 13, 15, 21 and 23)

http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150615/NEWS/150619666/1994/NEWS?rssfeed=true

this amount is 49% of the entire previous year's budget for the facility!

too bad our Civic Center couldn't swing this deal - that's a big chunk of $$ for five dates - and Bradley wasn't using any of those dates except the Ball State game 11/13

[Old Coach]

University of Illinois is paying the Prairie Capital Convention Center $1.625 MILLION for the five early season non-conference games that are going to be played there instead of in Champaign-Urbana.
(.. a U of I exhibition game on Nov. 8 & regular season games Nov. 13, 15, 21 and 23)

http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150615/NEWS/150619666/1994/NEWS?rssfeed=true

this amount is 49% of the entire previous year's budget for the facility!

too bad our Civic Center couldn't swing this deal - that's a big chunk of $$ for five dates - and Bradley wasn't using any of those dates except the Ball State game 11/13

It was very political. I've heard from a very good source that the U.S. Cellular Coliseum may have offered a package as good (or better) in a much newer, more conducive facility, but were passed over in order to hold the games in Springfield.

[AZ BU Fan]

The Fix Was In

Nothing politician's like more than big time sporting events where they can be comped, and able to ride the publicity coat tails of something statewide like ILLINI MBB.

Seeing as there would otherwise be nothing for pols to do in Springfield, need meets greed with a perfect fit.

[it's boogie time]

University of Illinois is paying the Prairie Capital Convention Center $1.625 MILLION for the five early season non-conference games that are going to be played there instead of in Champaign-Urbana.
(.. a U of I exhibition game on Nov. 8 & regular season games Nov. 13, 15, 21 and 23)

http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150615/NEWS/150619666/1994/NEWS?rssfeed=true

this amount is 49% of the entire previous year's budget for the facility!

too bad our Civic Center couldn't swing this deal - that's a big chunk of $$ for five dates - and Bradley wasn't using any of those dates except the Ball State game 11/13

Almost. You need to flip it around.
"Brian Oaks, general manager of the building, said the center is paying $1.625 million to the university to host five games." It'll be interesting how the PCCC does selling the tickets for the exhibition and four bad opponents.

[Old Coach]

Almost. You need to flip it around.
"Brian Oaks, general manager of the building, said the center is paying $1.625 million to the university to host five games." It'll be interesting how the PCCC does selling the tickets for the exhibition and four bad opponents.

I suspect that they'll be taken care of.

[tornado]

boogie- right off the bat, the article states that their Aug. 1, 2015 thru Aug. 1, 2016 budget includes...
"....a 49 percent increase in projected costs and revenue primarily because of University of Illinois basketball games.."

so I agree they are counting the $1.6 mil as both revenue (money in) and expenses (money out)...

They are expecting to earn the $1.6 (and possibly more) hosting the games, then will pay the $1.6 to U of I...
but...the deal (viewable on the PCCC's web site) includes $1.6 million in income in 2016 that was not present in 2015 - and similar expenses (both labelled "Promotion") - so it's gotta be contracted income - or a guarantee from U of I of at least $1.6 mil -
so if they make more than $1.6 then Illinois won't pay - they just get $1.6 mil & PCCC gets the rest - but if they undershoot and make less than $1.6 mil then U of I would pay to make up the difference to fulfill the guarantee.

[Old Coach]

boogie- right off the bat, the article states that their Aug. 1, 2015 thru Aug. 1, 2016 budget includes...
"....a 49 percent increase in projected costs and revenue primarily because of University of Illinois basketball games.."

so I agree they are counting the $1.6 mil as both revenue (money in) and expenses (money out)...

They are expecting to earn the $1.6 (and possibly more) hosting the games, then will pay the $1.6 to U of I...
but...the deal (viewable on the PCCC's web site) includes $1.6 million in income in 2016 that was not present in 2015 - and similar expenses (both labelled "Promotion") - so it's gotta be contracted income - or a guarantee from U of I of at least $1.6 mil -
so if they make more than $1.6 then Illinois won't pay - they just get $1.6 mil & PCCC gets the rest - but if they undershoot and make less than $1.6 mil then U of I would pay to make up the difference to fulfill the guarantee.

The U of I isn't paying anything. They are being guaranteed $1.6 million in revenue. The PCCC is responsible for any short-fall. It's a no risk scenario for Illinois athletics. That said, there won't be short-fall rest assured that has been promised to the PCCC by folks in Springfield. As I mentioned previously, this was very political.

[it's boogie time]

Tornado, it's alright to say that your statement was turned around. As mentioned by Old Coach, the U of I isn't paying anything.

It should work out well for both parties.

[SpfldBUAlum]

All the PCCC be allowed to sell beer? That could bring in a lot of revenue.

[tornado]

The Big 10 schedule is out...but Jeff Goodman of ESPN is really laying into Indiana...

https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN/status/637287463388508160

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/2015/08/27/iu-mens-basketball-conference-schedule-released-hoosiers-open-rutgers/71283206/

their home schedule - mainly their own doing but the Big Ten part is OK...- the rest is BAD


Home games - EIU, Austin Peay, Creighton, Alcorn State, Morehead State, IPFW, McNeese State, Kennesaw State...

[Chico]

The Big 10 schedule is out...but Jeff Goodman of ESPN is really laying into Indiana...

https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN/status/637287463388508160

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/2015/08/27/iu-mens-basketball-conference-schedule-released-hoosiers-open-rutgers/71283206/

their home schedule - mainly their own doing but the Big Ten part is OK...- the rest is BAD


Home games - EIU, Austin Peay, Creighton, Alcorn State, Morehead State, IPFW, McNeese State, Kennesaw State...

Looks like a BU schedule from the 70's, only a little tougher.

[tornado]

or ISU's schedule from the Jank era

[Chico]

or ISU's schedule from the Jank era

But I wasn't paying to see Jank's schedules.

[tornado]

John Supinie says that the FIVE early season games Illinois is playing in the Springfield Prairie Capital Convention Center are far from sellouts..
The arena only seats 7700 and supposedly at least 3000 seats are still available for all the games there...but they are hopeful the games will sell out.