Robynn Tysver
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Time flies, and carpet and wallpaper grow thin.
The Qwest Center Omaha is starting to show some age after six years of concerts and conventions and more than 7 million visitors. Officials at the center are beginning to plan for expensive renovation projects, including replacing more than 120,000 square feet of carpet.
A new scoreboard also may be purchased within the next four years.
Robynn Tysver
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:“If we don't keep the building up, then people will quit coming,” said Roger Dixon, president of the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority board.
Robynn Tysver
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:During each of the past two years, the center has generated about $3.7 million in operating profit. That money and past profits have been used to build a $12 million reserve fund.
Robynn Tysver
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:That fund will be used toward the upcoming renovations, which will be spread over the next two or three years.
It will take about $2 million to replace the custom-blend carpet.
New wallpaper will cost $1 million. And it will cost $1 million to put new upholstery on the 15,000 chairs in the arena and to reupholster the folding chairs used on the floor during concerts.
Another big purchase may be replacing the scoreboard in the center of the arena, probably sometime in the next four years. A scoreboard becomes outdated after about 10 years as new technology and newer and clearer scoreboards are developed, Dixon said.
A new scoreboard will cost about $4 million to $5 million, compared with the $2 million spent for the current scoreboard.
Last edited by Brad on Wed Nov 14, 2012 6:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
Good job to MECA for saving up money to pay towards remodeling instead of using tax money. The outside of the Qwest Center will hold up well into the future and the interior should too.
Interesting.. Even though it is not directly Tax $$$ it is not being spent to pay off the debt, thus saving tax $$$. No mistake though, I am glade they are doing it this way, and more importantly glad they are planning to not let upkeep fall behind.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
I'm glad to see that they are keeping up with maintenance, and that they have a maintenance fund. The Qwest Center is a great venue and if we want to keep attracting world class events, we need to keep it world class.
The Qwest unfortunately bought that scoreboard just a year or two before those amazing HD ones came out. I would bet that the new one would be in place before the Swim trials/NCAA tournament.
The Qwest boards are nice but having been in the Sprint center and with it being newer, seeing the board in action there it is unbelievable what the "new" ones can do. I have not searched but I think I even commented on this the first time I was at the Sprint Center for the G Brooks concert shortly after they opened and It was noticeable then.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
Unexpected news but good news IMO. Keeping on top of this will keep the Qwest in great shape. Here's hoping that the new scoreboard is sooner rather than later.
Given that there likely isn't much of a market for used scoreboards, is there any chance MECA could get a bit longer use out of the current Qwest scoreboard by moving it over to the Civic? As much as many of us would like to see the Civic closed down, as long as its around, we might as well make it as appealing as possible.
Moving the scoreboard at the Q over to the Civic seems to be one of the most cost effective ways of updating that place. If you want to talk about outdated scoreboards, you've got a dinosaur aged one over there...
Ben wrote:Given that there likely isn't much of a market for used scoreboards, is there any chance MECA could get a bit longer use out of the current Qwest scoreboard by moving it over to the Civic? As much as many of us would like to see the Civic closed down, as long as its around, we might as well make it as appealing as possible.
Moving the scoreboard at the Q over to the Civic seems to be one of the most cost effective ways of updating that place. If you want to talk about outdated scoreboards, you've got a dinosaur aged one over there...
I thought about that. Obviously it would not fit up in the existing hole, which is bound by beams, but if there was not a need to put it all the way up in the rafters when not in use, I think it could work. I am not sure about the weight. I know the new boards are way lighter than the old ones comparatively speaking, but I am not sure how much since the qwest board is way bigger.
Ben wrote:As much as many of us would like to see the Civic closed down
Fantastic news. I was worried when they built the arena that they would let it get run down over time. I hope they fix the dented wall panels in the arena. I don't understand the logic behind people purposely damaging beautiful structures such as the Qwest Center and the Bob Kerry Bridge. However that is a different conversation for a different discussion.
Are they changing the glass or the tint on the glass at the Qwest Cetner? Look at the photo below. The darker glass on the bottom 2/3 has little squares on them spaced out evenly in a grid pattern.
I'm being super lazy here so I'm making this a rumor.
Guy behind me at the Creighton game mentioned that they were going to get a new scoreboard above center court/ice. I vaguely remember something about this. Anyone know?
Brad wrote:If I read that right, new Scoreboard , New south end Video Board, new ribbon boards as well as new outdoor boards too.
Thats what I was gathering too. I couldn't tell if they were listing what currently is there, but then I read the dimensions and they don't fit the existing boards. So if they are getting all new boards, that would be great. I think they could use a bigger marquee outside displaying the upcoming events. You can't really read the existing one unless you are walking by. I think one about the size of TD Ameritrade Park's would work.
If all this comes through like they want, these are going to be some nice upgrades for the stadium! Hopefully they can be in by next basketballl season
lmdramos wrote:Yes, more seating would be great! When do you think they would have the designs out for the new scoreboard for all of us to see.
I am guessing sometime after December 4, 2012, according to the RFP schedule. But I am guessing it might not be released to the public until the late winter/early spring, closer to the time when they would be installed.
Yes haha! That stadium was the biggest waste of money ever. The sprint center gets used less than the civic center. I am just excited to see the new scoreboard...it's much needed
koberaptor wrote:Are we gonna reach 20K seats just like Amway Center?
I don't think that is even close to possible without raising the entire roof of the center. I think 18,500 permanent seats is the highest it'll go (about 1,000 more than we currently have), but that's just a guess.
Erin Golden
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:The new scoreboard in the center of the arena will have an LED display, with larger video screens than the one it is replacing. And it will be able to show more angles on every game or performance because MECA's purchases include more cameras.
“We'll be able to utilize more cameras on replays,” Dixon said.
Workers will begin installing the new equipment in May and continue through the summer, working around the events scheduled for the venue. The work should be mostly wrapped up by fall, Dixon said.
