Infill and Small Developments | Portland

[TC_zoid]

The medical grad students at UNE in Biddeford are in nice renovated apartments at the mill across from the Saco train station and so they will be coming here to Westbrook next year. Not bad. They will be furnished too so not your typical dorm room. I guess a future doctor needs a nicer place to live.

https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/une-signs-full-building-lease-for-westbrook-apartment-building

 

[nomc]

Bad driving shots of 1 Commercial - worth noting that (I believe) the retail unit is up and running

 

[Portlander]

Nice improvement to a long time eyesore, now if we could only get Hub Furniture and Geno's Rock Club to follow suit!

 

[TC_zoid]

Seadogs new clubhouse going up. I wish the old fire station next door had become a brewery with a notable outdoor space as some of the players might have stopped by after the game. What a hang that would have been.

 

[markhb]

Did they have a plan to replace the seating provided by 315 (the former bleacher section in that spot), or are they just going to go with the reduced capacity?

 

[TC_zoid]

Did they have a plan to replace the seating provided by 315 (the former bleacher section in that spot), or are they just going to go with the reduced capacity?

I read that they weren't. I wish they would fill in the seating at the top by the home team dugout. It looks weird. I also think it should go up to meet with the Expo wall. The Expo has so many deficiencies as a venue and I or all of us doubt it will ever be razed and replaced--too many good memories. The Maine Celtics (bring back the Red Claws name, please) play in such a small and dull venue compared to other D League teams. However, the end and top where Hadlock begins could be chunked out with an extended enclosed glass balcony that would also face inside. It would be a sweet suite, for sure. Each horizontal side of the Expo at the top could also be chunked out in a similar extended outward manner to have indoor facing suites, though bigger for groups and not just corporations and rich folks. The front lobby of the building could have a large second floor bar space on top with big screens at the ends and an opening to see the court. (Again, I kind of do this for a living.) Dynamic spaces in venues will be used by fans to watch the game. They don't need to sit in a confining seat. My brothers and I love going to Fenway to watch the whole game standing at the bar behind the Green Monster pizza tables. Last time, a few years ago, $90. Great views of the city too. It's all lost potential revenue. No money? Partnerships with food and bev companies and maybe even Live Nation. Let them feel like they control the town. So what. They won't charge too much because people won't go.

 

[Portlander]

I was told by a senior team official that there are currently no plans to replace the lost 300 bleacher seats. Even with the minor decrease in seating, Hadlock Field is ranked in the upper half of available capacity among Eastern League ballparks.

 

[NR2Portland]

While I agree with your points TC, I will say the atmosphere at the Expo is better than most or all G League venues due to its intimacy. There are countless improvements that need to be made, no doubt. Seeing other G league teams playing at NBA arenas with 2-3,000 people in attendance is just sad. It’s quiet and looks like nobody cares. That same crowd at the Expo is electric.
There are tons of operating and appearance deficiencies at the Expo but I do not think a capacity increase should be at the top of that list.

 

[TC_zoid]

While I agree with your points TC, I will say the atmosphere at the Expo is better than most or all G League venues due to its intimacy. There are countless improvements that need to be made, no doubt. Seeing other G league teams playing at NBA arenas with 2-3,000 people in attendance is just sad. It’s quiet and looks like nobody cares. That same crowd at the Expo is electric.
There are tons of operating and appearance deficiencies at the Expo but I do not think a capacity increase should be at the top of that list.

That's about 150-200 more people, and all would be VIPS. More money and the team would like that. The premium experience is always popular with the few who can afford it. If you were rich, would you fly coach? You gonna buy a Toyota after winning the lottery? Let those who can pay, pay. I don't think there are premium seats in the Expo. If so, how? I could see groups, alumni clubs, wedding parties, you name it, booking these bigger suites. They did this with TD Garden a few years ago above the third deck. You can't work a buffet line while in the stands. I've noticed people like to eat and drink now. It's priority or they don't come.

 

[NR2Portland]

Apologies for whatever I said to earn so much sarcasm haha! I agree, that would be a really cool adjustment to bring groups and wealthy to the games. Much work to be done on that venue for sure

 

[TC_zoid]

Apologies for whatever I said to earn so much sarcasm haha! I agree, that would be a really cool adjustment to bring groups and wealthy to the games. Much work to be done on that venue for sure

I like to have fun with my postings. I was in Houston last year and was "gifted" back-to-back entry with suite tickets for Taylor Swift. I'm not a big fan, buy hey, she's supposed to be something special--and she was. There were teenage girls running around drinking $40 disco ball cocktails with sangria in them as mom and dad had bought them $1,400 dollar tickets! It's crazy out there. Let's go for it! Not Maine in Maine as I like to say.

 

[mainejeff]

I like to have fun with my postings. I was in Houston last year and was "gifted" back-to-back entry with suite tickets for Taylor Swift. I'm not a big fan, buy hey, she's supposed to be something special--and she was. There were teenage girls running around drinking $40 disco ball cocktails with sangria in them as mom and dad had bought them $1,400 dollar tickets! It's crazy out there. Let's go for it! Not Maine in Maine as I like to say.

Amen. Can we stop pretending that everyone in Maine is poor?.......

 

[markhb]

I don't think there are premium seats in the Expo. If so, how?

The Gold seats courtside and on the ends, and the 8 boxes (labeled "Suites"), are sold as premium seating, They get waitress service and I'm not sure what else (the "suites" do get an actual table to sit at). Note that the wheelchair seats are behind both the premium boxes and the walkway and at the same level, a major reason we were hoping that the replacement arena at Thompson's Point would come to fruition; it was going to have the accessible seats at the top of the stands, similar to Bangor.