MECA Business News (CLCO/TDAPO)

[omaha79]

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

Not nearly as high profile of sponsorships, and I'm guessing, not nearly as costly.

And, CHI just took heat over the last few years for price gouging patients. In an environment where soaring medical costs are a hot button issue, this comes off as tone deaf.

The comments in local news sites facebook and twitter feeds are hammering them for plopping their name on an arena.

[Omaha Cowboy]

From the W-H:

“The CenturyLink Center will be renamed CHI Health Center Omaha.

CHI Health landed the naming rights to Omaha’s arena and convention center under a 20-year deal worth $23.6 million.

The Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority board voted 3-0 to approve the deal. MECA board chair Diane Duren and board members Jay Noddle and Tom Kelley voted to approve the agreement.”..

The complete story link-

https://www.omaha.com/livewellnebraska/ ... f7deb.html

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[Omaha Cowboy]

After further review of this happenstance, if “The Don” had any influence on this matter (which I don’t).. I would strongly suggest CHI drop the word “Health” from the arena name and simply call it “CHI Center Omaha”..

Keeping “Health”in the name, frankly, sounds awkward and absurd...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[omaha79]

Will the arena also get a quick rename to "Dignity Center Omaha" in the coming year? There's a merger in the works.

https://www.dignityhealth.org/about-us/ ... nouncement

[GetUrban]

After further review of this happenstance, if “The Don” had any influence on this matter (which I don’t).. I would strongly suggest CHI drop the word “Health” from the arena name and simply call it “CHI Center Omaha”..

Keeping “Health”in the name, frankly, sounds awkward and absurd...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

Agreed! They'll end up having lines of people around the block waiting for their flue shot.

[Omaha Cowboy]

After further review of this happenstance, if “The Don” had any influence on this matter (which I don’t).. I would strongly suggest CHI drop the word “Health” from the arena name and simply call it “CHI Center Omaha”..

Keeping “Health”in the name, frankly, sounds awkward and absurd...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

Agreed! They'll end up having lines of people around the block waiting for their flue shot.

Or worse yet, a Life Flight helicopter attempts to make a landing ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[Bob from Omaha]

So in the end the owh was right. When the arena was built and naming rights were proposed and even after they were sold the owh, in an amazing fit of childishness, refused to refer to it as anything other than "The Omaha Convention Center/Arena".

With this newest name I'm finally ok with Omaha Convention Center/Arena, or OCC/A or OCCA. This new name is horrible. It truly sounds like a clinic.

[Padre]

Will the arena also get a quick rename to "Dignity Center Omaha" in the coming year? There's a merger in the works.

https://www.dignityhealth.org/about-us/ ... nouncement

And wouldn't that be a winner. That sounds like a Hospice!

[GetUrban]

logically, they need to just be more specific about what it actually is. They should call it "CHI Health Arena and Convention Center. CHIACC (the Chee-Ack)

[omaha79]

Will the arena also get a quick rename to "Dignity Center Omaha" in the coming year? There's a merger in the works.

https://www.dignityhealth.org/about-us/ ... nouncement

And wouldn't that be a winner. That sounds like a Hospice!

Dignity Health Center Omaha. Just such a ring to it!

[Omaha Cowboy]

logically, they need to just be more specific about what it actually is. They should call it "CHI Health Arena and Convention Center. CHIACC (the Chee-Ack)

I can go with this too. If they MUST include the word "health" in the name, then go with "CHI Health Arena".. Naming it "CHI Health Center" is both confusing and absurd..

Gosh I hope someone at MECA reads this forum thread sometime before September 1st...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[MadMartin8]

Will the arena also get a quick rename to "Dignity Center Omaha" in the coming year? There's a merger in the works.

https://www.dignityhealth.org/about-us/ ... nouncement

And wouldn't that be a winner. That sounds like a Hospice!

Dignity Health Center Omaha. Just such a ring to it!

Oh god, that would be a nightmare.

