Pinnacle Bank Arena

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Linkin5
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Pinnacle Bank Arena

Post by Linkin5 »

Alright, so its been about four years since talk has started for a new arena in Lincoln.  And steps have been made for sure, but it seems like this is the slowest process of all time.  How long did it take in Omaha from the first rumor of a new arena, to the announcement of the Qwest being built?
Last edited by Linkin5 on Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Finn »

A long long time :!: Voters turned down a new arena when PJ Morgan was mayor so we dumped more money into the Civic. It was several more years before talks started again and eventually the Qwest. So, don't hold your breath.
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Post by guy4omaha »

Finn wrote:A long long time :!: Voters turned down a new arena when PJ Morgan was mayor so we dumped more money into the Civic. It was several more years before talks started again and eventually the Qwest. So, don't hold your breath.
I know that the Boyle administration in the early- to mid-80's looked at a new arena/convention center. They also looked at renovating the Civic. So the roots of the Qwest go back at least this far. There was so much opposition it was difficult for the proposals to see the light of day let alone a vote.

The Qwest's completion was long overdue. Long overdue. But since we had to go through the long wait, it is all the sweeter now.
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Post by Swift »

And all the sweeter watching the nay-sayers eat their words!
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Re: New Lincoln Arena

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Linkin5 wrote:How long did it take in Omaha from the first rumor of a new arena, to the announcement of the Qwest being built?
1980..Until voter approval for what became the Qwest Center in 2000..20 years..And this is NO exaggoration..

You'll have to be VERY patient..

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Post by almighty_tuna »

More on the subject from the LJS about the Mayor's Task Force recommendations:
LJS wrote: * A new arena with at least 15,000 seats and skyboxes be built near the Haymarket to replace Pershing. The task force earlier estimated the cost at $85 million to $100 million.
(I can't argue with this, Pershing needs to be replaced.)

* The community explore a “cooperative arrangement” with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in which UNL athletic and academic events could be held in the arena.
(IMO, this is vital for the success of the arena, but at last check UNL wanted nothing to do with it.)
LJS wrote: * A new entity be created to plan, fund, build, manage and market Lincoln’s event centers to prevent duplication and leverage their combined financial resources....And as for the recommendation that a new entity oversee all facilities, Snover (Ag Society President) said he doesn’t think his board or statutes would allow that. “As far as actually running it, I can’t see that,” he said. “It just wouldn’t work.”
No cooperation between the entities is just asking for trouble, especially given their past relationships and Snover's current attitude.

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/200 ... 426040.txt
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Post by Calibraskan »

I am probably light years ahead of most people in considering Lincoln and Omaha (incl. Council Bluffs) ONE city, and from that perspective.......Lincoln already has a new arena...its called the Qwest Center!! To me, if a concert comes to Omaha, it has come to Lincoln as well, and vice versa.
With that said, some questions come to mind.........

The Devaney Center and Pershing both need major refurbishing - now.
(Unless something major has occurred recently - I haven't been in either for awhile). Even with that completed, neither would fill the order for whats lacking in Lincoln as far as convention facilities are concerned. There's probably little debate that some new facility IS needed, I just haven't seen spelled out exactly what type of events Lincoln is hoping to get - that wouldn't be in direct competition with the Qwest. (Not that Lincoln has any responsibility toward the success of the Qwest..but the 'convention booking difficulties' are no secret, and any new facility in Lincoln would have to compete with it, at least to some degree - ??)

Is Lincoln's bigger concern Concert or Convention type events? Other than the arena seating capacity, How does what they are looking for compare to the Qwest? (85 - 100 million..Vs. how much did the Qwest cost?)

If a 'shared use' with UNL is part of the new arena concept, what athletic events are not being adequately served by the Devaney? Is it that heavily booked??

I'm all for upgrading and/or replacing Lincoln's facilities....No doubt SOMETHING is needed. I'm just not yet convinced that the REGION needs (an additional) new 15,000 seat arena? --Yet.....does it??
If it means more events, Great! If it means one is just sitting empty more of the time....Builder beware.

Maybe someone following this issue closer can enlighten the rest of us.

