Omaha Forums

Posted: **Wed Jan 17, 2018 2:02 pm**

Agreed. Worthy investment what has become standard at pretty much every major sporting event.

Posted: **Wed Jan 17, 2018 4:53 pm**

Arena McArenaface

Posted: **Thu Jan 18, 2018 1:44 pm**

Brad wrote:CenturyLink Center could get new name; MECA hopes new naming rights contract will bring in over $10 million

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/century ... fd044.html

Christopher Burbach / World-Herald staff writer wrote:The Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority board voted Wednesday morning to hire a consultant to work on a new naming rights contract, possibly with a new sponsor, for the downtown arena and convention center.

I'm going to predict that the new name is going to be the Mutual of Omaha Center. Final Answer Mutual of Omaha

Posted: **Thu Jan 18, 2018 4:54 pm**

I will take Kiewit since they will be new to the 'hood.

It's a long shot because they don't seem to do a lot on stuff like this.

Greg

Posted: **Thu Jan 18, 2018 6:26 pm**

Greg S wrote:I will take Kiewit since they will be new to the 'hood.

It's a long shot because they don't seem to do a lot on stuff like this.

Greg

Kiewit? They are not a company that does a lot of retail. I don't see that money helping their marketing plan.

MofO maybe. CenturyLink continuing?

Posted: **Thu Jan 18, 2018 7:15 pm**

Ralston Arena, Omaha. lol

Posted: **Thu Jan 18, 2018 7:39 pm**

I really think Century Link will sign up again.

Posted: **Thu Jan 18, 2018 10:49 pm**

Let's not forget a darkhorse here, with a new name to the arena:

The Eomahaforums Forum

Posted: **Fri Jan 19, 2018 5:38 am**

Garrett wrote:Arena McArenaface

Ya know, as ornery as I'm getting in my old age and as cynical I am about corporate naming, I might hope that a group of Concerned Citizens might band together and get up the $$$$ to jupe the naming rights away and officially name it something like that!

Posted: **Fri Jan 19, 2018 7:14 am**

On Thursday Morning on KFAB Jim Rose seemed to think it would be Cox Communications. Part of the reasoning is that they were hot in the race originally. He is always right...

Just ask him....

Posted: **Fri Jan 19, 2018 7:16 am**

How about naming it

" Metro arena 1 of 4 "

Posted: **Fri Jan 19, 2018 9:14 am**

The new name should be the "Over-Taxed Omahans" arena or the OTO for short.

Posted: **Fri Jan 19, 2018 9:16 am**

For a long time the owh refused to call it the Qwest Center. They would only call it the Omaha Convention Center/Arena. Even before that I felt the management of the paper were childish and worse but when that happened "because we feel that quasi public entities shouldn't be so greedy as to raffle off the name" to me it was just embarrassing. The populace was comfortable in calling it the Quest Center but if an out of towner was dumb enough to buy a paper they were given the impression that Omaha had two arena/convention centers.

But hey, pay enough and you can see the enhanced content on the owh web site, so you got that going for you....

Posted: **Fri Jan 19, 2018 9:29 am**

Coyote wrote:I really think Century Link will sign up again.

More then likely the only way that Century Link will continue to have their name on the side of that arena is if no other company out there is interested. Century LInk must of come in and under bid what MECA was asking and when MECA refused to lower their price Century Link said something along the lines of "Our offer is final and if you want to take it let us know other wise have a good day!" For Century Link to come back now and accept the higher price MECA wants would be stupid. If Century Link was determined to win the naming rights they would of kept raising their offer until MECA accepted rather then letting it go to auction which essentially it has now. Century link was and is gambling that no other company wants to pay what MECA is asking. MECA is gambling that there is a company out there willing to pay their asking price. MECA's board is made up of Omaha dignitaries such as Suzzie Buffet who rub elbows with everybody that is anybody in town and no doubt they have had a birdie or two whispering in their ears that other companies may want their name on the side of that arena. The situation was getting tricky and sticky so MECA hired a consultant who just happened to have some Nebraska connections to go cut them a good deal.

Posted: **Fri Jan 19, 2018 9:55 am**

Well, if the airport won't do it how about the Omaha International Arena?

Posted: **Fri Jan 19, 2018 12:39 pm**

Green Plains Arena

Posted: **Fri Jan 19, 2018 12:40 pm**

NovakOmaha wrote:Well, if the airport won't do it how about the Omaha International Arena?

We don't need any help from you people in Detroit to come up with a name for our Arena..........Now when the time comes to tear the arena down and we are looking for experts on how to screw up an arena implosion you can be assured that you and your friends in Detroit will be the first ones we contact. Hows that sound?

