Omaha Forums

Went to a fundraiser last March at Ralston arena where the food cooked by their in house staff was quite good. Brunch with omelets and waffles with an orange compote to taste with the waffles.

This is good to hear for Ralston finally. Not to drag things too off-topic, but I'm a relatively new Mavericks hockey fan and was wondering whether Baxter ever sees anything from those ticket sales?

Crockett1985 wrote:This is good to hear for Ralston finally. Not to drag things too off-topic, but I'm a relatively new Mavericks hockey fan and was wondering whether Baxter ever sees anything from those ticket sales?

Trying to understand the question. You are wondering if Baxter Arena see anything from Maverick Hockey ticket sales?

Greg

Correct

They are all wrapped in together, with it being UNO's arena. The arena itself was supposed to turn a profit which was going to be used to help fund UNO athletics, including hockey.

Greg

“Groesser credits the success to higher sales tax revenues and the venue now is booked nearly every weekend…The restaurant tax that helped balance the books expires in three years.”

How much general fund, KENO, 2.5% property tax, 2.5% restaurant tax and turnback tax did they get vs last year? Show me Revenue (from Arena events) minus Expenses.

I would like to see their advertising budget and how much of it goes to 1620 for the Oct 8th Alice Cooper concert. An ad has been playing now for two months and it is still a month away.

Coyote wrote:I would like to see their advertising budget and how much of it goes to 1620 for the Oct 8th Alice Cooper concert. An ad has been playing now for two months and it is still a month away.

Not quite as bad as the number of times I heard the ad for "Hairball," but it's getting there.

Greg

Greg S wrote:

Coyote wrote:I would like to see their advertising budget and how much of it goes to 1620 for the Oct 8th Alice Cooper concert. An ad has been playing now for two months and it is still a month away.

Not quite as bad as the number of times I heard the ad for "Hairball," but it's getting there.

Greg

"IT'S....GOING....DOWN!!!"

"THE MOST BOMBASTIC ARENA ROCK CELEBRATION RETURNS: HAIRBALLLLLLL!!!!!"

omaha79 wrote:

Greg S wrote:

Coyote wrote:I would like to see their advertising budget and how much of it goes to 1620 for the Oct 8th Alice Cooper concert. An ad has been playing now for two months and it is still a month away.

Not quite as bad as the number of times I heard the ad for "Hairball," but it's getting there.

Greg

"IT'S....GOING....DOWN!!!"

"THE MOST BOMBASTIC ARENA ROCK CELEBRATION RETURNS: HAIRBALLLLLLL!!!!!"

*runs away screaming*

God I hated that commercial. Oh, and the Lita Ford concert one. Jesus.

And that's why I only listen to Pandora - I hate commercials.

They have a partnership with NRG Media so I am guessing they pay $0 for the advertising. I believe that NRG books 5 or 6 shows a year, does the radio advertising for them and then takes a cut of the gate. The Arena gets a low upfront costs and free advertising. The radio stations get guaranteed advertising space filled and paid after the show. Again, I know they have a deal but do not know the details. Does anyone know?

I thought there had to be something like that.
A quick search shows that the City of Ralston paid NRG Media $84,146.36 for 38 Special.

Ralston Arena's debt downgraded by Standard and Poor’s; rating could fall further

Do I smell a sequel to the Enron?

Ralston Arena: The Musical.

Don Groesser as Ken Lay's doppelganger.

It is just a mess.

This is wild speculation, but I wonder if Ralston could come crawling to Omaha begging for an annex to fix their finances if things keep going south instead of having their decades old handshake deal with the city.

iamjacobm wrote:It is just a mess.

This is wild speculation, but I wonder if Ralston could come crawling to Omaha begging for an annex to fix their finances if things keep going south instead of having their decades old handshake deal with the city.

I would hope not.

iamjacobm wrote:It is just a mess.

This is wild speculation, but I wonder if Ralston could come crawling to Omaha begging for an annex to fix their finances if things keep going south instead of having their decades old handshake deal with the city.

But their problems would then become Omaha's problems. I think we should just leave Ralston alone. They don't really have anything we need.

TitosBuritoBarn wrote:

iamjacobm wrote:It is just a mess.

This is wild speculation, but I wonder if Ralston could come crawling to Omaha begging for an annex to fix their finances if things keep going south instead of having their decades old handshake deal with the city.

But their problems would then become Omaha's problems. I think we should just leave Ralston alone. They don't really have anything we need.

Wasn't trying to suggest we would go for it. Just that if they got that desperate they might ask. Again it was just a pure hypothetical thinking out loud comment.

iamjacobm wrote:

TitosBuritoBarn wrote:

iamjacobm wrote:It is just a mess.

This is wild speculation, but I wonder if Ralston could come crawling to Omaha begging for an annex to fix their finances if things keep going south instead of having their decades old handshake deal with the city.

But their problems would then become Omaha's problems. I think we should just leave Ralston alone. They don't really have anything we need.

Wasn't trying to suggest we would go for it. Just that if they got that desperate they might ask. Again it was just a pure hypothetical thinking out loud comment.

JUNK BONDS! That is the class of ratings that Ralston's bonds are now classified as. That tells you that the owners of those bonds may never get their money back. Omaha won't be touching that with a 10 foot pole.

Hairball was announced yesterday returning May 5, 2017. I've already heard a commercial. Not sure I can take hearing these again. over and over and over....


Greg

Greg S wrote:Hairball was announced yesterday returning May 5, 2017. I've already heard a commercial. Not sure I can take hearing these again. over and over and over...

