DePaul Men's BBall game in Lincoln Park?!?

Thursday morning, sitting in the Bodleian library, I checked my inbox and had five or six emails from friends back in Chicago. These were not emails asking how my thesis proposal went or how my stress level was; they were emails concerning the Men’s DePaul/Hofstra game. As an alumnus of DePaul’s undergraduate program, I of course like to see them do well in the NIT, but that had nothing to do with the reason for the emails either; instead, it was the atmosphere at McGrath Arena. The place was apparently electrifying. Every email raved about the sellout crowd and the energy that the team had playing in front of their fans in Lincoln Park. Now this is interesting because many people have been calling for an on-campus arena for years with no avail, but this game against Hofstra just may have shown the DePaul authorities what an on campus arena could do for the program and the university. I also am in this camp and have wondered aloud how different the student body would be if we could watch the Blue Demons right around the corner from Kelly’s and McGee’s. I have also heard stories from old alumni about the days at Alumni Hall on Belden Ave, specifically how enthusiastic the student body was for DePaul basketball. An enthusiasm that is nowhere to be found today. This being said, what are the hopes that this momentum can get a few more games in Lincoln Park next year with future plans at building an 8-10,000 seat arena on the Lincoln Park campus. Now, I am well aware of the space limitations in Lincoln Park, but I also know that the university owns a good deal of land there, ie, block north of Fullerton where Blockbusters sits. In addition, there is the Children’s Memorial site opening up in a few years. Even though it is a rather oddly shaped parcel, I am sure something can be constructed. However, what are some other ideas where this arena could go and is it even feasible? I think this is one of the things DePaul needs to continue to transform itself into a respectable university………why, because the school spirit and pride will follow, creating a “real” college experience in Lincoln Park.>