Botched Detroit Silverdome implosion- [youtube][/youtube]

Posted: **Fri Jan 19, 2018 3:24 pm**

That's funny! You really should take your act on the road. Nobody ever mentioned that to me, knowing I live in Detroit. Good thing you brought it up.

Hahaha!

Posted: **Mon Feb 12, 2018 9:14 am**

Omaha City Council, MECA mull placing traffic signal outside CenturyLink Center garage

A signal is proposed for 10th Street at the garage attached to the downtown arena and convention center.

The project would involve removing part of the median on 10th to allow drivers to turn left out of the garage.

The proposed signal is driven by heavy event traffic at the CenturyLink Center, plus the Capitol District.

Under the memorandum of understanding, the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority would reimburse the city for the $260,000 project.

Construction would probably start after the College World Series in June, Pfitzer said.

Posted: **Mon Feb 12, 2018 9:50 am**

skinzfan23 wrote:
A signal is proposed for 10th Street at the garage attached to the downtown arena and convention center.

The project would involve removing part of the median on 10th to allow drivers to turn left out of the garage.

Thanks god the World Herald actually still writes a good story with detail. Brandon Scott from WOWT did a story on this last night too, but WOWT's version was horrific, with zero details about the improvements...

Here's what WOWT said about the actual improvements... "The plan calls for traffic signals, pavement, sidewalks, and wheel chair ramps. Construction could begin as early as this spring." LOL, thanks for telling me nothing...

Posted: **Mon Feb 12, 2018 11:24 am**

That is pretty typical of news lately....huge headlines that have nothing to do with the story, spelling and grammer mistakes throughout.

Posted: **Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:52 pm**

Brad wrote:
skinzfan23 wrote:
Brandon Scott from WOWT did a story on this last night too, but WOWT's version was horrific, with zero details about the improvements...

H.

That's Brandon Scott for you. It probably wasn't sensationalist enough for him.

Posted: **Mon Feb 12, 2018 7:13 pm**

skinzfan23 wrote:That is pretty typical of news lately....huge headlines that have nothing to do with the story, spelling and grammer mistakes throughout.

Grammer mistakes??? lol. Grammar.

Posted: **Mon Feb 12, 2018 11:16 pm**

EastCB wrote:
skinzfan23 wrote:That is pretty typical of news lately....huge headlines that have nothing to do with the story, spelling and grammer mistakes throughout.
Grammer mistakes??? lol. Grammar.

Are you sure he's not pointing out their frequent inaccuracies regarding Kelsey Grammer?

Posted: **Tue Feb 13, 2018 8:25 am**

EastCB wrote:
skinzfan23 wrote:That is pretty typical of news lately....huge headlines that have nothing to do with the story, spelling and grammer mistakes throughout.
Grammer mistakes??? lol. Grammar.

Wow, you got me on that one....thats what I get for typing fast and trying to make fun of the news.

Posted: **Tue Feb 13, 2018 11:19 am**

Sold-out concerts, Swim Trials helped MECA make $5 million profit at CenturyLink last year

Lots of numbers in this story, but overall, great year for the C-Link.

The organization that manages the CenturyLink Center and TD Ameritrade Park made a $5 million profit last year, buoyed by the U.S. Swim Trials and several sold-out concerts.

The entity's year included the tail end of the 2016 Olympic Swim Trials and Twenty One Pilots, Jimmy Buffett and Blake Shelton, all sell-out shows.

In all, it hosted events on 335 days, 265 at the convention center and 70 in the arena.

The CenturyLink drew 1 million visitors, about the same as last year.

According to the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, the arena’s economic impact contributed $110 million to the local economy — up from $74 million last year.

MECA brought in $42 million in revenue in 2016-17. Revenue comes from rent, food and beverage sales and ticketing fees, among other areas.

President and CEO Roger Dixon said concerts, as a single entity, are the most lucrative.

“But I’m not downplaying what Creighton does for us either,” he said of the arena’s basketball tenant. “Creighton as far as a season does very well.”

In all, MECA spent $3 million of the profit. The rest went to a capital reserve, which for the CenturyLink totals $9.8 million.

TD Ameritrade has a $3 million capital reserve.

The ballpark's financials are considered separately from the CenturyLink's.

The College World Series and other events at the ballpark brought MECA a $5.2 million profit, up from $5.1 million last year.

Non-CWS events resulted in a $259,000 loss, up from $139,000 last year.

Outstanding principal on the CenturyLink Center is about $150 million, said City Finance Director Steve Curtiss. The ballpark’s debt is about $83 million.

