Maggie O’Brien
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:The demolition of Rosenblatt Stadium could happen as soon as this summer now that the Omaha City Council is scheduled to decide if it should take up selling the ballpark to the Henry Doorly Zoo.
On Tuesday, for the first time, the council will consider an ordinance to declare Rosenblatt as surplus property. The measure also would allow the city to sell the city-owned property and 35 acres of land to the zoo for $12 million.
Brad wrote:Not sure? Why does it matter? Its not like something is going to change...
I wondered if you knew something about MoU's that I don't (which is very little, actually). Â My understanding is that a Memorandum of Understanding is basically a slightly more formal Gentleman's Agreement. Â I was just a bit surprised, because I thought the sale of Rosenblatt was a long-since done deal.
Are you going to be getting pictures of the stadium coming down? Â Hope so!
If the Zoo would stop being cute about getting the deal done it would be nice. Â Trying to stick the City with extra bond payments. Â Trying to get the entire zoo zoned commercial. Â Refusing to participate in typical development approval processes. Â Those guys are really very cooperative. Â
Wouldn't it be fun if the whole thing went out for bid for something besides a parking lot for the zoo ? Â
I hope the zoo can at least put the land to good use. It's always a shame that historic sites get covered up with no physical evidence on site of their existence. Living proof - Peony Park.
chaoman45 wrote:I hope the zoo can at least put the land to good use. It's always a shame that historic sites get covered up with no physical evidence on site of their existence. Living proof - Peony Park.
Well they are building the park with the mini Rosenblatt replica.
cdub wrote:If the Zoo would stop being cute about getting the deal done it would be nice. Trying to stick the City with extra bond payments. Trying to get the entire zoo zoned commercial. Refusing to participate in typical development approval processes. Those guys are really very cooperative.
Wouldn't it be fun if the whole thing went out for bid for something besides a parking lot for the zoo ?
Parking is part of it but have you read the Zoo's long term plan? Â As for the Zoo holding things up.... Really? Â I think the process is just working this way and I remember hearing that it would not transfer until after they were 100% sure that the new playground was ready in case they needed a place to put the CWS.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
chaoman45 wrote:I hope the zoo can at least put the land to good use. It's always a shame that historic sites get covered up with no physical evidence on site of their existence. Living proof - Peony Park.
Peony Park was a gross misuse of the land. It was not mixed-use, there was parking up front, and the covered portion of the roller coaster had ample room for bottom floor retail, mid-level office, and upper level residential.
Poor, poor planning across the board and I, for one, was glad to see it go.
The space will feature a replica of Rosenblatt's familiar blue peaked roof as well as its infield, cut down to Little League size. The base paths from base to base will be 60 feet rather than the current 90 feet.
But home plate will sit exactly where home plate is today.
The stadium's foul poles will be retained where they are, which will put them in parking areas.
chaoman45 wrote:I hope the zoo can at least put the land to good use. It's always a shame that historic sites get covered up with no physical evidence on site of their existence. Living proof - Peony Park.
Peony Park was a gross misuse of the land. It was not mixed-use, there was parking up front, and the covered portion of the roller coaster had ample room for bottom floor retail, mid-level office, and upper level residential.
Poor, poor planning across the board and I, for one, was glad to see it go.
Really? Hm, apparently I went there when I was 2 but I don't remember it. That's part of the reason I wouldn't know/would like to know more about it.
iamjacobm wrote:
chaoman45 wrote:Ah, that's good. I actually haven't read through the zoo plans recently, though at least there'll be SOMETHING.
Speaking of Peony... why not utilize some of the Rosenblatt land to open up an amusement park side of the zoo? Â Even if a sizeable chunk is left to parking, there would be a lot there to work with. Â Stop needlessly sending everyone to Adventureland or Worlds of Fun for their amusement fix. Â Families especially would love the one-stop shopping for a zoo and amusement park experience.
that's a good idea, but i think that, at one time, Brad posted something showing the difference in size of worlds of fun vs the rosenblatt site (maybe a year or 2 ago). Â It was something like 3 rosenblatts could fit inside of 1 worlds of fun.
