Chili Greens Property

[OhioStreetKid]

Does this tell us anything about how Aksarben may be partitioned?

UNO seeking Chili Greens for athletic fields

BY ROB WHITE
   


WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER  

The University of Nebraska at Omaha has its eye on nearby land for future athletic fields.

The land currently occupied by Chili Greens Golf Course, south of West Center Road and east of 70th Street, could one day be the home to a hockey practice facility and baseball and softball fields.

"It's just talk at this stage, because nothing could be done until the Ak-Sar-Ben Future Trust Board made a decision about the use of that land," said Dr. Nancy Belck, UNO's chancellor. "Our interest is known. But it is ultimately their decision as they look at the development of the land."

Ak-Sar-Ben Future Trust controls the 57.5-acre parcel that was formerly the Ak-Sar-Ben arboretum. Chili Greens has leased the land from Ak-Sar-Ben Future Trust.

"Chili Greens is a lessee on a long-term basis and has borrowed money, so there is debt against the property," said Ken Stinson, chairman of Ak-Sar-Ben Future Trust. "Creditors need to be dealt with to release the property, but nothing is impossible."

Stinson said Future Trust is still sorting through possibilities for the future of the land. Future Trust also controls the land that includes the former Ak-Sar-Ben grandstand and coliseum, another area that interests UNO.

"The university has expressed an interest, but there's nothing definitive," Stinson said. "I can't say what Future Trust would or wouldn't do at this point. There are a lot of concepts floating around at this point."

Belck said the proximity of UNO, including the Peter Kiewit Institute and the Scott Technology Transfer and Incubation Center, would be beneficial to many.

"They do know of our interest in working with them and partnering on the land," Belck said. "You can do mixed retail use-business property development anywhere in the city, but you can't necessarily do it next to a university with the Peter Kiewit Institute. And I hope we can benefit from the synergy of what goes into the development of that land with the growing program at UNO and the Scott Technology Transfer buildings."

UNO's athletic presence in the area already includes its women's soccer field and football practice field, which stand in the shadows of the wreckage of the grandstand and between the Scott and Kiewit buildings.

UNO's baseball, softball and NCAA Division I hockey teams all practice and play games off campus.

"We will make sure we have a place for our athletes to play," Belck said. "It would be really nice to get them all together. We just really would like to get them in a complex."

Belck said that if Future Trust decides to work with UNO, funding could be put in place.

"We have been very fortunate with our donor support, and it would have to be private support," she said. "But the decision has to be made about the land use first."

[Brad]

I believe that all of the old Aksarben property should go to UNO.  Currently UNO is landlocked and if the school wants to keep expanding, Aksarben would be a great place to do it.  I know tha currently they plan to build a lifestyle center at the old Aksarben, but how about a small "main street" with college type shops, some apartments or other housing, and use the rest for UNO campus.

[adam186]

I agree, I think UNO should get all of it with some private restaurants and bars to make it a bit more part of the city and not a closed in campus.

Also more housing would be great and maybe even a parking garage about the same size as Cross Roads.

[Brad]

Anyone heard anything about Chili Greens Lately?

1.  They cleaned up all the downed tree limbs and have a huge pile in the north east corner.
2.  They cleaned out one of the lakes that was on the north side.  They dug it all out and now its a big dirt hole, but still has the island of trees in the middle.
3.  Weirdest thing...  The sprinklers were on in two different locations on old holes, also on the north east side.

[Linkin5]

Hopefully this is where the new 50 meter pool/sports complex is going.

[iamjacobm]

Any chance the work is related to the sewer project?  In the agenda for next week there is a mention of Omaha getting land around 64th and Dupont for "Saddle Creek Retention Treatment Basin"

[Brad]

I would guess thats on the wrong side of the creek?

[Bugeater]

They have plans for a "University Life Complex" on that land.

http://www.unomaha.edu/building/center/index.php

[Brad]

They were watering the old golf course again this morning.  Also there are what appears to be some kind of paths staked out with wooden stakes and ribbon running from stake to stake.

[Brad]

This might explain a lot of the watering and pathways...

Mavericks start season at home

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120829/M ... on-at-home

The UNO cross country team begins its season Saturday when it co-hosts the UNO/Creighton Classic at the Chili Greens Complex.

[Uffda]

This might explain a lot of the watering and pathways...

Mavericks start season at home

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120829/M ... on-at-home

The UNO cross country team begins its season Saturday when it co-hosts the UNO/Creighton Classic at the Chili Greens Complex.

Yep it has been used for XC the last two years at least.  We had the OPS middle school XC  city meet there the last two years and I k ow they ran some high school XC there also