P.S. Maybe instead of a new arena they should just build a 30 min. BULLET TRAIN to downtown Omaha!!! :wink:.....and combine airports while they're at it!
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Post by Linkin5 »

1) Devaney Center has gotten improvements in the last few years (new replay screens, scoreboards, and new signs and lighting to make it look better.) As far as a joint use between the arena and the U, Huskers would benefit from the Arena for events like gymnastics, wrestling and other types of events Devaney was just not built for.
2) Lincoln's Pershing auditorium seats only about 7500 people, and for a city of nearly 300,000 thats just not enough. So as far as putting money into pershing to refurbish it, in my opinion is a waste of money and the city will regret it for years to come.
3) Lincoln just got a new convention facility called the Lancaster Events Center, although they are looking into providing more.

In my personal opinion a new Arena would do nothing but benefit Lincoln in terms of increasing popularity in the Haymarket district as well as the rest of downtown, attracting concerts in which WILL be sold out, enabling Lincoln to better support their minor league sports, and "hopefully* increasing the relationship between the city of Lincoln and UNL.
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Post by eomaha »

Lincoln can use a new arena... although I think it would be more reasonable to size it in the 12,000 range. No doubt they are going after 15,000+ to compete with Omaha where the potential long term loss of the state wrestling tournament (for example) is concerned. How often are they going to fill it up beyond an event like that however? Probably not often. On the other hand, the metro continues to grow... look how long Pershing has lasted... such a new arena would serve Lincoln well into the future.

As for the Lancaster Events Center... what were they thinking? A corrugated metal farm building in the middle of nowhere. Little La Vista is going to end up with a nicer facility than what Lincoln has have to offer. Wouldn't it have made more sense to build on or nearby the fairgrounds?
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Post by almighty_tuna »

Linkin's right on a couple points there - the Devany Center is still in viable shape for a long time of continued use, Pershing is too small and is not worth bringing up to date. A little exterior sprucing up of the grounds wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for Devany though - less concrete, more greenery.


Here's where I disagree...
The Lancaster Events Center is hardly what I would call a quality convention facility. Its lack of nearby hotels, restaurants and entertainment resources is just a start. The closest thing Lincoln has to a good convention facility is at the Cornhusker, which was identified as a candidate for expansion in that article I linked. I don't think that the University would really use a new city arena because the Devaney still suits their needs, which is why UNL wants nothing to do with partnering with the city on this. I assume the minor league sports you speak of that would benefit is the indoor football team?
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Post by Linkin5 »

First off, I completely agree with you jhuston and Tuna about the Lancaster Events Center, it is a huge piece of |expletive|, and the location is terrible, I was simply saying that it does have quite a significant amount of Convention Space. Secondly, when I said support minor league sports I meant as you said Arena football, as well as attracting a new Minor League basketball team. I don't think the Stars will ever leave the icebox considering it sold out every game its first seven seasons, and still sells out most every game. As well as providing the perfect atmosphere to watch hockey in since it only seats about 5,000.
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Post by Swift »

To me, this seems like pretty blatent one-ups-manship in retaliation for Qwest being awarded the state wrestling tournament, and will do nothing but harm the Omaha-Lincoln Metro Area.

Most acts won't play two cities in such close proximity, which will put Omaha and Lincoln in competition against each other for the shows. What good would that do?

And as far as conventions go, Lincoln could easily draw state conventions, but is likely too isolated to draw much else.

If Lincoln is going to build a new arena, then why not a new state of the art arena the same size as Pershing. There are far more tours per year that draw that size of crowds than there are Qwest sized crowds. It would be much easier to finance and to make money on.
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Post by eomaha »

Lincoln needs a bigger arena than Pershing... for crying out loud, it's smaller than the Mid America Center and Sioux City's Tyson Center... yet it has a population significantly larger than both those cities combined.

An arena of 12,000 would be a nice size... although let's face it, even a 15,000 seat arena isn't going to pose a threat to the Qwest Center. As much as we love the Qwest Center... it's the market which makes the Qwest Center such a success... not the facility itself. While a few tours will see the potential in Lincoln's college population... most will see the far larger Omaha population in general. And what's wrong with a few Omahans commuting to Lincoln for a concert once in a while.
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Post by Swift »

Oh I didn't realize that Pershing was that small.

