New Orleans hotels are not that badly priced

(10-24-2012 12:47 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Everyone loves visiting New Orleans.

Here are the down sides.

#1. One thing I like about New Orleans is you can fly in, stay near the quarter and never need to rent a car (or pay the outrageous parking cost at most hotels). Playing at Lakefront transit is an issue, good luck with a bus or cab after the games. Parking is OK as long as it doesn't rain, the lot is prone to flooding and much of it unpaved unless they got some FEMA money and paved it.

#2. The bean counters in each athletic department are going to complain about the hotel costs. And the players, fans, and traveling party are going to complain if the school goes for a cheaper hotel because it won't be near anything anyone wants to see.

#3. Those who go to all the games, won't like the between session opens to eat and kill time nearby.

It's not the most ideal spot geographically but no one is going to ***** about it being boring.

+1

I am there to see the basketball, so south heaven sounds better to me. I don't care to take my kids to NO for a tournament.

Hot Spring will get the Southland to come after we leave and i will probably go to that and watch the sbc on tv, if we move to NO.

I've been to the Tournament in Bowling Green (twice), Murfreesboro, Mobile, Denton, Lafayette, and New Orleans. I've not been to Hot Springs. I really can't judge Hot Springs but it just isn't a place I'd be inclined to visit and spend my money in.

(10-24-2012 10:53 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  I've been to the Tournament in Bowling Green (twice), Murfreesboro, Mobile, Denton, Lafayette, and New Orleans. I've not been to Hot Springs. I really can't judge Hot Springs but it just isn't a place I'd be inclined to visit and spend my money in.

I'd encourage you to make the trip, especially if you can book a room at the Embassy Suites. Beautiful hotel, which is connected to the arena by pedestrian bridge. Fair amount of restaurants less than a mile from the arena and a lot more still within a very short drive or nice stroll. No to mention the horse track which is not far either.

I was a bit perplexed by the choice when it was initially made, but I've enjoyed it every time I've gone.

If a neutral site is chosen: Memphis or Birmingham. Memphis makes most sense and there are multiple venues possible. I'd rate New Orleans behind those two.

I like rotating the tournament between conference members. Each school gets to host over time. But thats just my view.

(10-24-2012 11:24 PM)AlaIllTex Wrote:  If a neutral site is chosen: Memphis or Birmingham. Memphis makes most sense and there are multiple venues possible. I'd rate New Orleans behind those two.

I like rotating the tournament between conference members. Each school gets to host over time. But thats just my view.

It did rotate between members up until 2009(IIRC). Rotating to conference members is problematic, if the host school gets bounced early, it's a real nightmare.

(10-24-2012 11:26 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(10-24-2012 11:24 PM)AlaIllTex Wrote:  If a neutral site is chosen: Memphis or Birmingham. Memphis makes most sense and there are multiple venues possible. I'd rate New Orleans behind those two.

I like rotating the tournament between conference members. Each school gets to host over time. But thats just my view.

It did rotate between members up until 2009(IIRC). Rotating to conference members is problematic, if the host school gets bounced early, it's a real nightmare.

It didnt actually rotate. It was bid upon by conference members years in advance. Which didnt lead to strong attendance in the likely event the host wasn't at the top of the league. What Im not clear on is whether the neutral tournament at Hot Springs has done any better attendance wise than some of those tournaments in the 2000s when the host was invariably bounced early. Any thoughts?

(10-24-2012 11:35 PM)AlaIllTex Wrote:  

(10-24-2012 11:26 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(10-24-2012 11:24 PM)AlaIllTex Wrote:  If a neutral site is chosen: Memphis or Birmingham. Memphis makes most sense and there are multiple venues possible. I'd rate New Orleans behind those two.

I like rotating the tournament between conference members. Each school gets to host over time. But thats just my view.

It did rotate between members up until 2009(IIRC). Rotating to conference members is problematic, if the host school gets bounced early, it's a real nightmare.