[lmdramos]

I know that the merged Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health will operate under a new name, so it wouldn't ever be named after Dignity Health. However, I believe I read an article saying the local operations would stay under their current names.

[omaha79]

logically, they need to just be more specific about what it actually is. They should call it "CHI Health Arena and Convention Center. CHIACC (the Chee-Ack)

I can go with this too. If they MUST include the word "health" in the name, then go with "CHI Health Arena".. Naming it "CHI Health Center" is both confusing and absurd..

Gosh I hope someone at MECA reads this forum thread sometime before September 1st...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

I"ll give you a little background on this as I used to work for MECA in the Qwest Center days.

In official marketing and branding material, the words "Center" and "Omaha" have to be used in that order. That is a MECA guideline. Could they change that, possibly, but I think MECA would resist.

They identify as an arena and convention center complex. So, the official name includes "Center" as they are more than an arena. Baxter and Ralston Arena fit as there is no attached convention Center.

I used to have to work with promoters and advertisers that were trying to provide us material for the video boards. If something said Qwest Arena, it had to be changed. Now, if there event was only in the arena portion, they could say "Qwest Center Omaha Arena" as it was referring to just that portion of the facility. But, you couldn't separate "Qwest Center Omaha", in that order. I've seen no indication that they've changed those standards when they moved to "Centurylink Center Omaha".

"CHI Health Center Omaha" simply continues those guidelines. I don't like it, but they likely would have to come up with something other than arena as that won't fly.

[Omaha Cowboy]

CHI Health Center Omaha" simply continues those guidelines. I don't like it, but they likely would have to come up with something other than arena as that won't fly.

My original thought was drop the word "health" and call it "CHI Center Omaha"..

But if they're he!l bent on including the word "health" in the name- then we're stuck with it for the next 20 years starting September 1st and will have to deal with it.. As bizarre, confusing and absurd as it is ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[GetUrban]

CHI Health Center Omaha" simply continues those guidelines. I don't like it, but they likely would have to come up with something other than arena as that won't fly.

My original thought was drop the word "health" and call it "CHI Center Omaha"..

But if they're he!l bent on including the word "health" in the name- then we're stuck with it for the next 20 years starting September 1st and will have to deal with it.. As bizarre, confusing and absurd as it is ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

The way it stands now, they'll have have no other choice but to offer medical care at that location, even during events.

[Bob from Omaha]

And the owh response is....

Oh yeah? Well these other names are stupid TOO...

[Omaha Cowboy]

CHI Health Center Omaha" simply continues those guidelines. I don't like it, but they likely would have to come up with something other than arena as that won't fly.

My original thought was drop the word "health" and call it "CHI Center Omaha"..

But if they're he!l bent on including the word "health" in the name- then we're stuck with it for the next 20 years starting September 1st and will have to deal with it.. As bizarre, confusing and absurd as it is ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

The way it stands now, they'll have have no other choice but to offer medical care at that location, even during events.

That and a landing port for Life Flight helicopters ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[Omaha Cowboy]

So in the end the owh was right. When the arena was built and naming rights were proposed and even after they were sold the owh, in an amazing fit of childishness, refused to refer to it as anything other than "The Omaha Convention Center/Arena"

What goes around, comes around doesn’t it? LOL..

I guess I’m fine with just calling it the Convention Center/Arena after all ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[ricko]

Uh, am I the only one that sees a redundancy in the name? So, the official name will be the Catholic Health Initiative Health Center. That's a lotta health.I don't think my high school English teacher, Sister Mary Aquinas, would approve. In fact, she might give the people in charge a detention or two and some after school tutoring, if not a smack across the face with a ruler. Jeez. Now if they included a free colonoscopy after the concert, I might give them a pass.

[GetUrban]

That's the best argument yet to simply call it "CHI Center", since they're so dead set on using "Center" in the name and health is already in "CHI." Those that really want to know or care what CHI stands for will figure it out on their own.

