2008 Woodie Awards
Why to vote yes on Holt Arena Bond
Bryan Wheat
Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: Opinion
On Feb. 5, citizens of Pocatello and Chubbuck will have the opportunity to vote on a proposed $24 million bond that seeks to improve the Holt Arena. I would like to inform the students of ISU of a little bit of history and reasoning for this project, and why it has the potential to benefit ISU students and the community as a whole.
First of all, let us start with a background on our beloved Holt. In the late 1960's, football games were being played at what was then known as the "Spud Bowl." We now know it as Davis Field. It was decided back then that it was time that the Bengals received a covered stadium to play in, and so ideas were tossed around of perhaps covering Davis Field in order to make it a more effective football facility, but then parking issues, needs for a more versatile facility, among a number of other issues aided in the decision to build a whole new facility that could be designed the way they wanted it to be.
A spot was then selected, and plans were drawn up for the nations first ever, collegiate covered stadium to be built. These plans, along with an estimated cost summary of $2.8 million, were presented to the student body for approval and were approved very narrowly, with 53 percent in favor of the new facility and associated cost, and 47 percent opposed. The ASISU Mini Dome, as it was called back then, was dedicated on Sept. 26, 1970, right before the mighty Bengals christened her with a 63-34 pounding of UNLV.
At a cost of $2.8 million, it was a real steal for the students of ISU. Part of the reason it was so cheap was because the builders and suppliers for the building were excited to be a part of this "first ever of its kind" building. It is now the most awesome spectacle of the ISU campus, and one of the landmarks of Pocatello. It encloses more than 194,000 square feet of floor, and about 15 million cubic feet of space within its dimensions of 400' x 420' x 103.'
Over the years it has held countless rodeos, football games, basketball games, monster truck shows, carnivals, concerts-well, you get the picture. Last year it held 94 events, and brought an estimated $30 million to the Pocatello/Chubbuck economy. It has seen world records broken, and held over 16,000 people at a single event. The Holt also has the world's largest free falling flag. The list goes on and on, but let it suffice to say that the Holt is laden with history, and memories for people all around Pocatello and even the world.
First of all, let us start with a background on our beloved Holt. In the late 1960's, football games were being played at what was then known as the "Spud Bowl." We now know it as Davis Field. It was decided back then that it was time that the Bengals received a covered stadium to play in, and so ideas were tossed around of perhaps covering Davis Field in order to make it a more effective football facility, but then parking issues, needs for a more versatile facility, among a number of other issues aided in the decision to build a whole new facility that could be designed the way they wanted it to be.
A spot was then selected, and plans were drawn up for the nations first ever, collegiate covered stadium to be built. These plans, along with an estimated cost summary of $2.8 million, were presented to the student body for approval and were approved very narrowly, with 53 percent in favor of the new facility and associated cost, and 47 percent opposed. The ASISU Mini Dome, as it was called back then, was dedicated on Sept. 26, 1970, right before the mighty Bengals christened her with a 63-34 pounding of UNLV.
At a cost of $2.8 million, it was a real steal for the students of ISU. Part of the reason it was so cheap was because the builders and suppliers for the building were excited to be a part of this "first ever of its kind" building. It is now the most awesome spectacle of the ISU campus, and one of the landmarks of Pocatello. It encloses more than 194,000 square feet of floor, and about 15 million cubic feet of space within its dimensions of 400' x 420' x 103.'
Over the years it has held countless rodeos, football games, basketball games, monster truck shows, carnivals, concerts-well, you get the picture. Last year it held 94 events, and brought an estimated $30 million to the Pocatello/Chubbuck economy. It has seen world records broken, and held over 16,000 people at a single event. The Holt also has the world's largest free falling flag. The list goes on and on, but let it suffice to say that the Holt is laden with history, and memories for people all around Pocatello and even the world.
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