Point is: even though it seems big, there really isn't that much room (especially when you factor in parking).
Maybe things will be happening sooner rather than latter with the Demo at the Blatt.
Sometime between driving by at 5:30 this AM and noon today there are three semi box trailers parked end to end in front of the main entrance to the stadium. Â They are Kiewit trailers. Â There is also what looks to be some construction site fencing going up in by the trailers. Â Will get a better look as I pass by tonight on the way home.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
That statue would be moved on a single flat-bed trailer. They are probably removing appliances, equipment or any other materials to be sold at auction somewhere, similar to what goes on in most buildings before demo.
Its weird because the Kewit trailers make a semi circle around the statue blocking it from the roads. Â They also had security next to it last night about sunset.
I would guess that they don't want photos of it being removed? Â Why else would the lineup trailers back to back blocking it from public view?
Brad wrote:Its weird because the Kewit trailers make a semi circle around the statue blocking it from the roads. They also had security next to it last night about sunset.
I would guess that they don't want photos of it being removed? Why else would the lineup trailers back to back blocking it from public view?
No idea but, if that is the case, they are terribly overestimating the importance of that statue. I mean, they do the same thing with Warner trailers when Air Force One sits on Epply's tarmac...
Brad wrote:Its weird because the Kewit trailers make a semi circle around the statue blocking it from the roads. They also had security next to it last night about sunset.
I would guess that they don't want photos of it being removed? Why else would the lineup trailers back to back blocking it from public view?
When the lights were accidentally left on last fall and 3 people grabbed photos of that (me, Brad and an OWH guy), there was a fair amount of ZOMG going on at MECA because they wanted to do a big "reveal" with the lights, and media and all that. Â Presumably when the lights were burnt in a couple weeks ago. Â My guess is they're not taking any chances with the moving of the statue.
Probably more to do with keeping people away as the foundation under it is removed. Â They don't want people around it during the off hours when it is not as stable as it should be. Â avoid the lawsuit.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
In the last few days they have put up a chain link fence around the entire stadium. Â The parking is accessible for the most part. Â Looked to be completely circled when I drove by last evening.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
nebugeater wrote:In the last few days they have put up a chain link fence around the entire stadium. The parking is accessible for the most part. Looked to be completely circled when I drove by last evening.
Well that could just mean they are getting ready for the CWS at the Blatt.
nebugeater wrote:In the last few days they have put up a chain link fence around the entire stadium. The parking is accessible for the most part. Looked to be completely circled when I drove by last evening.
Well that could just mean they are getting ready for the CWS at the Blatt.
If that's the case it's a LOT smaller circle than last year!
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
Brad wrote:There was a couple trucks inside the construction fence yesterday afternoon.
Saw them there too. Â There were some electrical enclosures open too when I passed by so that leads me to guess that they are getting ready to power down the stadium as step 1.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
Carol Bicak
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:He doesn't see the stadium coming down until late next year. Most of the stadium's furnishings — seats, scoreboard, press box — are untouched. The zoo will inventory what's there, and eventually Rosenblatt fans will be able to buy some of it in a sale or auction.
It sounds like demo is still a ways off. Glad they mentioned something about a sale/auction though.
Jonathon Braden
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:A high-tech gadget from Omaha's Diamond on the Hill will find a new home in a high school football stadium this fall.
The Omaha school district plans to disassemble Rosenblatt Stadium's scoreboard and video board, transport them to Omaha Burke High School and put them back together again in time for this fall's high school football season.
Omaha Public Schools officials hope Rosenblatt's scoreboard and the 27-foot-high, 56-foot-wide video board will keep the Nebraska state track and field championships at Burke for many years to come.
 
 
 
