UNO Arena

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http://www.omaha.com/article/20121014/NEWS/710149936/1685#uno-proposes-new-arena-for-maverick-hockey-volleyball-basketball

University of Nebraska at Omaha sports programs are about to go big and go home: The university proposes to build a 7,500-seat arena at 67th and Center Streets, on the south end of UNO's expanding campus.The arena would focus first on hockey, the Mavericks' marquee sport and the athletic department's main profit center. It would fulfill the university's longtime dream of on-campus home hockey ice, plus eventually be the home courts for UNO's volleyball and men's and women's basketball teams.

Private donations or private partnerships would pay for arena construction costs. In interviews with The World-Herald last week, UNO Chancellor John Christensen and Athletic Director Trev Alberts ballparked the costs at $65 million to $80 million.
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I think it would be good for the university and their athletics programs. I wonder about the ability of UNO to get that much money donated though. That is some major coin.

 
From the people I've heard that may have some inside knowledge, I think a good chunk of it has already been raised, or at least committed (may not have the dollars in hand, per se, but have commitments from sources they feel are solid). I don't think Alberts and Christensen have any desire to put themselves in too big a hole by committing to this without at least a huge chunk planned for already. Especially after finally finishing the '11-'12 year in the black for the first time in 11 years.

I like the looks of where they want to put it, and at least the look of the initial design. I also agree, OH, that it should be very good for the teams. Give them a place to practice that is their own, as well as a home to call their own on campus. I think it can only help their revenue streams in the long run as well.

 
The information in the OWH article regarding the passage sounded pretty good. Basically gave the go-ahead to start getting things done on the project. It sounds like there will be at least one more vote for the Regents to make when there are more specifics regarding the financing. But with that vote giving the go-ahead to get started, this project will likely materialize fairly quickly. I think they'd like to have it ready to go by '15 or '16.

Article is here:

http://www.omaha.com/article/20121026/MAVS/310269837/1085#regents-approve-uno-arena-building-plan

I'm hoping to scan some materials that I got from the Regents office and post them on my blogsite sometime soon. I'll let you know when that happens. Looks like a great opportunity for UNO, though!

 
This is great news for UNO in my opinion. Having it on campus is a big plus, especially for the basketball program. I know nothing from the inside like HuskerFanChuck but I agree that they must already have a lot of funding already committed to get this far. Probably the biggest loser in this is the Century Link, losing that rent. Really a nice step as the program starts Division I in all sports. Well done Trev. Maybe, just maybe, 5-10 years from now when they get everything established, they try to bring back football. They would be a natural fit in the Missouri Valley, football Conference that is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Valley_Football_Conference

 
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