Liberty First Credit Union Arena (Ralston Arena)

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 3:11 am

I drove by there tonight and there were lights on the outside cycling through various colors.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:15 pm

Next week is an open house. I'll bring the camera!

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:16 pm

Next week is an open house. I'll bring the camera!

Post by **Brad** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 3:21 pm

almighty_tuna wrote:Next week is an open house. I'll bring the camera!

Sunday at 2, correct? I was planning on going too.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:19 pm

Brad wrote:
almighty_tuna wrote:Next week is an open house. I'll bring the camera!
Sunday at 2, correct? I was planning on going too.

We got an invite for Ralston residents for an open house on Oct 17th, I hear that there is also one on Sun Oct 21st as well. I might be wrong though.

twiztid1 · Post by **twiztid1** » Sat Oct 13, 2012 9:36 pm

Website is finally up and running at http://www.ralstonarena.com

It looks like this place is going to have an excellent selection of food and drinks.

http://www.ralstonarena.com/plan-your-v ... d-beverage

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Sat Oct 13, 2012 11:40 pm

Where the nachos look like this on the menu

but actually are served like this

[/img]

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:57 am

skinzfan23 wrote:
Brad wrote:
almighty_tuna wrote:Next week is an open house. I'll bring the camera!
Sunday at 2, correct? I was planning on going too.
We got an invite for Ralston residents for an open house on Oct 17th, I hear that there is also one on Sun Oct 21st as well. I might be wrong though.

Yeah, I got the same one, skinzfan. Looking to hit the one on the 17th.

cp jay 07 · Post by **cp jay 07** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 5:07 pm

Love to see Maria's on the menu.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 5:13 pm

Some comments on this article were, ambitious I guess. They seemed pretty far fetched to me.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20121014/N ... 49999/1685

Now that the arena is in place, the city is considering how to use it as a starting point to realize the original revitalization goals.

To foster that development, the city is currently working on a 10-year plan that will, among other things, re-imagine Country Club Road — a six-block stretch of tree-lined street that leads to Ralston's historic downtown. Groesser sees it as a walkway that could eventually rival downtown Omaha in terms of accessibility and atmosphere.

Really? He needs more attainable goals, maybe shoot for a Benson activity level before trying to rival downtown Omaha.

“It's a really walkable distance,” Groesser said. “That's shorter than the walk from the Old Market to the CenturyLink Center. I can see the arena and our downtown area taking on that kind of a feel.”

Again, not happening. That "kind of feel" includes hundreds of millions in development and city investment over decades. I get that the Ralston mayor is excited for their arena, but he is just getting crazy here. I think one of the city's councilmen have much more realistic goals here.

A newer strip-mall development on the east side of the intersection of 72nd and Q Streets that currently sits mostly empty will be much easier to fill with increased traffic for some 200 days each year, said Krause.

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 7:48 pm

Those are some pretty delusional comments.

MadMartin8 · Post by **MadMartin8** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:21 pm

Now that UNO's arena is in the works, I have a feeling this one is going to go the way of the MAC.

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:46 pm

Ralston's 10 year plan should be to bring their population above the annexation threshold, if possible.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:51 pm

MadMartin8 wrote:Now that UNO's arena is in the works, I have a feeling this one is going to go the way of the MAC.

They will only lose UNO men's basketball. I think the Lancers and Beef are big enough draws to keep this place going. Everything else like LFL(if that survives) Roller Girls, and maybe NBA D-League are nice extras for them. On top of a few concerts and trade shows a year.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Tue Oct 16, 2012 8:30 am

jessep28 wrote:Ralston's 10 year plan should be to bring their population above the annexation threshold, if possible.

Maybe, but Omaha won't annex them beforehand like they did with Elkhorn.

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Tue Oct 16, 2012 12:02 pm

almighty_tuna wrote:
jessep28 wrote:Ralston's 10 year plan should be to bring their population above the annexation threshold, if possible.
Maybe, but Omaha won't annex them beforehand like they did with Elkhorn.

Ralston will never be annexed. That was decided decades ago. Elkhorn was perceived as blocking Omaha's future growth. Ralston isn't blocking anything.

riceweb · Post by **riceweb** » Tue Oct 16, 2012 3:45 pm

jessep28 wrote:Ralston's 10 year plan should be to bring their population above the annexation threshold, if possible.