But it's probably already a lost cause.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

Uh, am I the only one that sees a redundancy in the name? So, the official name will be the Catholic Health Initiative Health Center. That's a lotta health.I don't think my high school English teacher, Sister Mary Aquinas, would approve. In fact, she might give the people in charge a detention or two and some after school tutoring, if not a smack across the face with a ruler. Jeez. Now if they included a free colonoscopy after the concert, I might give them a pass.

When you enter the arena and pass thru the scanners for a weapons check it will give you a colorectal scan at the same time. There will be a red, yellow and green light on the top of the scanner. If the red light goes on that means you got a gun or knife. If the green light comes on you can pass thru. If the yellow light comes on that means you need to see a proctologist. This is really happening in the next 60-90 days I heard all about it from a guy in Detroit City.

[Bob from Omaha]

That's how we do it in the D!

[Omaha Cowboy]

Well, I think we all agree, this new arena name is ridiculous.. But we’ll have to live with it..

I do feel it’s a bit unsettling (to say the least) that a “medical” non profit shells out $23 million for a 20 year naming rights deal. I believe this was the same non profit that laid off more than 150 employees a few years back..

I dunno.. I just have a very shady feeling about this all around...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[MadMartin8]

Well, I think we all agree, this new arena name is ridiculous.. But we’ll have to live with it..

I do feel it’s a bit unsettling (to say the least) that a “medical” non profit shells out $23 million for a 20 year naming rights deal. I believe this was the same non profit that laid off more than 150 employees a few years back..

I dunno.. I just have a very shady feeling about this all around...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

Agreed. Something seems very weird.

[Omaha Cowboy]

CHI Health Center Omaha" simply continues those guidelines. I don't like it, but they likely would have to come up with something other than arena as that won't fly.

My original thought was drop the word "health" and call it "CHI Center Omaha"..

But if they're he!l bent on including the word "health" in the name- then we're stuck with it for the next 20 years starting September 1st and will have to deal with it.. As bizarre, confusing and absurd as it is ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

The way it stands now, they'll have have no other choice but to offer medical care at that location, even during events.

Micheal Kelly agrees with us. From his editorial in the W-H this morning:

“No, the “health center” name won’t confuse locals on the way to an Elton John concert or the Olympic Swim Trials. But during national events, won’t it sound odd to people around the country?

A dictionary definition of health center is “a building or establishment housing local medical services or the practice of a group of doctors.”

Lots of doctors attend Creighton Bluejay games in the arena — part of the nation’s fifth-highest attendance in college basketball — but those docs are cheering, not practicing.

So why not just shorten the name to the CHI Center? (CHI originally stood for Catholic Health Initiative.)”...

The link-

https://www.omaha.com/columnists/kelly/ ... 57b4a.html

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[GrandpaaSmucker]

Whats funny is a million dollars a year for the next 20 years is chump change to those people. Have you seen how much they are socking it to Medicare every chance they can get. They make a million in a dozen good Medicare patient stays. Its disgusting the kind of money these guys are making. What we should of done is named it our own name and managed our money better so we didn't have to humiliate ourselves like this but that would make too much sense.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Yeah overall, I agree with your take Smucker...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[ricko]

I guess it coulda' been worse. There's a 25K seat outdoor entertainment pavillion near me named, get this, "Jiffy Lube Live." Howdja like to live with that?

[Bob from Omaha]

You know what? It is what it is. It may change or not but the fact is it's a great facility with the arena and convention center connected to each other. Not too many of those around and that allows for more flexibility.

Meca has done a fine job of management of the facilities in their charge.

If you really have a problem with it run for office or get yourself appointed to the meca board. You cam complain here or see a conspiracy under every rock but in truth that serves no real purpose and changes nothing.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Well, like I’ve said all along, we’ll just have to live with it.. Like it or not..

And the reality is, running for public office isn’t going to change anything really.. As jaded as that sounds (and it is). And getting appointed to the MECA board? Fat chance.. Unless you have an “in”.. More reality..