It didnt actually rotate. It was bid upon by conference members years in advance. Which didnt lead to strong attendance in the likely event the host wasn't at the top of the league. What Im not clear on is whether the neutral tournament at Hot Springs has done any better attendance wise than some of those tournaments in the 2000s when the host was invariably bounced early. Any thoughts?

Part of the reason we moved to Hot Springs at the time was that it looked better on TV to have 3,000 people in a 6,000 seat arena, then to have 1,000 at the Cajun Dome for one of the more eventful tourney finals ASU has ever played in.

Speaking of New Orleans...Lakefront Arena is not my ideal place for a basketball tournament.

Hey, there's an empty arena in Sunrise, Fl that would to have some sports fans come early March!

Anywhere but NO.

(10-25-2012 06:38 AM)insideualr Wrote:  Anywhere but NO.

Anywhere but Arkansas...

(10-25-2012 11:42 AM)philo13181 Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 06:38 AM)insideualr Wrote:  Anywhere but NO.

Anywhere but Arkansas...

Anywhere but Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia, or Florida and also, exclude any state that doesn't have a Sun Belt team.

haha, I'm def being a homer here and hoping for a NOLA tourney, but really, Nashville would also be a great location

(10-25-2012 11:59 AM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 11:42 AM)philo13181 Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 06:38 AM)insideualr Wrote:  Anywhere but NO.

Anywhere but Arkansas...

Anywhere but Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia, or Florida and also, exclude any state that doesn't have a Sun Belt team.

I guess that leaves South Haven and Birmingham. Narrows it down nicely!

(10-25-2012 12:07 PM)TrojanNation Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 11:59 AM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 11:42 AM)philo13181 Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 06:38 AM)insideualr Wrote:  Anywhere but NO.

Anywhere but Arkansas...

Anywhere but Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia, or Florida and also, exclude any state that doesn't have a Sun Belt team.

I guess that leaves South Haven and Birmingham. Narrows it down nicely!

We have a winner! LOL I really think Birmingham is the logical place since it's the most central location for the conference. Memphis would be second. Nashville is nice but it'd be too much of a home court for MT and WKU and is not as central to a larger number of schools as Birmingham.

If the tournament doesn't wind up in New Orleans, you'll have a story.

(10-25-2012 12:10 PM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 12:07 PM)TrojanNation Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 11:59 AM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 11:42 AM)philo13181 Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 06:38 AM)insideualr Wrote:  Anywhere but NO.

Anywhere but Arkansas...

Anywhere but Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia, or Florida and also, exclude any state that doesn't have a Sun Belt team.

I guess that leaves South Haven and Birmingham. Narrows it down nicely!

We have a winner! LOL I really think Birmingham is the logical place since it's the most central location for the conference. Memphis would be second. Nashville is nice but it'd be too much of a home court for MT and WKU and is not as central to a larger number of schools as Birmingham.

WOuldnt Bham be home court for Troy and South?

(10-25-2012 08:54 PM)chrisattsu Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 12:10 PM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 12:07 PM)TrojanNation Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 11:59 AM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(10-25-2012 11:42 AM)philo13181 Wrote:  Anywhere but Arkansas...

Anywhere but Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia, or Florida and also, exclude any state that doesn't have a Sun Belt team.

I guess that leaves South Haven and Birmingham. Narrows it down nicely!

We have a winner! LOL I really think Birmingham is the logical place since it's the most central location for the conference. Memphis would be second. Nashville is nice but it'd be too much of a home court for MT and WKU and is not as central to a larger number of schools as Birmingham.

WOuldnt Bham be home court for Troy and South?

No. Birmingham is 144 miles from Troy and 258 from Mobile. Also 197 from Murfreesboro, 259 from Bowling Green, and 147 from Atlanta.

In other words, 5 schools about 3.5 hours or less from Birmingham.