There's nothing wrong with going to Lincoln for a show, I just worry that an arena competitive with Qwest will end up putting one or both of the cities under a large mound of debt.

I only think it would be bad if it meant that we would be stealing shows away from each other.
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Post by Omaha Cowboy »

I've stated in the past I thought a 15,000 seater was a bit too ambitious..

But a 12,000 seat arena will be just right..Lets hope the community vision and cooperation needed to pull this off exists in Lincoln..

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Post by OmahaJaysCU »

a lincoln arena would be mostly for state events
the qwest center omaha is for national events (and some can say world with the olympic trials now)
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Post by Linkin5 »

OmahaJaysCU wrote:a lincoln arena would be mostly for state events
the qwest center omaha is for national events (and some can say world with the olympic trials now)
I really disagree with this, Omaha does not get every arena concert tour in the country. There is still a market for smaller national tours to hit up lincoln, and ocassionally big tours as well.
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Post by omahastylee459 »

yeah there are a lot more concerts that hit lincoln and not omaha than you would think. Bands are trying to play off the fact that there are so many college kids around in a concentrated area.
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Post by jsheets »

Works for Lawrence, KS...
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Post by MTO »

Well than its good that CU UNMC IWCC and UNO are expanding so we can pull that card too.
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Post by OmahaJaysCU »

Linkin5 wrote:
OmahaJaysCU wrote:a lincoln arena would be mostly for state events
the qwest center omaha is for national events (and some can say world with the olympic trials now)
I really disagree with this, Omaha does not get every arena concert tour in the country. There is still a market for smaller national tours to hit up lincoln, and ocassionally big tours as well.
I was more refering to sporting events...but you're right about the concerts.
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Post by Swift »

But bands who need to "hit up the college crowd" don't tend to fill 15,000 seats.
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Post by DTO Luv »

First of all THANK YOU CALIBRASKAN!!!

-Yes, Lincoln is a city close to 300,000. BUT it is in essance a glorified suburb of Omaha. It's to close to need a 15-12,000 seat arena.

- Even if Lincoln COULD draw smaller shows from Omaha we still have the Civic and MAC. Don't forget the Qwest Center has attracted small concerts in the 5,000 range and made lots of money off them.

- If Lincoln was a city of 300,000 out by Grand Island then maybe a big arena like that would make sense.

- Plus if Lincoln does draw state conventions and tourneys than that's one event that won't be in Omaha. People can drive the extra hour into Omaha and it will can have a big city experience in Omaha.
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Post by eomaha »

But bands who need to "hit up the college crowd" don't tend to fill 15,000 seats
Back in the 80's we did... what's with this generation anyway? Just content to sit at home in the dark waiting for their Kazaa download to finish, huh. :P
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Post by Linkin5 »

DTO Luv wrote:-Yes, Lincoln is a city close to 300,000. BUT it is in essance a glorified suburb of Omaha.
DTO, that was honestly one of the dumbest things I have ever seen. In NO WAY is Lincoln like a suburb of Omaha, you just lost all credibility with me...
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Post by Big E »

<<<<
Back in the 80's we did... what's with this generation anyway? Just content to sit at home in the dark waiting for their Kazaa download to finish, huh.
>>>>

Or it could be possible that there's a difference between a $15 ticket and a $150 ticket. ;)

LOL... on 11/27/92, I paid something like $18 for a ticket to Metallica at the Civic - and I thought I was being raped. Any guesses as to what that same concert would cost at the Qwest today?

-Big E
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Post by jsheets »

jhuston wrote:what's with this generation anyway? Just content to sit at home in the dark waiting for their Kazaa download to finish, huh. :P
Kazaa? You're dating yourself jhuston! We all know that iTunes is the way to go for our iPods :-)
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Post by Linkin5 »

Nah, iTunes costs money, Limewire is the best choice. :D
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Post by eomaha »

Kazaa? You're dating yourself jhuston! We all know that iTunes is the way to go for our iPods
I was of course referring to 'your' generation. Don't even talk to me if you're using a 'public' service. :D
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Post by almighty_tuna »

Big E wrote:LOL... on 11/27/92, I paid something like $18 for a ticket to Metallica at the Civic - and I thought I was being raped. Any guesses as to what that same concert would cost at the Qwest today?
I paid $55 for my ticket to see them at the QC last year. I don't consider that too bad considering what some other acts are charging these days. heck, I was surprised that DMB was only $55 given how popular they are as well. I paid $22.50 for the Dec 1, 1996 show and face value today is also $55.

