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Nancy Hicks: Taxpayer says 'N' on arena gives wrong impression

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Nebrasketballer

Nebrasketballer

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Nancy Hicks: Taxpayer says 'N' on arena gives wrong impression

 

There should be no Big Red "N" on the outside of the Pinnacle Bank Arena, Pat McGrane told the group overseeing arena construction.

 

The red letter leaves the impression the University of Nebraska built the arena.

 

Taxpayers — through the city's arena tax on bars and restaurant meals and drinks, hotel rooms and rental cars — are footing the bill, McGrane told the West Haymarket Joint Public Agency last week.

 

He objected to the plan to put a red "N" on the side of the arena, where the Nebraska men's and

women's basketball teams will begin playing this fall.

 

"There is already a red 'N' on the stadium, which is fine," McGrane said. "It is university property."

"But a red 'N' on the arena … for visitors coming to town, for tourists coming to town, for opposing teams and fans … it looks like the university built this arena.

 

"When it has actually been the citizens of Lincoln, paying through their tax."

 

The university is a tenant, said McGrane, who suggested a more truthful name would be "Pinnacle Bank — Citizens Arena."

 

Although the "N" is not yet up, all the contracts have been signed, Mayor Chris Beutler, one of the three JPA members, told McGrane.

 

"We are obligated to put the red 'N' up," Beutler said.

 

But he acknowledged it was the "taxpayers of the city who were the muscle behind all of this."

McGrane also wanted to know whether the arena tax would ever end.

 

The tax does have a sunset date — 2046 — unless extended by some future City Council.

 

 

http://journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_7e21e333-74a7-5b72-ac92-f09760d4193e.html#.UcHitK40ZnY.twitter

ajb5856

ajb5856

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This is dumb. Why shouldn't the 'N' go up there? Yes, taxpayers are paying for the arena. But the university is the main tenant. He also mentions visitors, tourists, and opposing teams and fans. Guess what? They are taxpayers too. They will be spending money in our city in a lot of restaurants and bars that are resulting from the new Haymarket development and elsewhere in our city. And why are these people lured to Lincoln to spend money? The university and university events.

Why do we even care if people coming into Lincoln know who paid for the arena? It's certainly not the first thing I think of when I go somewhere and see a building/attraction. I wonder who truly paid for this? No. Doesn't even cross my mind.

Concrete

Concrete

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This is ludicrous.  "I loooove the new arena, but why does Nebraska get to have it's logo up there!!?!?" Probably because without the University, the new arena never happens.

 

Technically, MAYBE it shouldn't be up there (debatable).  Realistically, it absolutely should.

HuskerBB

HuskerBB

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Crazy comment.  No way this arena even comes close to happening without the support and involvement of the university.   I can sort of understand how some random Joe Blow citizen might not get that and would make this kind of comment.  I am really more bothered by the comment of Mayor Beutler which is just about as inaccurate - but certainly nothing new for a politician to take credit for the work of others.

Nebrasketballer

Nebrasketballer

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This is dumb. Why shouldn't the 'N' go up there? Yes, taxpayers are paying for the arena. But the university is the main tenant. He also mentions visitors, tourists, and opposing teams and fans. Guess what? They are taxpayers too. They will be spending money in our city in a lot of restaurants and bars that are resulting from the new Haymarket development and elsewhere in our city. And why are these people lured to Lincoln to spend money? The university and university events.

Why do we even care if people coming into Lincoln know who paid for the arena? It's certainly not the first thing I think of when I go somewhere and see a building/attraction. I wonder who truly paid for this? No. Doesn't even cross my mind.

Plus:

hotels, parking garages, gas stations, food vendors at the game, Husker retail apparel/memorabilia, etc

 

And the Nebraska Men's basketball team has guaranteed that the arena will be at full capacity for every home game next season, which should mean that the potential revenue should be at, or near, its peak on those days.

49r

49r

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The N is nothing.

 

I'm far more upset that there will be a First National Bank logo on the basketball court....at Pinnacle Bank Arena.  It wouldn't be a surprise to see replays on the video board sponsored by Wells Fargo or some crap.

a0t0w0

a0t0w0

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The N is nothing.

 

I'm far more upset that there will be a First National Bank logo on the basketball court....at Pinnacle Bank Arena.  It wouldn't be a surprise to see replays on the video board sponsored by Wells Fargo or some crap.

"The Bank of the West Halftime Show."

 

 

Pinnacle bank arena presents The Bank of the West half time show sponsored by Citi and Pepsi Cola. 

PimpMario

PimpMario

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As a resident of Omaha I can see it both ways.  I hate the Qwest/Clink with a burning passion.  I think it sucks and it is a terrible venue to watch basketball or any other event.  Having said that I am also not to fond of Dentist University that plays there.

