Rossetti

How Exceptional Design Translates into Solid Revenue Streams

Megan Bengry — Mon, 14 May 2012 22:27:26 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 14 May 2012
[PRESENTING: MATT ROSSETTI, PRESIDENT + CEO]

ROSSETTI is pleased to announce that Matt Rossetti, President + CEO will be presenting at The Stadium Business Summit Premium Seat Seminar on Tuesday, May 15 @ 16:45 in Turin, Italy. Matt will be speaking with Marie Lindqvist, Communication Manager, Stockholm Globe Arenas.

Their presentation "How Exceptional Design Translates into Solid Revenue Streams" will review how ROSSETTI and Stockholm Globe Arenas created a unique global design brand that defines Stockholm as a sports + entertainment destination.

By creating scenarios for specific target markets, ROSSETTI customized experiences with premium product, such as clubs, loges, suites + seating. ROSSETTI's unique Return On Design^TM approach identified program solutions that will enhance fan experience while generating ROI.

ROSSETTI Principal Jim Renne in Focus

Megan Bengry — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:51:37 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 17 Apr 2012
An excerpt from "Stadia Design & Technology Expo 2012 Conference speaker in focus: James Renne, Rossetti"

Rossetti's James Renne reveals how sports architecture is evolving in response to current trends and an increased focus on the fan experience.

“Seeing people gather for the spectacle of sport always impresses me,” asserts James Renne, the principal and director of sports design at Rossetti. “It is exciting to watch people come together – whether that is on TV or a live event.”

“I really enjoy the high visibility nature of the work we do – I love seeing the impact a design can have, not only on the physical appearance of a building, but also the emotional experience that results from creating a sense of place.

Renne explains that Rossetti’s ‘vision’ is based on quantifiable evidence that shows that well-designed sports and entertainment projects drive revenues and urban vitality, which pulsate outward throughout the neighbouring context. “Smart strategic planning produces economic benefits from exciting aesthetics inside the venue and purchasing power generated around the building, especially on non-event days,” he adds.

Rossetti recognises that visitor expectations to stadia have changed, as the focus has shifted to the entertainment value of the event. “Game day is no longer solely about watching your favourite team win,” Renne continues. “With this shift, the opportunities for revenue generation have become endless. We want fans to maintain that great expectation from the time they travel toward the arena, park or exit the train, find and mingle with friends or associates, locate their seats, participate in the event, mingle afterward and head home.”

\\\ to read much more click here \\\

Design Leader Matt Taylor is Elevated to Associate

Megan Bengry — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:58:18 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 27 Mar 2012

ROSSETTI is pleased to announce Matt Taylor, AIA, LEED AP has been elevated to Associate of the firm by the Board of Directors. In recognition of his leadership and design abilities, Taylor will gain a new title and become a shareholder.

Taylor has been with the firm for six years. While with ROSSETTI he has worked on a wide variety of projects from mixed-use retail and high rise residential to stadiums and arenas. Most recently, Taylor led the design team to a successful completion of the University of Notre Dame Compton Family Ice Arena.

When asked what drew him to ROSSETTI and sports architecture, Taylor replied, "I love that sports architecture is about the fan experience, the social interaction, and that our facilities fit into a broader context to impact the surrounding community."

Taylor is a graduate of University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture. He remains active with students and young professionals by volunteering his time as a member of the AIA mentoring program. For the past six years he has also taught a computer graphics class at University of Detroit Mercy.

ROSSETTI designed Rock Companies Executive Suites featured in Interior Design Magazine

Megan Bengry — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:17:14 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 20 Mar 2012
Like coal's metamorphosis into a diamond, the process of urban revitalization requires both pressure from civic entities and patience from investors. The architecture firm Rossetti helped fight Detroit's infamous blight by building the Compuware Corporation's headquarters, which brought 4,000 employees into the city center.