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:35 am**

CenturyLink is no longer the naming rights partner. CHI Omaha takes over for the next 20 years.

Greg

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:38 am**

Greg S wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:35 am CenturyLink is no longer the naming rights partner. CHI Omaha takes over for the next 20 years.

I don't see this going over well. With health care costs through the roof, I see quite the backlash in CHI's future...

@OWHnews wrote: @OWHnews
Goodbye, @centurylinkoma.
The convention center will be renamed for @CHIhealth in a $23.6 million, 20-year deal.

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:43 am**

From the "Clink" to "The Clinic"

Terrible, and Brad nailed it.

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:47 am**

almighty_tuna wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:43 am From the "Clink" to "The Clinic"

Terrible, and Brad nailed it.

No kidding. CHI spending that much coin for advertising their brand? Will premiums be raised?

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:50 am**

almighty_tuna wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:43 am From the "Clink" to "The Clinic"

Terrible, and Brad nailed it.

Will you be able to get a CHI latte there?

I agree, this is a terrible choice all around.

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:02 am**

The optics of this are terrible. Going to be a lot of eyebrows raised from CHI employees at this news, I think. (Heck, based on what I'm hearing/reading, there's a lot of eyebrows being raised all over town -- between their recent layoffs, and the dispute with BCBS over their rates, paying $23m for naming rights is a disastrous public relations move that's already backfiring).

With that said, I know it's been "Center" going back to the start when it was Qwest Center, but MECA really should have taken a common sense look at this when CHI emerged as the naming rights sponsor. CHI Health Arena sounds a million times better than CHI Health Center Omaha. That's a mouthful, and it sounds like an urgent care clinic in a suburban strip mall, not a world-class arena.

Not a fan.

(Oh, and it'll be fun when/if CHI's proposed merger with Dignity Health goes through later this year. Strong likelihood the name changes again at that point.)

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:07 am**

almighty_tuna wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:43 am From the "Clink" to "The Clinic.

It does give a new dimension to concerts. “Scream for me Omaha! Then turn your head and cough!”

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:11 am**

WOWT made a graphic of the new logo...

http://www.wowt.com/content/news/Centur ... 32301.html

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:33 am**

Here's the logo, courtesy of the OWH's Emily Nohr on Twitter:

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:45 am**

From the World Herald:

Here are naming rights contracts to some other arenas:

CHI Health Center

$23.6 million for 20 years, starting Sept. 1, 2018

CenturyLink Center, Omaha

$14.05 million for 15 years, starting in 2003

Baxter Arena, Omaha

$4 million for 10 years, starting in 2015

TD Ameritrade, Omaha

$20 million for 20 years, starting in 2011

Werner Park, Papillion

$1.525 million for 5 years, starting in 2011.

The contract was extended through 2020 in 2014, at the same $305,000 a year.

Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln

Announced at $11.25 million for 25 years, starting in 2011.

But the bank used an early payment provision of the contract that gave them a discount for paying early rather than in annual installments. They paid $6.731 million for 25 years.

Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines

$11.5 million for 20 years, starting in 2005

U.S. Cellular Center, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

$3.8 million for 10 years, starting in 2012

Tyson Events Center, Sioux City, Iowa

$4 million for 20 years, starting in 2003

Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

$20.75 million for 25 years, starting in 2014

Sprint Center, Kansas City

$2.5 million a year for 25 years, starting in 2007 ($62.5 million total)

However, that was contingent upon the stadium landing an NHL or NBA team. Absent that team, which the city does not have, it pays $1.7 million a year.

InTrust Bank Arena, Wichita

$8.75 million for 25 years, starting in 2009

KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky

$13.5 million for 10 years, starting in 2010

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:49 am**

Interesting to me that Catholic Health Initiatives is sponsoring an arena. They are supposed to be a non-profit, right?

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 11:16 am**

omaha79 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:49 am Interesting to me that Catholic Health Initiatives is sponsoring an arena. They are supposed to be a non-profit, right?

So are Centris FCU and SAC FCU and they do sponsorships locally as well.

Greg

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:03 pm**

CHI Health Center Omaha sounds like a hospital.

That said, won't turn down that kind of cash... They must have had a reserve of money..

Posted: **Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:31 pm**

MadMartin8 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:03 pm CHI Health Center Omaha sounds like a hospital.

That said, won't turn down that kind of cash... They must have had a reserve of money..

I agree regarding the $$.. But, I hope people don’t continually mistake the arena/convention center for a health care facility.. Not a good example of “form following function”..

A poorly chosen new name for a showcase convention center/arena.. But CHI paid for it, so we have to live with it

...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

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