Arena Ideas Flow

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edsas
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Arena Ideas Flow

Post by edsas »

http://journalstar.com/articles/2006/03 ... 381621.txt

Image
A possible site of new convention center: Lincoln Station on the right, post office on the left, looking northeast and shot from the Harris Overpass. (LJS File)
Arena task force chairman Dick Campbell beamed as he watched professionals put their heads together with city officials, community boosters and task force members. All of them volunteered their time (some undoubtedly in the hope they might eventually land some arena business).

“That’s a huge win for the community,” Campbell said. “If you had to pay for the expertise that’s in this room today, (it’d cost more than) $100,000. I’m anxious to see what they come up with.”

They had a “charette” — a quick, intense visual brainstorming session — to come up with an urban design for an arena, convention center, hotel, parking garage and exhibition hall.

They used a 16,000-seat arena as a template — approaching the size of the Qwest Center, which may be expanded. The task force previously recommended building a 15,000-seat arena, but the size of the proposed arena has ballooned since a Minneapolis consultant first suggested Lincoln build an 8,000- to 12,000-seat arena.

“If it’s big enough, it’ll be successful,” Meradith said. “I would contend that we need to think bigger, rather than smaller.”
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Post by DTO Luv »

Good god! So now they're trying to compete with the Qwest Center. One of the most profitable arenas on the freakin' planet and they want to go up against what is essentially Lincoln's arena as well? They must really want that Wrestling tournament back. How do you pay someone (the guy from Minneapolis) to tell you you can do an arena at 12,000 max and then get a bunch of psychos to tell you to build as big as the Qwest Center for free? I bet they'll pitch it as "The Osborne" (ala The Devany) and it gets built and never hosts more than some highschoolers playing basketball, a rodeo, and GOP convention nominating Tom Osborne Governor for life and announce the desgin of the new 25 story Cornhusker State building.
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Post by Finn »

Hmmm. Sounds like the "psychos" that said Omaha should build an 18,000+ seat areana and a 500+ room hotel. Neither of which the city could afford/risk to do. Now that business is good and paying for itself and we are expanding, we have even more "psychos" saying I told you we should have built bigger!

I think the above referenced site would be a great location and help extend Lincoln's downtown to the west among these historic structures.
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Post by DTO Luv »

Lincoln isn't Omaha. Lincoln already has an arena that sits over 16,000 people. It's called the Qwest Center. In this reguard I don't think of Lincoln as being it's own city. It's a suburb of Omaha. Why would we let any other suburb build an arena to compete with the Qwest Center? That creates needless competition and could take away events from our arena that we're paying for. A Lincoln arena is pointless as we already have a ton in the area. However if they want to build it, fine. As I've said before it won't be profitable.
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edsas
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Post by edsas »

Finn wrote:
I think the above referenced site would be a great location and help extend Lincoln's downtown to the west among these historic structures.
I agree. That would be a fantasitc location. One can only imagine what the Haymarket/Haymarket Park area would look like after 20 years of spin-off developments.

I wonder what they would do regarding the tracks. Would it be smarter to build bridge access to the Haymarket or tunnels?

I would prefer tunnels.
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Big E
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Post by Big E »

OOOH!!! Enclosed bridges!!! It would be like a human hamster cage!

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Post by Finn »

Why would we let any other suburb build an arena to compete with the Qwest Center?
Uh, it's not our decision!
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Post by edsas »

Just ignore him, Finn. I love his boosterism of Omaha and his photography is incredible, but DTO has jumped the shark when it comes to opinions on anything outside of Douglas County. Just call him DMH Loathe. (Diane Marie Hayes).
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Post by adam186 »

I admire Lincoln's drive recently. A new skyscraper and new arena announcements (although old news) in a week? I want the skyscraper to be built, the arena I'm not so sure. Finn, you seem to know everything about real-estate and city issues, do you think this will help or break Lincoln?
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Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Alright now..

Agree to disagree, but lets not teeter-totter the line by throwing insults or labels at fellow forumers..

Just stick to the actual topic and disagree (or agree) with the take..

Thanks..

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Post by Omaha Cowboy »

As it relates to the actual topic of a new arena for Lincoln..

I'd remind everyone this is in the VERY preliminary planning stages still. They are certainly aiming big (and I don't see a problem with that)..As I've stated in the past, a 15,000+ seat arena for Lincoln seems a bit over the top to me though..

Having said that, Lincoln could certainly use an arena upgrade over the current dump that is Pershing Auditorium..

I'd say when all is said and done, a new 10,000 to 12,000 seat arena seems feasable and doable for Lincoln..

One thing is for sure, we'll certainly see if the city of Lincoln has become more progressive (or not) when the final yah or nay verdict is in for a new Lincoln arena..Or not..

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Last edited by Omaha Cowboy on Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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adam186
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Post by adam186 »

Oh Lou, I totally agree with no personal attacks. I meant it as a fact, like a compliment. Finn is in the know on this kind of stuff and I like to hear his expertise.