Nearly a decade later, Rossetti was approached by a fellow Motown champion: Dan Gilbert, an entrepreneur whose enterprises include Quicken Loans, announced that his commercial and residential real-estate development outfit, Rock Companies, would move from the suburbs to the 10th floor at Compuware, already home to Quicken. "There was initial interest in building something new," Rossetti design principal Kelly Deines says. But Gilbert, a Detroit native, sees the beauty of preserving past architectural achievements. (He's acquired several significant properties that will eventually house his businesses.)

Rock Companies's 28,000 square feet perfectly embody the vitality returning to a listless downtown, courtesy of bold design and its energetic patrons. Primary colors are indeed primary, starting with the color-block carpet in reception and continuing with the cushions softening benches and the dry-erase panels cladding the mechanicals core, making on-the-spot brainstorming sessions a common occurrence.

"The effect is professional but not precious," Deines notes-aimed at selling investors on urban promise. Scooters zip along carpeted corridors, and steam is blown off on the basketball half-court, which is surrounded by the office areas. A Cleveland Cavaliers mural stretches overhead. Yes, Gilbert owns the team, too.

To read more click here

Where Work and Play Collide

Megan Bengry — Wed, 7 Mar 2012 05:00:00 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 07 Mar 2012
If this space looks like a set from a video game, that's the intent. The ROSSETTI Design Studio used intense graphics and color -- inspired by gaming culture -- for this eye-popping workspace designed to attract and energize a young workforce.

Quicken Loans purchased the Chase Tower, a historic and iconic 1960s building in Detroit's downtown core, to house their young and growing workforce. But the building renovation is also part of a larger goal to jumpstart Detroit 2.0 -- create an energized youth culture movement that lives, works and plays in the urban core.

By packaging the neon colors, exposed ductwork and opened spaces, Rossetti created a mortgage banking play land. To further build a sense of community, this bold design language will trickle down floor by floor, from the cafeteria to the atrium, and finally, the main level and out the front door.

The ultimate goal will be to develop a 24/7 thriving community powering the cityscape forward.

ROSSETTI President Receives the Industry’s Highest Honor

Megan Bengry — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:46:31 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 10 Feb 2012
Matt Rossetti, FAIA, LEED AP, President of ROSSETTI, has been elevated to the College of Fellows by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Rossetti is the third generation in his family, after his grandfather and father, to receive the honor.
The 2012 Fellows will be honored at an investiture ceremony at the 2012 National AIA Convention and Design Exposition in Washington, D.C. this May.

Of the 80,000 AIA members, there are fewer than 2,700 distinguished with the honor of fellowship and honorary fellowship. The honor is awarded to members who have made significant contributions to architecture and society and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession, both individually and on a national level.

Rossetti’s achievements are as a founder and pioneer in the design of Sports Anchored Developments. Rossetti is credited for his collaborative work with clients and communities in the creation of large-scale urban redevelopments that function as sports anchored urban entertainment districts. He has been a passionate advocate and design leader for the revitalization of districts around the world for their power to create vibrant entertainment areas, often from blighted, underused neighborhoods.

He also is a pioneer in merging sports, hospitality and entertainment. His approach in designing unique experiences for both patrons and fans helped turn around an industry previously focused on beer and popcorn in concrete vaults, to one now devoted to hospitality and great design.

Rossetti routinely volunteers his time through participation in universities, mentoring programs and academic lectures, as well as the publication of books and articles on sports related urban design. He has sought to spread the message of civic collaboration, leading public forums to ensure community involvement.

ROSSETTI is a full-service architectural firm with an international reputation as a leader in sports architecture design. The firm’s expertise is based on design solutions for almost every type of sport – Olympic, professional, collegiate and amateur. For more than 40 years ROSSETTI has been recognized for its visionary perspective within the built environment.

