Rich Kaipust WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Negotiations didn't go without some ripples, but a contract has been smoothed out to bring the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials back to Omaha in 2012.
The eight-day swimming meet will run June 25 to July 2 at Qwest Center Omaha, overlapping at least one day, and possibly two, with the 2012 College World Series.
Rich Kaipust WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Omaha officials decided immediately after hosting the 2008 U.S. Trials that the city would pursue the event again. Omaha set an attendance record last year by drawing 160,003 fans over eight days and 15 sessions.
“I think it's just the greatest thing that could happen to Omaha,” said Schrager, who also served as chairman for the 2008 U.S. Trials. “Once you see the economic study that we had done regarding the Swim Trials, I think you'll see this was one heck of a shot in the arm to Omaha's economy.
“This is a huge coup for the city.”
Chuck Wielgus and Mike Unger of USA Swimming arrived in Omaha late this morning to sign the contract. An afternoon press conference was scheduled at the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce offices.
For those of you that avoided downtown like the plague during this, I've never seen downtown or the Old Market more consistently PACKED everywhere you wanted to go for a longer period of time than when this event was in town. Â
I don't know what it was or if I'm way off base, but it seemed like Berkshire and the CWS didn't hold a candle to the number of people out spending money in the neighborhood.
Big E wrote:For those of you that avoided downtown like the plague during this, I've never seen downtown or the Old Market more consistently PACKED everywhere you wanted to go for a longer period of time than when this event was in town.
I don't know what it was or if I'm way off base, but it seemed like Berkshire and the CWS didn't hold a candle to the number of people out spending money in the neighborhood.
NCAA March Madness was crazy downtown but that was only one weekend.
I think we may see a whole new dynamic to downtown during the CWS in 2011. Â It will bring people downtown that may not have went otherwise. Â 2012, well that is going to be a complete madhouse for those 2+ weeks for these two events.
Does anyone have any insight into how they're going to do the pools this time around? Â Same sort of "temporary" pools in the Qwest center arena, that they'll sell off afterwards?
Its a shame that we don't have a little more time to prepare / build for this, as I know one of the options for Qwest / North Downtown planning, as recommended in the new Master Plan was some sort of Aquatics Center type addition onto the Q... Â Would be nice to not have to spend the money on temporary pools again if we were eventually going to build permanent ones. Â I guess its asking too much too soon though, as with all of the debt the city's facing with the new stadium, sewer separation, and general budget shortfalls, this would be a tough sell right now to add a permanent competition aquatics complex..
Ben wrote:Does anyone have any insight into how they're going to do the pools this time around? Same sort of "temporary" pools in the Qwest center arena, that they'll sell off afterwards?
Its a shame that we don't have a little more time to prepare / build for this, as I know one of the options for Qwest / North Downtown planning, as recommended in the new Master Plan was some sort of Aquatics Center type addition onto the Q... Would be nice to not have to spend the money on temporary pools again if we were eventually going to build permanent ones. I guess its asking too much too soon though, as with all of the debt the city's facing with the new stadium, sewer separation, and general budget shortfalls, this would be a tough sell right now to add a permanent competition aquatics complex..
If I remember correctly the city had already sold the pools when they realized that it would've been great to keep them for ourselves. Â Maybe having a very rare second chance they will seize the opportunity, keep the pools and develop a top notch aquatics center.
From what I remember there was a good probability the first time around to buy out one pool. Â The manufacturer had an opportunity to sell it elsewhere assuming they could make a fast delivery and they really sweetened the pot to Omaha to sell it elsewhere after the trials. Â They took the incentives to reduce the costs of the event thus the option to buy the pool was gone.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
Rich Kaipust
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Qwest Center Omaha will have to delay removal of the Olympic-sized pool from its arena after the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in 2012.
The Omaha Sports Commission announced Wednesday that it will follow the U.S. Trials with the 2012 Summer Nationals, the marquee event for U.S. Masters Swimming.
After the U.S. Trials run June 25 through July 2 in 2012, the Summer Nationals will start their five-day event on July 5. An estimated 1,000 swimmers are expected to participate.
Rich Kaipust WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Organizers have decided to sell 140 front-row seats in the Qwest Center Omaha arena that were used by security or photographers in 2008, or simply left open. Those seats will be among an estimated 12,250 available for all sessions when ticket packages go on sale June 25 for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. That date will be exactly one year from when the Trials return to the venue where nine world records and 17 American records were set in 2008.
About 8,200 all-session packages were sold in 2008, and Cliff said he would not be surprised if that total gets in the 9,500 range for 2012.
This article is packed with quotable lines, but this one was my favorite.
Unger said he expects shuttle buses for the Swim Trials to run from Mutual of Omaha in the midtown area and other locations. He said USA Swimming plans to make the bus trips entertaining, perhaps by placing former Olympic swimmers on the buses to discuss the events the fans are about to see. Unger said he's considering using British-style double-decker buses, which would nod to the fact that the 2012 Olympics are in London.
This will be one of Phelp's very last events said he is done with competitive swimming after London, "sick of the water." Â Should raise the interest a little.
Coyote wrote:What is being laid out? A concrete base?
Yep, they will weld all those pieces of concrete together and then bolt the pool to that base. Â Its the same base as last time so you can see the outline of the pool walls.
Coyote wrote:So when they sold the pool last time - what did they really sell?
Not sure. Â The other day when they were bringing in those concrete pads, they were scraping dirt off them so I am guessing they were in a storage lot for the past 4 years.
Coyote wrote:So when they sold the pool last time - what did they really sell?
Not sure. The other day when they were bringing in those concrete pads, they were scraping dirt off them so I am guessing they were in a storage lot for the past 4 years.