"I don't want this to turn into a pissing contest or anything." Is that how it goes Lou? :lol: :lol:
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Post by adam186 »

I don't thnk the Pershing is all that bad. I was just there not to long ago. The location of this arena is very enticing (sp?). Anything at the location will do well. It's just west of the Haymarket, is that correct?
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Post by Omaha Cowboy »

I was actually directing my commentary to content contained in a previous post not submitted by you adam..

But thanks..

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Last edited by Omaha Cowboy on Sat Apr 01, 2006 12:51 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by Omaha Cowboy »

adam186 wrote:I don't thnk the Pershing is all that bad.
The old saying 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' certainly applies here..

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49r
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Post by 49r »

I've always felt that Pershing is too small and Devaney is too big to fit their current respective needs. Building a new arena to replace Pershing would be fantastic for Lincoln, bringing bigger name events to the area and providing a central location for the state HS events that are already hosted in Lincoln.

NU I think would benefit from abandoning the Devaney Center and moving back to the Coliseum. With a few renovations, of course. If they replaced the roof and redid the interior seating, it could end up looking like a mini-American Airlines arena and would be a jewel for on-campus basketball arenas. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-12k seating would be appropriate, I would think.

Of course, that's JMO.
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Post by murfj »

I agree that 15,000 is probably a little big for Lincoln's needs- I would say something around 12,000 seats would be the right size considering our proximity to Omaha. Contrary to what another poster stated, in no way is Lincoln a suburb of Omaha- Lincoln is big enough to have a substantial pool of customers, big enough population to fill an arena that size if big acts or big events are brought in. Even when the day comes that Lincoln and Omaha are connected and part of one metro area (which I think will be great, by the way) Lincoln will still be big enough that it won't be just another suburb, our situation would be much more similar to what St. Paul is to Minneapolis. Part of the bigger metro- yes, but still big enough on its own to have its own identity, it's own core, the ability to have an arena to host substantial events no matter what some people in Omaha think they can "allow" us to have.
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Post by eomaha »

yeah, just ignore those guys murfj.
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Post by Linkin5 »

I think everyone here knows that Lincoln is no way a suburb. Theres pretty much only one person that believes that.
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Post by MTO »

It’s not a suburb it’s a big suburb :D
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Post by eomaha »

They're joined at the hip.
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Post by adam186 »

^Wow, that is exactly what I was looking for! I knew the location was good, but didn't know too much of the other stuff that you mentioned and would know. You sold me on this project. I'm for the skyscraper and the arena. :D
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Post by DTO Luv »

It baffles me how you all think this is a good idea. This isn't about me having something out between Lincoln and Omaha. Omaha and Lincoln are not Minneapolis and St. Paul that both have large, in use arenas. If you split Mpls and STP in half you would have 1.5M on each side. The Omaha side is considerably larger. It is going to get the lionshare of shows. What other city in the 1.2M range has two successful (succesful being the key word here) arenas in the same city. I can't think of one because it's completely stupid to have two arenas, in essentially the same city, go after shows.

There was even some expert quoted in an OWH story awhile back that said promoters look and Omaha and Lincoln as one concert market.

If they want to spur development down there fine. Do something usefull though.
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Post by adam186 »

The Pershing still pulls some pretty good concerts. Omaha doesn't need ALL the concerts. I'm guessing if the arena replaces the Pershing the concerts there wouldn't increase dramatically and wouldn't be taking anything away form the Qwest. Some venues don't need all the space that the Qwests offers and would like to play at a smaller arena. This would be an alternative.
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Post by Big E »

Finn wrote:Again, it must be realized that arenas and convention centers typically are money-losers but they have great economic impact.
You had to know I was going to flag this, right? :) Aren't you the same guy that said the convention center/arena with a 450 room anchor hotel was economically feasible but the convention center/arena with a 500+ room hotel was not?

(and yes, I'm just busting your |chops|.) ;)

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Post by eomaha »

What better way to bring the metros together than by giving rise to a few occassions which would necessitate commuting down to Lincoln. :)
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Post by Finn »

Actually, no. That is completely out of context. I did say the city made the right choise in choosing the hotel option that fit within the city's budget rather than taking on extra risk and possibly damaging the city's credit rating, possibly defaulting on loans, etc. It was not just a matter of 50 rooms (development is not so simplistic!) but rather millions of dollars - and millions of dollars that the city did not have during an economic recession. I know you said the city just should have went for it and taken a "calculated risk" but that is fiscal irresponsibility (and a ridiculous suggestion), especillay when we did not know if it would work (you can only put so much faith in these studies). But that extra $15 million wasn't lying under a rock.

Anyway, what are you guys whining about now (besides the prototype highrise Marriott of which there are about 50 around the country)? The option the city took has worked - there are three new hotels proposed for the North Downtown area around the arena! Guess how many the city is funding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the city is in a fiscally sound position!!! And the city has retained its AA bond rating!!! And more development is being proposed/studied in North Downtown!!! I think the city knew what it was doing!
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Post by eomaha »

Thank you.
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Post by Big E »

For the record, I did say I was busting your hump.

:)

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Post by eomaha »

Stop wasting my disk space. :P
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Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Actually..The city of Omaha has retained its AAA bond rating..

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