For over 150 years, members of the American Institute of Architects have worked with each other and their communities to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings and cityscapes. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct to ensure the highest standards in professional

MULTI-TALENTED ARCHITECT AND ROSSETTI PRINCIPAL PROMOTED TO COO

Megan Bengry — Wed, 1 Feb 2012 20:16:06 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 01 Feb 2012
Rossetti is pleased to announce it has named David B. Richards, AIA, LEED AP BD + C, PMP as Chief Operating Officer of the company. In his new role, David will be responsible for management of all major architectural projects and management of the firm’s day-to-day operations.

David has been with the firm for 33 years. Milestones in his career include his joining of the firm in 1978 as a Junior Draftsman, becoming a Registered Architect in 1981, an Associate of the firm in 1985, the Director of Technical Services in 1990, Director of Project Management in 2001 and being promoted to Principal in 2002. During the course of his tenure with Rossetti, David has managed many of the firm’s notable and complex large-scale projects. His experience ranges from sports facilities, hospitality, health care, mixed-use developments, and residential and commercial office sectors. Prominent projects include the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, MI; USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY; Compuware Headquarters in Detroit, MI; Greektown Casino in Detroit, MI; Philadelphia Union Soccer Stadium in Chester, PA; Stockholm Globe Arenas in Stockholm, Sweden and more. Most recently, he was senior architect and project manager for the University of Notre Dame Compton Ice Arena, which opened in October, 2011, and Bowling Green State University Stroh Center, which opened in September, 2011.

New Images for University of Notre Dame Ice Arena

Megan Bengry — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:13:02 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 27 Jan 2012
Check out our recently completed Compton Family Ice Arena at the University of Notre Dame.

Rossetti Designed PPL Park to Host 2012 MLS All-Star Game

Megan Bengry — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:48:25 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 26 Jan 2012
For the first time in a decade, Philadelphia will host an All-Star Game.

Major League Soccer announced on Tuesday that Philadelphia will be the stage for the 2012 MLS All-Star Game on July 25 at 8 pm ET, bringing the summer’s showcase event to PPL Park, where the Sons of Ben will welcome a yet unnamed opponent to take on the best MLS has to offer. In the most recent edition held in 2011, Manchester United took on the MLS All-Stars at Red Bull Arena.

The 2012 event will be broadcast on ESPN2, Galavision or TeleFutura and TSN and RDS, while ESPN International will provide live coverage of the event in more than 100 countries around the world and ESPN3 and WatchESPN carry the game online in the United States.

Joining MLS Commissioner Don Garber for the announcement at City Hall were Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz and City of Chester Mayor John Linder. The last All-Star game held in Philadelphia was the NBA’s in 2002.

“Philadelphia has become a destination for hosting major soccer events in recent years, and we are pleased to bring the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game to a region with incredibly passionate soccer supporters,” Garber said. “The Sons of Ben and the rest of the Union fans will provide an enthusiastic home-field advantage at PPL Park, and we look forward to celebrating our sport with this vibrant soccer community.”

For the ninth time in league history, the game with feature an international opponent. While the opponent has still not been determined for 2012, previous editions have featured Manchester United (2010 and 2011), Everton FC (2009), Chelsea FC (2006) and CD Guadalajara (2003). The MLS All-Stars are 5-2-1 in those matches. Manchester United won last year's game 4-0 in front of a sellout crowd of 26,760 at Red Bull Arena.

Since joining MLS for the 2010 season, the Union have enjoyed success both on and off the field, making the playoffs in their second season and selling out the majority of their games at PPL Park. The club has also hosted six international matches at Lincoln Financial Field, averaging attendance figures of more than 40,000 in those games. Last season, the Union averaged 18,259 fans at PPL Park, just shy of the stadium's official capacity of 18,500.

All of which makes them an ideal candidate to host the MLS All-Stars, according to Sakiewicz.

"Since Philadelphia Union came to the region two years ago, the soccer fans in this area have shown that they are among the most passionate and authentic in the country,” he said in a statement. “It's a tremendous honor for us to host the MLS All Star game and reward the fans with yet another memorable experience at PPL Park.”