Is it possible? That'd be a pretty big leap in population in a small area. Plus, if they start taking away projects from Omaha, I think we'd put an end to that and just annex them.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:58 am

From the Ralston open house:
1.

2.Auxiliary ice

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10. One of the suites

11.

12. Main Lobby

13.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 4:44 am

A little video and a couple more photos from tonight.

[youtube][/youtube]

UNO Locker Room

Practice ice/public skating

cp jay 07 · Post by **cp jay 07** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:27 am

Can't wait to see the second sheet in person, I know it has been basically been filled already. Now the question is what rink is hurt the most, my money is on Fremont.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 12:56 pm

Looks good in there. Week from Tomorrow is the first hockey game!

Post by **Brad** » Sun Oct 21, 2012 3:47 am

Aerial Photo Update:

1.

2.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:53 am

Photo Update:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Wed Oct 24, 2012 3:19 am

They are putting up a pretty sizeable sign next to Ralston Keno, for the arena. Today they installed Daktronics boards on both sides. They probably measure about 5 feet wide and 20 feet tall. Hopefully they will look good once they are up and working. Also hoping they don't use them as a digital billboard with lots of other ads.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Oct 24, 2012 11:22 pm

skinzfan23 wrote:They are putting up a pretty sizeable sign next to Ralston Keno, for the arena. Today they installed Daktronics boards on both sides. They probably measure about 5 feet wide and 20 feet tall. Hopefully they will look good once they are up and working. Also hoping they don't use them as a digital billboard with lots of other ads.

At least 20, probably closer to 30, its noticablly taller than the streetlight next to it. Its also as wide as a full size van is long so closer to 15' wide

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Thu Oct 25, 2012 3:41 am

Yeah you are probably right. They put a sign for the Ralston Arena on top of the steel framing today. Not nearly as impressive as the Daktronics board they just installed.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Oct 25, 2012 3:43 am

skinzfan23 wrote:Yeah you are probably right. They put a sign for the Ralston Arena on top of the steel framing today. Not nearly as impressive as the Daktronics board they just installed.

From last Tuesday:

Post by **Brad** » Fri Oct 26, 2012 3:33 pm

Omaha Lancers wrote:The Heat is ON!!!
Arena seating is SOLD OUT. We only have standing room tickets left. 400 tickets left at $10 a piece. You can only purchase those at the box office upstairs.
It's official we are sold out.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Sat Oct 27, 2012 12:17 am

Brad wrote:
skinzfan23 wrote:They are putting up a pretty sizeable sign next to Ralston Keno, for the arena. Today they installed Daktronics boards on both sides. They probably measure about 5 feet wide and 20 feet tall. Hopefully they will look good once they are up and working. Also hoping they don't use them as a digital billboard with lots of other ads.
At least 20, probably closer to 30, its noticablly taller than the streetlight next to it. Its also as wide as a full size van is long so closer to 15' wide

From the Ralston Arena website:

Marquee: 28'8" h x 15'6" w; two (2) upper backlit identification panels - 8' h x 21' w

Post by **Brad** » Sat Oct 27, 2012 4:51 am

Wow, close guess!

Post by **Brad** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 2:46 am

Opening Night Photos

1.

2.

3.

4.

5. Opening Faceoff

TitosBuritoBarn · Post by **TitosBuritoBarn** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 2:28 pm

Rink doesn't have enough ads.

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 9:29 pm

TitosBuritoBarn wrote:Rink doesn't have enough ads.

Yes, they need to suspend banner ads from the ceiling.

PobodysNerfect · Post by **PobodysNerfect** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 1:43 am

Wow, that place is tiny. And it looks unfinished. I think that's just the way the ceiling and lights are though. It works I suppose.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:06 am

It doesn't feel unfinished when you are in there.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:11 am

I think it looks like the chopped the upper bowl off of the Civic and kept the lower bowl. It might be the tan paint job giving me that feel. Anyways I think it looks good for what it is and will serve it's purpose well.

cp jay 07 · Post by **cp jay 07** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 6:10 am

TitosBuritoBarn wrote:Rink doesn't have enough ads.

Junior Hockey decided it wants to look like that commie European hockey.

You should see Waterloo, last time I was there it seemed like the entire sheet was covered.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 2:14 am

A few pictures of the sign:

Post by **Brad** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 2:29 am

That looks huge when you see the van next to it.

Post by **BRoss** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 3:17 am

Wow, that does look big!