$1 million, a few i-pads and a couple LCD tv's don't even put us close to Oregon.
Okie St. (locker room at around 1:30 - cafeteria at 3:30)
Regardless of the investments, they still finished the football facilities in 2009. The "athletic village" is still being developed (because it is part of a $500 million athletic facility upgrade which has a duration of 10 years starting in 2005) - but that would just put them over the top. What they currently have is still pretty sweet. A story was run by the Times that stated Pickens lost the entire $165 million investment back in 2008, which might be what you are refering too. It ended up being wrong and I think was retracted. OSU was in possession of it, and he pledged an additaion $65 million after that. Then another $100 million for scholarships in February. That brings his total donations to almost a half billion. I think the entire endowment for UNL is barely a billion. While it takes Lincoln taxpayers to upgrade the facilities at UNL - Okie just has to ask Boone. Must be nice
The athletic department does not use tax payer money to upgrade facilities. It is all paid for by donations. I think you are forgetting the athletic department makes $100 million each year a large portion of which goes back to the university. They haven't borrowed from university funds for any of the recent projects (west stadium, north stadium). Also the future upgrades to east stadium will once again be paid for by donations, not the athletic budget, university budget, or tax payer money.