From an article posted on daily.phanaticmag.com

Detroit 2.0

Megan Bengry — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:20:08 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 18 Jan 2012
An excerpt from The Atlantic Cities Place Matters “Why I Love my City, Downtown Detroit’s Big Booster,” by Nate Berg.

Dan Gilbert has deep roots in Detroit. And deep pockets. The founder and chairman of Quicken Loans is a third generation Detroit native and has become a major force in the city, bringing thousands of his employees into new headquarters downtown and helping to incubate new start-up businesses in the city. In addition to Quicken Loans, Gilbert is also the majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team, and, after a recent spree of purchases, he now owns more than 1.8 million square feet of property in downtown Detroit. This makes him the third largest land owner in Detroit, behind only General Motors and the city itself, according to Crain’s Business.

You’ve been buying up a lot of property in downtown. Why the focus downtown?

People in their 20s and 30s, the best and brightest coming out of our universities, the vast majority of them want to be in a cool urban core in a hip city. Period. So, if we’re going to retain and maintain talent in our companies and have innovative creative people, we’ve got to make sure that we’re in the right locations that are going to generate the interest of those people. All of our businesses are Internet-related, technology-related, entertainment-related businesses. So thinking we’re going to do that in a suburban setting where people have to walk a couple hundred yards across asphalt in the middle of winter, it’s probably not going cut it for the kind of folks that we’re trying to attract. Kids don’t leave suburban Detroit to go to suburban Chicago or suburban New York or suburban L.A. They’re going to the downtowns. Most of the activity and the kinds of areas and the companies that are attractive to people who are the best and brightest in our view want to be in the urban core.

How are you getting others to follow you downtown?

We created this non-profit academy that trains entrepreneurs called Bizdom U, and another way is through a venture fund we started called Detroit Venture Partners that Magic Johnson, myself and two other local Detroit guys partnered on to fund companies and startup businesses with a big Detroit bent and a Detroit bias.

Why do you love Detroit?

I was born here and raised here. My father was born here, my grandfather was born here. I find myself in a fortunate position to be able to, I think, contribute to help leading the city back. And I feel like that’s a great thing to do for the city, but it’s also a great thing to do for our business. We have a “doing good by doing well” strategy here. And the investment in Detroit is one that’s significant and growing, and we’re doing it again so we can help tie all the threads here in Detroit and bring back the kind of downtown that people envision or even maybe have never seen here. We’re also trying to make good investments, and we’ve got values of property that are low by any historical standards. So we’re very excited about it. We think it’s just the beginning. We’ve got about 4,000-plus people we’ve moved down here in the last 18 months. And were going to continue to move more down here and bring in more businesses and do everything we can with a bunch of other people who’ve been working very hard even before we got here and try to make Detroit the comeback city of this decade.

What do you think the city will look like in ten years?

I would hope that people all over the country and maybe the world would be talking about Detroit as one of the biggest comeback cities they've ever seen. That there’s a thriving downtown with hundreds if not more of startup technology service companies who are thriving and growing, and there’s venture capital and there’s a lot of residential and retail down here. And there’s a major improvement in the neighborhoods and there’s a hugely optimistic feeling among the citizens of both the city and the state that things are really moving in the right direction here and that people would be coming back into the city, both young and older, and that hopefully the school systems improve. We obviously can’t do all of it, nor can anybody, but it’s got to be a group effort by a lot of contingents.

Rossetti recently completed two projects for Quicken Loans in both the Compuware Building and Chase Tower in Downtown Detroit.

ROSSETTI WINS AIA DETROIT 25-YEAR BUILDING AWARD

Megan Bengry — Thu, 1 Dec 2011 15:33:32 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 01 Dec 2011
Rossetti is pleased to announce it has won the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Detroit’s 25-Year Building Honor Award for its design work on the Federal Mogul Corporate Headquarters Addition in Southfield, MI.

