UNL nears arena agreement with city
Tom Osborne said the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has reached a tentative agreement with city officials on having its basketball teams be tenants if the city builds a new arena.
The agreement “would be beneficial to both,” Osborne said Wednesday at an arena open house at Memorial Stadium. “Unless things have changed, we’re OK with what they’ve offered us. ... We think we can work it out.”
He would not elaborate on the terms of the proposed agreement.
Mayor Chris Beutler would not comment beyond saying, “I think that’s true.”
Of course, any such agreement would have to be approved by the NU Board of Regents, and although Beutler suggested they might take up the issue Friday, UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman said, “To my knowledge there will be nothing on the public agenda.”
But in closed session, he said, “I may brief them on what the status is just so they know what’s happening.”
Perlman did not rule out that the university may reach an agreement with the city on the arena, but said there’s none yet.
“I've always said we have a high level of interest in a facility for basketball, but we haven't reached an agreement,” he said. “It would have to be one that is financially viable for us.”
Osborne said the university will need to build a new basketball practice facility — whether a new arena is built or not — to keep its teams competitive, and joining with the city would save on costs. A new arena and practice facility would help with recruiting and attendance, he said.
“Players always are interested in where they’re going to play,” Osborne said. “It’s kind of like, would you rather live in a new house or one that’s 30 years old?”
He said on average, a new facility bumps up attendance 15 percent.
Osborne and Beutler were at the public’s disposal during the open house Wednesday, ready to answer Lincolnites’ questions about the city’s proposal to build an arena to replace the Pershing Center.
The most frequent question put to Osborne was whether UNL is really interested in moving its basketball teams to a new arena.
“The answer to that is yes,” Osborne said.
City officials and arena supporters were on hand to answer questions, show potential site concepts and traffic configurations, and explain the rationale behind a new arena.
Trent Rasmussen has only lived in Lincoln for two weeks, but the grad student was interested enough to attend the open house.
“I think the concept is absolutely wonderful,” he said after studying site concepts. “It’s a pretty novel concept.”
Jan FitzSimmons is also a supporter of a new arena.
“I think it’d be a big mistake not to (build it),” she said. She said she’d like to see the proposed festival space include a sheet of ice akin to that of Rockefeller Center.
Rhonda Lieske, a dental assistant and EMT from Lincoln, said a new arena would help the economy and give restaurants and businesses a boost from out-of-towners.
“People out west don’t like to go to Omaha because it’s so big,” she said.
Delfs Linder, a retired Lincolnite, said initially he was concerned about how the city would pay for a new arena, but now he believes the city needs to keep up with cities like Omaha.
“I think it’s what Lincoln needs,” he said. “Pershing’s getting old.”
But he’s not sure the arena will pass muster with Lincoln voters in the spring.
“Like everything, it goes back to money,” he said.
Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.
The agreement “would be beneficial to both,” Osborne said Wednesday at an arena open house at Memorial Stadium. “Unless things have changed, we’re OK with what they’ve offered us. ... We think we can work it out.”
He would not elaborate on the terms of the proposed agreement.
Mayor Chris Beutler would not comment beyond saying, “I think that’s true.”
Of course, any such agreement would have to be approved by the NU Board of Regents, and although Beutler suggested they might take up the issue Friday, UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman said, “To my knowledge there will be nothing on the public agenda.”
But in closed session, he said, “I may brief them on what the status is just so they know what’s happening.”
Perlman did not rule out that the university may reach an agreement with the city on the arena, but said there’s none yet.
“I've always said we have a high level of interest in a facility for basketball, but we haven't reached an agreement,” he said. “It would have to be one that is financially viable for us.”
Osborne said the university will need to build a new basketball practice facility — whether a new arena is built or not — to keep its teams competitive, and joining with the city would save on costs. A new arena and practice facility would help with recruiting and attendance, he said.
“Players always are interested in where they’re going to play,” Osborne said. “It’s kind of like, would you rather live in a new house or one that’s 30 years old?”
He said on average, a new facility bumps up attendance 15 percent.
Osborne and Beutler were at the public’s disposal during the open house Wednesday, ready to answer Lincolnites’ questions about the city’s proposal to build an arena to replace the Pershing Center.
The most frequent question put to Osborne was whether UNL is really interested in moving its basketball teams to a new arena.
“The answer to that is yes,” Osborne said.
City officials and arena supporters were on hand to answer questions, show potential site concepts and traffic configurations, and explain the rationale behind a new arena.
Trent Rasmussen has only lived in Lincoln for two weeks, but the grad student was interested enough to attend the open house.
“I think the concept is absolutely wonderful,” he said after studying site concepts. “It’s a pretty novel concept.”
Jan FitzSimmons is also a supporter of a new arena.
“I think it’d be a big mistake not to (build it),” she said. She said she’d like to see the proposed festival space include a sheet of ice akin to that of Rockefeller Center.
Rhonda Lieske, a dental assistant and EMT from Lincoln, said a new arena would help the economy and give restaurants and businesses a boost from out-of-towners.
“People out west don’t like to go to Omaha because it’s so big,” she said.
Delfs Linder, a retired Lincolnite, said initially he was concerned about how the city would pay for a new arena, but now he believes the city needs to keep up with cities like Omaha.
“I think it’s what Lincoln needs,” he said. “Pershing’s getting old.”
But he’s not sure the arena will pass muster with Lincoln voters in the spring.
“Like everything, it goes back to money,” he said.
Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.
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