Oh God no.

Greg S wrote:Hairball was announced yesterday returning May 5, 2017. I've already heard a commercial. Not sure I can take hearing these again. over and over and over....


Greg

Hearing them over and over on 101.9, drives me insane. The amount of cover band concerts they advertise on that station is overwhelming.

MadMartin8 wrote:

Greg S wrote:Hairball was announced yesterday returning May 5, 2017. I've already heard a commercial. Not sure I can take hearing these again. over and over and over....


Greg

Hearing them over and over on 101.9, drives me insane. The amount of cover band concerts they advertise on that station is overwhelming.

101.9's Parent Company NRG partnered with the Ralston Arena a couple years ago. If I remember right NRG is actually the promoter that is bringing these bands in and therefore have a stake in how well the shows do.

Yes...When The Keg 101.9 kept hyping their concert announcement for this past Monday, I was hoping for something more...substantial?

Nice crowd of 2k last night at the arena for the game between Central and Winnebago. Hopefully they do more of these in the future.

Greg

I really enjoy Hairball. They put on a heck of a show and tickets are cheap. This is exactly the kind of show that's in Ralston's wheelhouse. Yeah, the commercials are annoying, but they've had sellouts the last few years. So, it appears they know what they are doing. Omaha has certainly embraced this show every year.

A lounge replacing Husker Express/Dugout:

http://www.omaha.com/go/ralston-arena-t ... 3c4b5.html

Greg S wrote:A lounge replacing Husker Express/Dugout:

http://www.omaha.com/go/ralston-arena-t ... 3c4b5.html

The Side Room will host small concerts as well as cocktail hours before Omaha Beef and Omaha Lancers games as well as concerts and other events.

Small concerts means the Side Room could hold about how many people? Any guesses?

I noticed on the local news that for the 3rd year in a row (Ever since UNO moved Basketball to the Baxter), the Metro Holiday tournament at the Ralston Arena has used the Basketball court from the Mid America Center. Still say "IOWA" and "Mid America Center" on it ans still has the shape of Iowa at center court.

The story I heard was that Mid America Center will rent their floor out if you insure the floor, and supply the transportation and security. The story did not include any details as to how much it costs to rent the basketball floor.

I remember that when Ralston was being built their budget was so out of whack that they hadn't factored in things like basketball hoops, zamboni's, and other concession operation devices. They had to go back and ask for more money. I'm assuming a basketball floor wasn't factored in either. I also remember that being a point of contention when they were looking at getting an NBA D league team. The league wanted them to supply the court and they simply didn't have the money....so, it was a no go.

Not having a permanent tenant and with the budget still being an issue, it's probably more cost effective to rent a court once a year vs. buying. If they could have afforded to buy one, they'd probably have a D league team as well.

omaha79 wrote:I remember that when Ralston was being built their budget was so out of whack that they hadn't factored in things like basketball hoops, zamboni's, and other concession operation devices. They had to go back and ask for more money. I'm assuming a basketball floor wasn't factored in either. I also remember that being a point of contention when they were looking at getting an NBA D league team. The league wanted them to supply the court and they simply didn't have the money....so, it was a no go.

Not having a permanent tenant and with the budget still being an issue, it's probably more cost effective to rent a court once a year vs. buying. If they could have afforded to buy one, they'd probably have a D league team as well.

Baxter Arena had the same issues, woefully low on initial budget.

Greg

Another front page article in Sundays paper confirming that the Ralston arena is hopelessly incapable of making a profit or even breaking even. The article says that they are sacrificing everything else in order to make payments on the arena. You got to wonder if they don't end up bull dozing that arena down just to stop the bloodletting.

World Herald article- http://www.omaha.com/news/plus/ralston- ... e6271.html

More bad news for the failing Ralston Arena. The parking lot is shot! Any fool that knows anything would of figured a parking lot built on a Papio creek flood plain would be subject to settling and shifting. Now they are going to pay 35,000 for another study. Its going to cost 35,000 for what they call phase 1 of the study and the second phase is going to cost a still yet undetermined number. SUCKERS! Good luck with that

The World Herald which has just been worthless lately by the way....... graced us today with an article on the Ralston Arena
http://www.omaha.com/money/plus/ralston ... 2fd22.html

That arena is a real headscratcher. Especially with a much nicer venue (with a consistent tenant) just a couple miles north at Baxter.

You know the "Arena Scheme" shim sham game tax grab on the American public has gotten way out of hand when you live in some small city like Ralston and they are stealing money out of your pocket. It said in the paper the other day the Ralston city council just approved a property tax hike to cover stadium expenses that will raise average property taxes another 150 bucks a year.

This editorial cartoon in todays paper was funny, sad and true..... https://www.omaha.com/eedition/sunrise/ ... e1337.html

Should probably install some taller glass behind the visitor's bench to prevent a grown man picking a fight with the kids playing amateur hockey.

I've been to several games there, but I guess I never noticed how low they were... That said, throwing stuff at a high school kid???

Brad wrote: ↑Mon Feb 11, 2019 8:30 am I've been to several games there, but I guess I never noticed how low they were... That said, throwing stuff at a high school kid???

Me either, and I have been on that bench as a player and a coach.

That's just a bad look for hockey.

Greg

Brad wrote: ↑Mon Feb 11, 2019 8:30 am I've been to several games there, but I guess I never noticed how low they were... That said, throwing stuff at a high school kid???

Not sure the whole story but it looks like the kid threw something up there first and then the guy reached down and picked it up and threw it back at him. Either way not acceptable.