Completed in 1964, the headquarters for Federal Mogul Corporation was designed with an iconic, modern approach by Gino Rossetti while working at Giffels & Rossetti. By 1982, updates were needed and Rossetti was rehired, but this time as owner of his own firm. The client asked for an addition that would blend visually and functionally with the finely delineated, two-story original building that had become a Southfield landmark.

The solution was a dark charcoal slate façade that provides a natural, textured contrast to the white, graphic futuristic design of the original building.

For over twenty-five years, this building addition has remained relevant, functional and elegant, complementing the original building’s design while making its own statement. The three-story 150,000 SF building addition contains offices, an education center, the main entrance, lobby and a three-story atrium. The soaring atrium is a transitional space that provides natural light deep into the interior and softens the environment with trees and plants. Bridges span the second and third levels to efficiently connect office areas.

“I really like how this environment changes with the seasons. I never feel far from the outside. It’s especially wonderful in the winter to see the plants and feel the sun.” Lisa Williams, Manager, Corporate Communications, Federal Mogul.

While other corporations are renovating their dark interiors and opening their spaces, Federal Mogul has served as a landmark organization with a building designed ahead of its time.

New Photography of Rock Companies Executive Suite

Megan Bengry — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:05:39 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 22 Nov 2011
You can do it all at the Rock Companies Executive Suite in downtown Detroit, where the “live, work, play” concept is executed in eye-popping color and playful design elements.

The photograph is a link to the project page, enjoy!

SUBLIME TABLESCAPE RISES FROM THE BONFIRE

Megan Bengry — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:45:37 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 16 Nov 2011
Rossetti's edgy and elegant "Char Cloud" tablescape at the DIFFA Detroit fundraising event was a creative standout and a collaborative effort by the entire staff.

As the event's co-chair, Kelly Deines, Principal and Director of Design, wanted to give back to the community while showcasing the design abilities of the firm's studio. "Our concept was time-intensive, but a ton of fun, too. We actually made a huge bonfire on a Friday night to char the chairs and pallets."

According to Tony Giacco, Junior Designer and director of the installation, the idea of 'cleansing the pallet' in the form of cauterizing became a fundamental design approach. "We hung 640 component charred wood pieces as a 'cloud' to interpret the rising and expanding of smoke from the burnt pallet dining table."

DIFFA, or Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, is one of the largest fundraisers of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the U.S. This year's event doubled attendance, sponsorship and proceeds.

Deines was recently re-elected to be a co-chair for the 2012 event.

Rossetti Junior Designer Appointed to AIA National Honor Awards Jury

Megan Bengry — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:58:14 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 10 Nov 2011
Rossetti is pleased to announce that Dima Daimi, Junior Designer, was appointed earlier this year to the 2012 AIA Institute of Architecture Honor Awards Jury.

“I am honored to be part of this amazing opportunity,” said Daimi, “these awards are held to the highest distinction within the industry so I challenged myself to review each of the 377 submissions diligently and critically.”

AIA Institute Honor Awards promote and recognize achievements in architecture that impact and elevate the general quality of architecture practice. This establishes a standard of excellence that is measurable and has the ability to inform the public of the breadth and value of architecture practice nationwide.

Daimi has been with Rossetti for just under 1 year, including her work with the firm as an intern while she attended the University of Detroit Mercy. Due to her active leadership within the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) she was selected to participate in the jury. Locally, regionally and nationally, Daimi has interacted with and represented architecture students on many issues relevant to emerging professionals. “As a young designer, this experience has given me insight on the intricacies of great architecture and has shaped the way I appreciate and critique design.”

The selected submission winners will be announced in May at the 2012 AIA National Convention in Washington DC and published in Architect Magazine. In addition, Daimi was also on the Twenty-Five Year Architecture Honor Awards jury. This award recognizes architectural design of enduring significance and is conferred on a project that has stood the test of time for 25 to 35 years.