Kazaa, iTunes?..please. I must now retire to my living room and spin up my vinyl Ten album. ;)

Back on the subject though, I think 15,000 may be a bit of overkill. I like the idea of building something a bit smaller but making it swank as heck. Integrate it into the Haymarket - there's plenty of rail around there make something out of that. Build a bricked exterior arena with shops that melt into the surroundings of the Haymarket with a trolly or light rail to go to UNL or to Haymarket Park. If they think that they will get more conventions with this idea I believe they're sadly mistaken unless they can get Hammond to build a 500+ room hotel arena-side.
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Post by DTO Luv »

Big E wrote:<<<<
Back in the 80's we did... what's with this generation anyway? Just content to sit at home in the dark waiting for their Kazaa download to finish, huh.
>>>>

Or it could be possible that there's a difference between a $15 ticket and a $150 ticket. ;)

LOL... on 11/27/92, I paid something like $18 for a ticket to Metallica at the Civic - and I thought I was being raped. Any guesses as to what that same concert would cost at the Qwest today?

-Big E

I saw Metallica at the Qwest Center and paid like $35. But when the lights dimmed I jumped over the guards head into the the GA $50 section. Plus I got a cool scar! :)
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Post by DTO Luv »

I wonder how much they paid for that study. They could've just asked me for free.
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Post by Linkin5 »

DTO Luv wrote:I wonder how much they paid for that study. They could've just asked me for free.
haha, true true.
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Low-fare carrier to offer Lincoln-Vegas trips

Post by Brad »

Low-fare carrier to offer Lincoln-Vegas trips

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=46&u_sid=2077872
Low-fare leisure carrier Allegiant Airlines LLC will begin flights Feb. 1 between Lincoln and Las Vegas.

The twice-a-week service offers expansion potential, said John Wood, Lincoln Airport's executive director.

"If demand for this new service is as strong as I suspect it will be, there is a good chance we will be able to convince Allegiant to add additional flights," he said.

Wood also sees potential in the other popular vacation spot Allegiant serves: Orlando, Fla.

"If the Vegas thing ends up being a success, we'd like to talk to them about Orlando service in the future," he said.

Allegiant provides flights from 28 cities to Las Vegas and from 14 cities to Orlando. Wood said he expected the Las Vegas flights to be popular.
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Post by Scuzz »

If Lincoln decides to build a new arena, I would suggest that they build something similar to Ralph Englestad Arena in Grand Forks, ND. Probably not quite as extravegant as that arena, but the layout and the type of seats and sightlines nonetheless.

I can't think of many arenas that I would rather be in than The Ralph: it really does blow your socks off that an arena of that class is in NoDak. I think an 11-12K arena (15K concerts) would be perfect for Lincoln to have. The Ralph, with all of it's amenities, cost around $100M back in 2001. Would Lincoln be willing to put something up like this? It would be cool if UNL would add collegiate hockey, although I know that won't happen (my guess - due to Title IX). Still, you can dream... Could you imagine the UNO CCHA rivalry that could be had if UNL would join? Back to dreaming.
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Post by Scuzz »

Forgot about this :lol:

http://www.theralph.com
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Post by OmahaJaysCU »

The Ralph is by far the best arena in the country! Its too bad, the Qwest could have looked like this if the city didn't scale it down! But it will be a cold day in heck if Lincoln can get this done, what a shot in the junk that would be to the Qwest!
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Post by HskrFanMike »

The Ralph seats 11,500 for hockey.

The Qwest Center seats 14,500 for hockey now, and 16,000 next year. Which one got scaled down again?
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Post by DTO Luv »

16,672 to be exact. :)
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