If Firm Says Do It, Arkansas Should Take Gamble on Hogs Live! Concept

It didn't take long after a consulting firm called Navigate presented recommendations to the University of Arkansas' Board of Trustees for Razorbacks fans to begin rolling their eyes both literally and figuratively Wednesday.

That happens pretty much any time someone starts trying to figure out how to bring in more money while also stretching dollars. A lot of the recommendations were pretty solid and would have gone a long way with fans over the past several years had they been in place.

For instance, the idea of showing how various ticket prices and fees will slowly go up over the next several years to keep up with the cost of doing business should help with sticker shock and help families know how to adjust and save along the way so they can continue to experience Arkansas athletics events together rather than getting hit unexpectedly with a huge jump in cost they can't cover on short notice.

However, the most intriguing recommendation that got shot at with tons of reasons it won't work rather than fans thinking it through is a multi-use property district. That might sound like a bit of garbled legal terminology, but Hogs fans from the North Texas are understand it quite well and may even be pretty excited.

This is because a mixed-use zoning designation around sports venues has led to a lot of really cool construction projects. It removes the limits created by other options such as commercial, retail, restaurant or multi-family.

A simple example of this sort of project would be a street level that has restaurants, various shops and also entertainment businesses with apartment homes on the floors above, all of which share a parking garage. However, in this case, this needs to go a much different direction.

A better fit in this case would be something similar to Texas Live!, which sits just outside Globe Life Field and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. A lot of Razorbacks fans go here before and after games down in DFW and sometimes just go there rather than spending the ton of money it takes to get into events at the Dallas Cowboys' stadium.

In the main area is a massive bar complete with a stage that opens up above it with several stories of open area. Forming a circle around the bar area are places for various open concept restaurants, game areas and different merch shops.

To fully grasp it, Dad can get a plate of barbecue on one floor, two children can get premium pizza on another, mom grabs a light sandwich in another restaurant and they all meet up at a table on the second floor.

In front of them are movie theater sized screens showing games, along with numerous other massive screens that aren't nearly as big as the main ones. On the stage is your local sports personality hosting a game for a free t-shirt while people also have the option to play traditional sports bar trivia on a touchscreen at their table.

Eventually mom goes and looks for a new team shirt to buy that might be on sale upstairs, the boys go play air hockey in the basement area while dad relaxes in peace watching the many absurdly sized screens in front of him.

They can also keep an eye out for various Hogs going into the production studio here to record NIL spots.

Since we are transferring this concept to Fayetteville, we might as well keep building upward and include an Arkansas Razorbacks sports museum with an entry into a hotel above it.

Around this building are parking garages that go up to the third floor of the hotel with shuttle stops to the various sports facilities right outside. By building this and staffing it largely with University of Arkansas students, there not only instantly becomes a fun alternative to Dickson Street that brings the athletics program money, it becomes a desperately needed source of entertainment, internships and also a quality place to house recruits when they visit. No offense to the Graduate, but it can be a bit garish and difficult to get in and out.

The great thing about this concept is it isn't particularly wide. By being open, it packs a lot of punch while flowing up rather than out. This means minimal land needed.

It could easily fit in well where the RV park across from Baum-Walker currently sits. That would not only draw interest to the southern end of campus and make the baseball stadium feel less ostracized, it would help dramatically spread out traffic flow on game days.

The stage at what we're deeming "Hogs Live!" even works as a great place to make huge announcements like major concerts.

Also, as Razorbacks fans who have experienced Texas Live! on game days, it dramatically boosts the event day experience. Not to mention the reason this is being talked about at all — money.

So, make it loud. Make it as crazy as possible. The main thing is to just make it.

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