Daimi received her Master’s in Architecture from the University of Detroit Mercy in May, where she graduated as the Class of 2011 Valedictorian.

Rebuilding Detroit, One Building at a Time

Megan Bengry — Thu, 3 Nov 2011 23:14:02 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 03 Nov 2011
An excerpt from the article "Detroit Native Dan Gilbert Bets Big On the City's Rebound," by Ned Randolph at Reuters.

Long an emblem of urban decline, Detroit is suddenly being marketed as America's comeback kid.

The campaign's most vocal salesman is Dan Gilbert, the 49-year-old founder and chairman of Quicken Loans and the majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team.

Gilbert, a Detroit native, isn't content to just talk up his hometown. In the last year, he has snapped up so many downtown properties he is now one of the largest private landowners in the city.

In all, Gilbert controls 1.7 million square feet in Detroit, including four office buildings and two parking platforms in a four-block area of Woodward Avenue.

His plan: To leverage his wealth and connections to create a cluster of entrepreneurial companies in downtown that will lure other start-ups away from Chicago, New York and Silicon Valley. He calls his vision "Detroit 2.0."

Last year, Gilbert moved 1,700 Quicken employees from the suburb of Livonia into the Compuware building downtown. He plans to move another 2,000 workers into his newly renovated office buildings by year end.

"We think we're buying at the bottom," Gilbert said. "But we can affect the outcome as well. We look at ourselves as operators. We're not just waiting and seeing what the market does."

He gutted the top five floors of the Compuware building, moved executive offices to the interior to give all employees window views of downtown and the Detroit River, and added inviting social lounges, recreation rooms and a basketball court.

To read the full article click here.

New Images of Edmonton NHL Arena

Megan Bengry — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:48:21 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 28 Oct 2011
Exciting new views and renderings uploaded for Edmonton NHL Arena and Edmonton Entertainment District.

Edmonton NHL Arena

Edmonton Entertainment District

Rossetti Designed KSU Soccer Stadium Receives National Recognition

Megan Bengry — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:43:19 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 28 Oct 2011
Kennesaw State University continues to reap the benefits of the beautiful KSU Soccer Stadium, as it was featured on NCAA.com on Tuesday, Oct. 25 in an article that highlights nine of the best collegiate athletic facilities in the country.

KSU Soccer Stadium, which was opened in the spring of 2010, came in at No. 5 on the prestigious list. It was joined in the top-five by another soccer facility, as Cal Poly’s men’s soccer stadium was ranked at No. 4 on the list. Yale’s football stadium was tabbed as the No. 1 facility to check out in the nation, followed by Nebraska’s volleyball gym and Penn State’s football stadium capped off the rest of the top-five.

KSU Soccer Stadium, which serves as the home of the Kennesaw State women’s soccer team and the Atlanta Beat of WPS, is no stranger to receiving national attention, as it was also profiled in the October/November issue of Athletic Management Magazine in 2010.

The facility is also a little more than a month away from hosting one of its biggest events in its brief history as the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s College Cup is coming to KSU Soccer Stadium on Dec. 2-4.

New Photography of Bowling Green State University

Megan Bengry — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:18:53 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 25 Oct 2011

Follow our photo hyperlink to check out all the new images!

Praises for Rossetti-Designed Notre Dame Hockey Arena

Megan Bengry — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:18:54 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 24 Oct 2011
An article by Jim Meenan, South Bend Tribune Staff Writer.

Hockey heaven is here.

That seemed to be the consensus as about 1,500 season-ticket holders Wednesday worked their way around the Compton Family Ice Arena, posing for pictures and getting autographs from Notre Dame players.

The new home for Notre Dame hockey costs $50 million. And considering how nice the huge facility at the south side of the campus on Angela Boulevard looked, it’s easy to see how.

The arena, whose walls are bathed in a classy navy blue, gold and green, has a capacity of 5,020, including standing room.

