[Husker] Osborne: Haymarket Arena Starting to Make Sense

[Bob Beach]

Mike Jaixen wrote:
> Tom Osborne tells Steve Sipple of the Lincoln
> Journal-Star that a new arena is starting to look
> do-able  as a home for Husker basketball, at least
> from a financial perspective.
>
> A new arena would provide additional revenue streams
> (skyboxes, premium seating) not available at the
> Devaney Center, and the package may also include
> additional practice facilities for both programs.
>
>   

     I really sit on the fence on this deal as far as NU.  I think the 
city of Lincoln needs something more up to date than Pershing Auditorium 
and that I am for provided it can be done with as little burden on the 
taxpayers as possible.  But the thought of NU playing basketball off 
campus just doesn't sit totally right.  The new building will be used 
for anything and everything from conventions, to concerts of various 
kinds, to rodeos, to ice shows, to sports, to trade shows, and the list 
goes on.  It will be just as much for the use of the city of Lincoln as 
the University.  NU will be more like a tenant.  It will be their "home 
floor" but it really won't be their building like the Devaney Center is 
now.  I understand the Devaney Center is used for other things as well 
but it is first and foremost a home for NU athletic teams.  This 
building will not be that way.  It will be equally important for all 
venues. 


     I know a lot of other schools play in buildings off campus but a 
lot of those are inner city schools that have no room for an arena on 
campus.  Creighton is probably the closest example.  Their home games 
are played at the Qwest Center in Omaha.  That is where they play but 
that doesn't have the feel that it is Creighton's building mainly 
because that building is used for a variety of things among them 
Creighton basketball.  Most of the Big East teams play off campus but 
there again there are a certain amount of inner city schools.  Memphis 
and Marquette play off campus for the same reason.  But in all those 
cases the arenas in which they play doesn't seem like a true home 
arena.  Then the other question.  If this goes through what becomes of 
the Devaney Center?  I also understand the flip side that a big and 
beautiful state of the art arena would be extremely nice and likely 
money making which is why it will probably happen.


Bob Beach