SCHMJDT

It is.  I remember reading 15 feet a couple of weeks ago.  It will be interesting to see how they accomplish that, especially since it's likely that they'll bring in a natural surface.

 

in the past I've seen several venues operate where they use pallets to create the base and the sod across the pallets, it allows for drainage away from the turf and helps act like soil to soften the ground instead of rolling sod on concrete.  In this case i would imagine they'll use stage decking to build up the height since its easy to level, and then pallets across the deck.

 

I would imagine then they'll replace close to 25-30% of the sod after each game

 

it seems unreal that the city has yet to put any sort of time controls on these projects or penalties for contractors not meeting deadlines

There are tradeoffs. Any contractor that agrees to penalties is likely going to demand a higher guaranteed price. The opposite goes for bonuses. The city is going to want a lower guaranteed price for early bonuses and contractors are going to be reluctant to agree to that in the current labor and materials market.

 

 

I know on the Montgomery St rework before the arena opened the contractor was graded and had project total based on the number of change orders accepted, so just flat refused to change anything.  Street not lining up with engress to driveways, no worries just build it as requested but don't change order it.  so then at the end they just started over . . . 

Remember when there was concern that Dickies wouldn't get good concerts because it was smaller than the AAC?

 

I saw Muse open for U2 at AT&T in 2009.  They put on a good show.

 

next couple of weeks are scheduled for a handful more big time shows coming through as well!!

We usually see anywhere from 5-15% use ride share coming to the arena.  If you consider the cost of parking, I think its about even for most people coming to events here.  We see on average just over 3 people per car, and most events get priced at $25 per car.  The City has a made some exceptions for things like graduations to have a lower rate, but since its City tax to pay back the cost of the building it can't be lower than that.  Last thought i always have, since there aren't options around the building to walk to for pre event dinner or post show drinks, I think the car becomes much more logical here.  Certainly different in Dallas when you can get dropped off at the front door and walk around.

 

There is a special bus line that goes from Sundance, through west 7th to the arena, and gets extended on event days,

 

 https://assets.simpl...71a573521e5.pdf

 

but we see almost no usage there.  the Sports Commission arranges most of the hotels and usually puts groups downtown and then provides shuttles for contestants and athletes, but we see the tours and performance groups staying locally.  I.e., Disney on Ice the whole groups stays right across the freeway and walks back and forth.  Rod Stewarts group stayed at Dryce since they were here for a week of rehearsal (He did not, stayed in Dallas)

 

 

For the visitors that are staying in hotels near and around Dickies Arena but are not within walking distance, are they mainly renting cars or taking Ubers?  It just seems crazy to me that getting around town for an event would require anything more than a quick bus ride but I'd be curious how many people actually are willing to use the Metro to get to and from these events and how convenient is it to hop a bus from these hotels?  Dickies is close enough to major hot spots but far enough away that just simply walking from your hotel could be a chore in the elements unless you're staying at Dryce or somewhere within a mile or so.  Are most or some of the nearby hotels offering shuttles to the events?  I haven't found any mention of it yet but still looking.

 

TownePlace Suites south of I-30 I read one review where people were OK walking to an event at Dickies it says walking time is 18-minutes and less than 1-mile.  I'd be curious if the same feelings are true for hotels on University, that's a bit further away and a little harder to get to Dickies on foot without trying to cross major intersections.  Montgomery over I-30 is much more of a straight shot to the arena with plenty of good sidewalks last time I checked.

https://goo.gl/maps/RKZNws5P4Ajibu8w6

 

Fairfield Inn University: one person said they were in town for the McCartney concert but they took an Uber even though it was only a short distance.  I'd be questioning the cost of uber to and from the airport plus to and from Dickies vs renting a car and paying for parking at Dickies instead then at least you could check out some of the other places to eat around town too even if you're just here for one night.

https://goo.gl/maps/kgAiUXP1UsHucJL97

I can't remember if I've asked this on here before, but working on a video project for the stock show and I keep ending up with this video coming up in my head and still haven't found anyone who can tell me what the commissioning of this was for, who had it done, or where I can find footage, but non the less I would imagine this would be a good time capsule back to the late 70's for those of you who knew it

 

Play the Dallas and Fort Worth messages back-to-back hourly but give Mattie only 33% of the total word count. 

 

 

"Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick"

very lucky to have two great views,

 

first from roof at work, ontop of the roof one morning last year while doing a roof inspection

 

 

then the second is from the patio in my backyard on the east side of town

What are the specifications on this dirt?  Any idea where it is sourced from?

 

Are these the sheds at Rockwood park?

https://goo.gl/maps/aFB7bvAQJmyQVUQd8

 

that's the bins!! Never would have guessed when I started here that rodeo dirt was like wine and aged well and needed protected and preserved

 

They really cleaned the heck out of that concrete!  How do you prevent the front-end loaders from scraping and scratching the surface?  It's hard to tell from this angle any residual damage but you'd think long term use, that could become a nuisance sort of like buying a new car and getting a door ding at the store.  

 
Careful driving for the most part, they definitely scrape along the ground.  the concrete on the main floor is a trowel finish, and then the ice surface is more or less a polished finish so there aren't any things to get snagged on.  The area around the ice surface we protect with wood and tape to make sure they can't catch and edge and chip.  With the brine solution and all the piping below that would be pretty detrimental.  Then there's a bunch of guys with brooms and shovels to get the areas around the edge cleared.
 