It consists of two ice rinks, one of them Olympic size, nine locker rooms, an auditorium for team film study, cardio and weight rooms and two hockey shooting galleries similar to the size of baseball batting cages where players can practice their shot.

“Frankly, for me, it’s still hard to fathom that it’s here,” said Tom Nevala, Notre Dame senior associate athletic director who oversees the hockey program. “A great job by all concerned.”

Fans echoed those sentiments totally.

Dave Schroeter, of Granger, called the facility “eye-popping.”

He said he had mixed emotions, having attended Irish hockey games since 1970.

“I feel fantastic for the current players,” Schroeter said. “I wish some of the guys in the past could have had a chance to enjoy something as beautiful as this.”

Schroeter was impressed with the spaciousness of the facility and the fact that, as a fan, he would not be sitting on bleachers anymore.

John Simmons, of South Bend, has only been in town less than a year and described himself as a big Chicago Blackhawks fan who has attended numerous games at the United Center in Chicago.

“This is something else for the university level,” Simmons said. “This is outstanding. This looks fantastic. We’re really impressed with it.

“It almost looks like the pro stadiums. It’s fantabulous.”

Marie Warsko, of Granger, was there with her husband, John, and their three grandchildren from Buchanan.

“It’s fantastic,” said Warsko, who has been a season ticket holder since 1996. “There’s not going to be a bad seat in the whole place.”

And it has a few unique amenities, too. On the opposite of a highly visible and spacious press box sits O’Brien’s, an exclusive club for fans who purchase its special season ticket. The pub-like setting runs the length of the ice and includes a fairly spacious bar/food area as well as what most fans would call open skybox-like seating areas.

The 2-2 Irish open the arena Friday against Rensselaer at 7:30 p.m. The game is already sold out.

Construction on the facility began in September 2010.

The new state-of-the-art arena also ushers in a new era in which Notre Dame will allow the public to utilize the facility often.

“The whole motivation to build this building was to have two rinks and make it available to youth hockey, figure skating, public skating, the intramural needs that we have on campus,” Nevala said.

That openness will boost hockey in the area, Warsko said.

“People will start to appreciate and understand hockey with more of the outside people coming in,” she said.

The facility is named in honor of Kevin and Gayla Compton, who own the San Jose Sharks of the NHL and who donated the lead gift for the facility.

The arena and the turnout left a lot of players smiling, too, including sophomore Anders Lee.

“This is unbelievable,” Lee said. “To see so many people supporting us here, it’s ridiculous. Just to meet the fans tonight is really special, too.”

But even the Irish’s leading goal scorer could not stop marveling at the facility, which also features four big screen replay boards hanging over center ice.

“You can see for yourself it’s a special place,” he said. “Top-of-the-line everything. We’re so thankful for this opportunity to play here.”

Local news coverage gives fans a virtural tour.

Edmonton Area + Entertainment District Closer to Reality

Megan Bengry — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 05:00:00 -0500

Posted by Megan Bengry on 21 Oct 2011
An article by Gordon Kent, from the Ottawa Citizen, discusses the recent energy surrounding the Rossetti Designed Arena and Entertainment District.

Oilers owner Daryl Katz has made a key concession in a proposed final agreement for a new downtown arena.

Katz had wanted Northlands, the operator of Rexall Place, the current home of the National Hockey League team, to sign off on a clause that would prevent it from competing for events with the new building.

That pivotal decision, along with a city plan to spend $20 million over 10 years marketing itself through the Oilers, came out of this week’s talks in New York between Katz, Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Mandel said he’s pleased with the latest proposals, which are based on an agreement framework passed last May.

“I obviously believe we have bridged a lot of gaps between where we were going in and where we came out,” he said.

“I think this is a reasonably fair deal, given what’s been done in the NHL in the past … We can’t lose sight of the fact that one of the fundamental reasons to do this is as a catalyst for redevelopment of downtown.”

Click here to read the full article.