[Husker] Osborne: Haymarket Arena Starting to Make Sense

[Steve Reichenbach]

Two comments.

First, as a Lincoln/Lancaster County taxpayer, I wouldn't mind
the "Alltel Arena" or the "First National Bank Center" or
whatever.  I think the value of corporate naming might be less
than it was a few years ago, but it probably would be significant.
I'd like to see it happen in a few years with NU as a tenant.

Second, the locations which have been discussed are closer to the
campus center than the Devaney Sports Center.  Yes, it will be
off campus, but for practical purposes so is the Devaney Sports
Center.

> > 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
> 
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