The hardest spots are the back of house and dock where the concrete is broom finished and the dirt cakes into the seems and the bobcats are no use. So its a team of guys with power washers pushing and letting it dry and do it again and again until we get it cleared.
 
There are a couple of spots inside the ice floor that we have to be careful with, the Marsh pegs for the hockey nets and a handful of anchor points for things like cirque, volleyball and others.  those all have expansion rubber gaskets as well, but the only damage to the floor so far came from a monster truck that missed its jump, went straight up and landed on the rear and had a part of the drive train catch the concrete directly.  
 

 
Is the dirt stored off-site somewhere for reuse with other rodeo/equine events?

If it's one-and-done on use, any idea how they dispose of it?

https://www.google.c...ock-show-rodeo/

The dirt is stored year over year out near Rockwood Park. You can see the white sheds on the north edge of the park in Google maps. It's actually the dirt from the days at Will Rogers. They organize it by, arena dirt, warmup dirt and back of house, and mix in some new each time. The main competition dirt is highly protected by FWSSR and the PBR event used the warm up arena dirt this time.

They really cleaned the heck out of that concrete!  How do you prevent the front-end loaders from scraping and scratching the surface?  It's hard to tell from this angle any residual damage but you'd think long term use, that could become a nuisance sort of like buying a new car and getting a door ding at the store.  

 

Careful driving for the most part, they definitely scrape along the ground.  the concrete on the main floor is a trowel finish, and then the ice surface is more or less a polished finish so there aren't any things to get snagged on.  The area around the ice surface we protect with wood and tape to make sure they can't catch and edge and chip.  With the brine solution and all the piping below that would be pretty detrimental.  Then there's a bunch of guys with brooms and shovels to get the areas around the edge cleared.

 

The hardest spots are the back of house and dock where the concrete is broom finished and the dirt cakes into the seems and the bobcats are no use. So its a team of guys with power washers pushing and letting it dry and do it again and again until we get it cleared.

 

There are a couple of spots inside the ice floor that we have to be careful with, the Marsh pegs for the hockey nets and a handful of anchor points for things like cirque, volleyball and others.  those all have expansion rubber gaskets as well, but the only damage to the floor so far came from a monster truck that missed its jump, went straight up and landed on the rear and had a part of the drive train catch the concrete directly.  

Time lapse of Dickies being set-up for PBR:

https://youtu.be/RbAzYjtsA1M

 or the more difficult conversion, clearing the dirt and getting the building cleaned for McCartney

 

 

I'll post the McCartney back to PBR, back to Concert Monday night once we finish

I was working an event at the old ballpark the other day and went up on the roof and grabbed a couple of shots from the street side

 

...and having to meet weekend dates for the NLL would make it very unlikely.

The other things you cited are factors for sure, but the Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Portland areans all host NBA or NHL teams which play more frequently than NLL clubs.  It's pretty simple; just schedule a road swing during the window you want.  (The Sabres just finished a 3-game road trip last night, for instance.)

 

 

 

the challenge with the NLL compared to the other leagues, is they are a weekend only league.  Since the players all have full time jobs they can play on Friday or Saturday nights and have to get exemptions to host on other nights, its just one extra logistical challenge with their league.  The American Athletic Conference holds the arena for 7 days, including that weekend, and with hopefully the NCAA in semiregular play that would tie up the following weekend.

 

So Looking at Dickies Spring Calendar;

    February

          1st weekend - Rodeo

           2nd weekend - Rodeo cleanup

           3rd weekend - lacrosse 3 of 10

           4th weekend - lacrosse 4 of 10

    March

         1st Saturday - Lacrosse 5 of 10

         2nd Saturday - AAC basketball

         3rd Saturday - NCAA basketball (back in 2026 for Women's and Bid out for 2027 Men's)

         4th Saturday - Lacrosse 6 of 10

    April

          1st weekend -  Disney on Ice (not contractual, but this is two years in a row, and they like regular schedules

          2nd weekend - NCAA Gymnastics

 

so if you expect to have any concerts in the spring season the dates just can't get around on the contractual stuff without shifting things to mid week.

 

I think the dream scenario would be find a way to go 12 straight days and have high school basketball lead into the AAC.  Use the AAC court, get the teams a chance to play on college tournament floor, with tournament feel.  Have the college teams be present for recruiting and scouting, let the tournament directors of the AAC build game atmosphere and let it feel like a major college championship and lighten my load of changing from event to event!!

 

To answer the attendance question, extremely full, tickets announced on Saturday was 13,000+ which would be near capacity.  Additionally the TV ratings for Saturday were two of the top five watched games from the weekend.  So good draws help, but good turnout for sure

more recognition rolling in . . . 

 

https://www.pollstar...inations-149175

 

Finalist for venue of the year with Staple Center, Madison Square Garden, Bridgestone Arena (Nashville), LA Forum and BOK Center (OKC) 

 

And the Christmas lights are on me, somehow forgot to program those this year!!

 

Got my opening night tickets

 

I'm about to order in a few. 

(This also gives a good visual of the potential minor league hockey setup)

 

 

the only difference in the hockey set up is there is a center tunnel behind the team benches and both teams would enter through there.  Then in the upper right the officials and the Zamboni would come on.

 

There are also the optional seats on the left side of the screen.  The Lacrosse group has opted to keep those out and sell large group hospitality area down there