COMPLETE: Dunkin' Donuts Center renovations

[EPBOY]

http://www.projo.com/business/content/proj...nk.202ac96.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Seems like a deal is eminent.

I'm courious about something. After the Dunk is taken over buy the Convention Center Authority and the square footage of each is added together, where would that put Providence on the list in terms of size? Would our combined facility be larger than the new Hartford Convention Center?

[provid]

I still dont like the idea that they dont want to upgrade the outlook of the Dunk in both of these plans. While a walkway bridge would be nice the Dunk sure needs alot more than some paint to look any better.

[Frankie811]

State's offer

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20...17.2467e29.html

[Recchia]

"City Council members are disappointed that they weren't included in negotiating a price tag for the Dunkin' Donuts Center."

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20...21.2341e69.html

So they went right over the city council's heads and negotiated this deal??

[Cotuit]

Well the city council formed a committee in April to deal with this issue, their first meeting was yesterday (or the day before). While the Dunk continued to rot, and the council was screwing around forming a committee, the Mayor and General Assembly/Governor, came up with a deal.

The final purchase and sale agreement has not been written yet, and if the City Council can make some time for it, they'll be included.

[Mij]

"City Council members are disappointed that they weren't included in negotiating a price tag for the Dunkin' Donuts Center."

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20...21.2341e69.html

So they went right over the city council's heads and negotiated this deal??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At this point there has been so much dragging of the feet, Im just happy that these major improvments will soon become "in progress". I was hopeing that the state was going to be involved, b/c i just didnt see the city throwing the kind of money at the dunk that the state (will) could. I know alot of people will cry about the amount, but you really have to look at the Return on Investment. I think it will pay off for years to come.

[Cotuit]

I know alot of people will cry about the amount, but you really have to look at the Return on Investment. I think it will pay off for years to come.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They are projecting that it will start paying for itself in 2010. I'm especially happy that they not only went for the more pricey renovation option, but exceeded it. It was estimated that $58m would be put into and apparently the deal calls for $62m. I'm not sure if that is just a more realistic price tag, or if something was added to the renovations.

[Frankie811]

They are projecting that it will start paying for itself in 2010. I'm especially happy that they not only went for the more pricey renovation option, but exceeded it. It was estimated that $58m would be put into and apparently the deal calls for $62m. I'm not sure if that is just a more realistic price tag, or if something was added to the renovations.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Give me a break! Build a new building that will house 15,000 for $ 88 million. Get real!

[Cotuit]

Give me a break! Build a new building that will house 15,000 for $ 88 million. Get real!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, that would be great if we had a location right up against the convention center and in line with the Power Block hotels to build a new Civic Center, but we don't. And we can't tear down and rebuild on site, the P-Briuns would certainly run off and find a new home in the interim, and the city would lose money making events.

Also a new $88m (or more likely $115m) civic center would not start paying for itself in 2010, more like 2015 or 2020.

[CtownMikey]

cotuit my online lover,

I think costs went up only because the prices were "updated" as the paper said a while back, which means nothing additional as far as renovations

[Cotuit]

All the more reason we can't wait around while the City Council tries to form committees. The clock is ticking and costs are rising (the managers of the Dunk say it is only a matter of time before something forces the facility's closure).

[Mij]

All the more reason we can't wait around while the City Council tries to form committees. The clock is ticking and costs are rising (the managers of the Dunk say it is only a matter of time before something forces the facility's closure).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree, the sooner the better. The city gets rid of the debt the kept collecting, but still gets the tourist, and event dollars that every event creates. The convetion center gets to start testing the waters as far as conventions go, the PC friars can breath easy about competing in the most competitive conference in the college bball world. Dave Gavit has basicly giving a thumbs up about adding Providence back to the NCAA event list, and we get to start talking about all the neat (or not so neat) designs that are proposed to connect the new hotles and what the civic convention center will look like as one. Now do we really need a committee to over see the prosess? I think not!

