Originally posted by laker
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The issue is the uncertainty with the life of these three programs. When the seven teams announced their intent back last summer, the Alaska Legislature was in the process of cutting the UA System budget in half. Athletics was going to see a majority of those cuts. Top that off with Anchorage moving from the city run Sullivan Center (6000 seats) to the on campus Wells Fargo Student Center (750-1000 seats). Fairbanks has put in notice that they may have to leave the Carlson Center for their on-campus arena, the Patty Center (1200 seats), due to the ice plant failing at the Carlson Center and the City of Fairbanks not having the funds to replace it. Currently, the WCHA bylaws state that your arena must have 2500 seats and has stipulations as to what must be included in the visiting locker room areas. If I recall correctly, when Fairbanks traveled to Anchorage earlier this year, they could not get into the visiting locker room the required time before the game (I want to say they got in 60-90 minutes before game time) due to a swim meet going on in the Student Center.
As for UAH, there always seems to be an air of uncertainty with their program, and this year is no different. Even though the Alabama Board of Regents have given the green light to work on getting an on campus arena owned by the school, they have allocated $0 for the project or study. But yet they can do $100 million upgrades to the Crimson Tide football stadium, locker rooms and practice facility.
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