Who in Bangor told the HOK arena planners not to include ice making in a new
Bangor Auditorium ? 

see today's BDN:

http://bangornews.com/news/t/city.as...134&zoneid=176 

this is from the BDN article:

Though plans for the arena are still in the conceptual stage, the current
thinking calls for a 6,000- to 7,000-seat multifunction arena....

The new arena also might feature an ice sheet for hockey and skating
performances, though that could be added later.

HOK’s David Greusel said he strongly recommended that the arena be sized to
National Hockey League regulations, which would provide for an
85-foot-by-200-foot performing area.

"Even if you never put ice in this building, you really need to design
around that template because that template defines every traveling show in
the business, from circuses to ice shows to bird shows," Greusel said. "I
think it would be a mistake not to design around that floor plan."  [end of
quote from paper]

Being involved myself with building plans for public agencies, when you read
this from a planner as reported in the press after a public meeting, it
tells me that someone representing the "owner" (the City of Bangor I
presume) told the planner NOT to include ice and the consultant was rebuffed
in private meetings (lots, I'll bet) when they pointed out how bad the idea
was. 

So, some squeak-ball freak in the City intimately involved in the arena
planning process has been convinced that a basketball floor over ice at
Tournament Time will get all wet, then the solution is to remove the ice
just before the Tournament -- not to keep ice making out of the new building
altogether.  They'll have to put a/c in the new place to make it useful
during summer months, so that is not the issue either. Build it now, as
ripping up the floor for proper ice making later will be SOOOO expensive and
time-consuming.  

To me, it IS a bad idea to leave out ice making from any new arena.  Even if
you build the place with just the proper floor down with circulation pipes
underneath, but never put in the compressors, buy dashers and glass or a
Zamboni, PLEASE build the new place so UMaine might play one or two games
there.  Don't they at least want Disney on Ice for the kiddies ?   

I note the Bangor Chamber of Commerce webpage is sponsored by the University
of Maine...you mean to tell me that the City is planning a new arena
(economic engine for the region) that would shut out the one sports team
from that University with the most visibility in this nation ?

BTW, if the seating is only being planned for 7,000 people, forget about
hosting an NC$$ regional Division 1 ice hockey Tournament either, it will be
way too small.  

At least I hope they engineer it with provisions for easy expansion.