[Frankie811]

http://www.projo.com/pc/content/projo_2005...nk.22e9e70.html

[Cotuit]

Existing plans for the project call for a construction schedule where major work doesn't begin for nearly a year, in the spring and summer of 2006. That timeline would end in a grand opening just before the start of the 2008-09 Providence Bruins season. Convention Center Authority chairman David Duffy said engineers have told his group that rehabbing an old building isn't easy but certainly much more affordable than constructing a new building for $150-$200 million.

[Frankie811]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YIKES!!!! $ 150-200 million !!!???? That sounds Pretty high, even in today's economy. But it's a fact that most sport's arena's don't last but 20 yrs anyways. The PCC is 33 yrs old. It's outdated. It's outlived it's usefullness! Almost every major city has built new arena's for many/some of their sports teams. I would love to see both the PCC and Holiday Inn demolished and re-built together. But for some reason Hartford comes to mind. Hmmmmmmm

[CtownMikey]

i've asked this before but nobody answered mister mikey Are there any specific conventions that we will be able to hold with the renovations and additional hotel rooms that will be completed around 2010?

[Frankie811]

i've asked this before but nobody answered mister mikey Are there any specific conventions that we will be able to hold with the renovations and additional hotel rooms that will be completed around 2010?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Children should be seen, and not heard!

[EPBOY]

Hmmm these questions seem related but unresponded to....

I'm courious about something.  After the Dunk is taken over buy the Convention Center Authority and the square footage of each is added together, where would that put Providence on the list in terms of size?  Would our combined facility be larger than the new Hartford Convention Center?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i've asked this before but nobody answered mister mikey Are there any specific conventions that we will be able to hold with the renovations and additional hotel rooms that will be completed around 2010?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Frankie811]

http://www.projo.com/business/content/proj...9x.1c9023f.html

[Recchia]

http://www.projo.com/business/content/proj...9x.1c9023f.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"The state purchase and renovation would result in new seats, luxury boxes, new mechanical systems, a new box office, updated bathrooms, a new scoreboard and a variety of other updates at The Dunk. It will just take some more time before the results are visible, said James McCarvill, executive director of the convention center authority."

Is this the first real description of the renovations to be done once the state buys it?

[Frankie811]

http://www.projo.com/business/content/proj...1x.21157b0.html

[Recchia]

http://www.projo.com/business/content/proj...1x.21157b0.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Civic Center sale to state, main points:

-renovations will take 2.5 years (so probly 5)

-state, through Convention Center Authority will pay 27.5 million for the land, and 1 million for the building.

-General Assembly has give the Convention Center Authority to issue 92.5 million in bonds to buy and renovate the building, so that leaves a little over 60 million for the renovations.

[Frankie811]

Civic Center sale to state, main points:

-renovations will take 2.5 years (so probly 5)

-state, through Convention Center Authority will pay 27.5 million for the land, and 1 million for the building. 

-General Assembly has give the Convention Center Authority to issue 92.5 million in bonds to buy and renovate the building, so that leaves a little over 60 million for the renovations.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not sure that it will take 5 yrs but it will probably go over 2.5 A new scoreboard should have been done YEARS AGO!

[Cotuit]

A new scoreboard should have been done YEARS AGO!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The electronic sign out front said it was 109 degrees this morning. For the record, it's really 68. It's been having these outlandishly broiling temperature readings for weeks.

[Cotuit]

I'm courious about something.  After the Dunk is taken over buy the Convention Center Authority and the square footage of each is added together, where would that put Providence on the list in terms of size?  Would our combined facility be larger than the new Hartford Convention Center?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

137,000 sq.ft. Rhode Island Convention Center

205,000 sq.ft. Connecticut Convention Center

I can't find a size for the Dunk.

i've asked this before but nobody answered mister mikey Are there any specific conventions that we will be able to hold with the renovations and additional hotel rooms that will be completed around 2010?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Franternal Order of Police Officers convention last year was the largest one Providence has ever held. There really wasn't a problem fitting people in the convention center, it was the hotel space that was a problem. People were staying all over Rhode Island and into Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Events with big displays, like the boat show will really benefit from a combined facility.