Gosh I’m getting old...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[daveoma]

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

Not nearly as high profile of sponsorships, and I'm guessing, not nearly as costly.

And, CHI just took heat over the last few years for price gouging patients. In an environment where soaring medical costs are a hot button issue, this comes off as tone deaf.

The comments in local news sites facebook and twitter feeds are hammering them for plopping their name on an arena.

I totally agree. It's cruel to take profits from sick people, and spend it on a marketing scheme instead of using it to treat more sick people or to lower the cost for current and future patients. This quote from the WOWT story I thought was misleading: "Officials said funding for the new CHI Health Center Omaha will come from the marketing budget, and does not pull dollars from other areas of health care operations." So the company is unable to move this glut of profit to Operations?? Or even part of it? If I was an investor of this company I would be outraged.

[Garrett]

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

Not nearly as high profile of sponsorships, and I'm guessing, not nearly as costly.

And, CHI just took heat over the last few years for price gouging patients. In an environment where soaring medical costs are a hot button issue, this comes off as tone deaf.

The comments in local news sites facebook and twitter feeds are hammering them for plopping their name on an arena.

I totally agree. It's cruel to take profits from sick people, and spend it on a marketing scheme instead of using it to treat more sick people or to lower the cost for current and future patients. This quote from the WOWT story I thought was misleading: "Officials said funding for the new CHI Health Center Omaha will come from the marketing budget, and does not pull dollars from other areas of health care operations." So the company is unable to move this glut of profit to Operations?? Or even part of it? If I was an investor of this company I would be outraged.

According to the World-Herald, CHI has a $2 billion annual budget, $8 million of which is devoted to marketing, which is apparently comparable to that of other health systems. So basically they’re just dedicating 1/8 of their marketing budget to the arena. And to my knowledge, as a non-profit, CHI doesn’t have investors.

[aaaron]

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

Not nearly as high profile of sponsorships, and I'm guessing, not nearly as costly.

And, CHI just took heat over the last few years for price gouging patients. In an environment where soaring medical costs are a hot button issue, this comes off as tone deaf.

The comments in local news sites facebook and twitter feeds are hammering them for plopping their name on an arena.

I totally agree. It's cruel to take profits from sick people, and spend it on a marketing scheme instead of using it to treat more sick people or to lower the cost for current and future patients. This quote from the WOWT story I thought was misleading: "Officials said funding for the new CHI Health Center Omaha will come from the marketing budget, and does not pull dollars from other areas of health care operations." So the company is unable to move this glut of profit to Operations?? Or even part of it? If I was an investor of this company I would be outraged.

No, you wouldn't. Investors want to make money on their investments. Plowing profits back into the business instead of giving it to investors does not make investors happy.

[jessep28]

I don't blame CHI for wanting to increase brand awareness in a competitive health care field. They probably could have spent the extra $1.2 million a year in direct and indirect advertising and nobody would have noticed.

[jessep28]

The Omaha World-Herald put in a public records request to MECA to find out who the other naming rights bidders were. MECA said no, and threatened to stop collaborating with the OWH unless the newspaper withdrew their request.

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/downtow ... aac564.htm

[Coyote]

[Padre]

The Omaha World-Herald put in a public records request to MECA to find out who the other naming rights bidders were. MECA said no, and threatened to stop collaborating with the OWH unless the newspaper withdrew their request.

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/downtow ... aac564.htm

Would MECA want it to come out that there were other good choices that didn’t sound ridiculous?

[daveoma]

The Omaha World-Herald put in a public records request to MECA to find out who the other naming rights bidders were. MECA said no, and threatened to stop collaborating with the OWH unless the newspaper withdrew their request.

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/downtow ... aac564.htm

MECA is not legally obligated to release it? Are they not a public entity?

[Greg S]

In hindsight, the set up of MECA and lack ouf accountability has been a major mistake.

Greg