 

So it is easy for me to identify with people in Lincoln when they feel like angst about the arena.

 

As a huge Nebrasketball fan from Omaha I want there to be an N on the side of the arena.  It will help the arena, it will help the university and it will help the basketball teams.

 

I am coming from outside Lincolns tax base to spend my money in their city.  Guess what I am coming for, the Huskers!  Go Big Red!

Nebrasketballer

Nebrasketballer

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Tom Osborne was Nebraska's athletic director when the arena deal was being formulated. I asked him Wednesday for his opinion regarding the great "N" debate.

 

"The arena doesn't belong to the university, but it is the home of University of Nebraska basketball," he said. "I do know the city needed an anchor tenant. And unless the city had some sort of anchor tenant, with a certain number of events it could count on every year, that it would be very difficult to make the thing work financially.

 

"Certainly the concerts and all those types of things are good. But they are somewhat sporadic."

 

There's really no debating the notion there would be no arena without UNL's major involvement.

 

"It would've been more difficult, let's put it that way," Osborne said.

 

Creighton is the major tenant at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, yet you don't see a Creighton logo of any sort on the building -- that I know of, anyway.

 

At any rate, it appears the "N" will be prominently displayed.

 

http://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/life-in-the-red/article_baf3444a-d932-11e2-a9a7-001a4bcf887a.html#.UcI_L04jHRc.twitter

TheGov21

TheGov21

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Count me in the camp that says there shouldn't be an N on the Arena.  Yes the University had a big part in the arena happening, but it's not owned by the University, so it shouldn't be up there.  

uneblinstu

uneblinstu

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The N is nothing.

 

I'm far more upset that there will be a First National Bank logo on the basketball court....at Pinnacle Bank Arena.  It wouldn't be a surprise to see replays on the video board sponsored by Wells Fargo or some crap.

Union Bank on the ribbon boards, University Federal Credit Union in the programs.

uneblinstu

uneblinstu

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As for the N on the building.  It's a complete non issue for me.  Put it up or don't, but the university is the only regular tenant of the building.  The Clink has two.  Most arenas in major cities have more than one, not a ton have logos on them, some do.  Totally not a big deal one way or the other.

Swan88

Swan88

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The parties to the arrangements for building the arena (i.e., the City, the University, etc.) made an agreement at the beginning of the project to build the arena.  The agreement is that the arena will be occupied in substantial part by the University and that the arena will bear the University's brand.  Case closed.  End of story.

The Devaney Center construction funding source?  A State cigarette tax.   

The University is funded, generally, with major State tax dollars.

Large amounts of Federal tax dollars find their way into the University system in a variety of waysl

None of these facts affects in any way the branding that appears on buildings owned or occupied by the University.

The fact that other educational institutions in other markets weren't able to negotiate the same deal is irrelevant.

dskurz

dskurz

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Lambeau field is owned by the city of Green Bay.  I wonder if their citizens are up in arms that their tenant has their logo all over their stadium.  There are plenty of tax payer supported stadiums that have the team's logo on the building.

 

Also, how many other city owned buildings allow the tenants to put up signage to advertise their business.  How is this even in the newspaper? Just because Creighton didn't work in the signage clause in their contract?  Give me a break, the arenos will never be happy and will always be able to voice their displeasure because it increases the viewers/hits of the article.

HuskerBB

HuskerBB

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Posted

>>

Count me in the camp that says there shouldn't be an N on the Arena.  Yes the University had a big part in the arena happening, but it's not owned by the University, so it shouldn't be up there.  <<

 

Pinnacle Bank doesn't "own" the arena either - why is their name up there?   Because they contributed toward making the arena happening by paying for the naming rights.  

 

The financial contributioni toward the arena made by Pinnacle Bank pales in comparison to the contribution made by the University to this project.   To argue otherwise is ludicrous.   If UNL wants to put an "N" on the arena as part of their contribution to making this happen the citizens of Lincoln should be grateful that is all they want.

 

I could care less if Creighton wanted to negotiate to put a bluejay on the Qwest/Clink arena.  I could argue that might be appropriate as well.  But Creighton's presence in that arena is about 1/10 as important to the city as UNL's presence in PBA.

 

 

 

a0t0w0

a0t0w0

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Posted

>>

Count me in the camp that says there shouldn't be an N on the Arena.  Yes the University had a big part in the arena happening, but it's not owned by the University, so it shouldn't be up there.  <<

 

Pinnacle Bank doesn't "own" the arena either - why is their name up there?   Because they contributed toward making the arena happening by paying for the naming rights.  

 

The financial contributioni toward the arena made by Pinnacle Bank pales in comparison to the contribution made by the University to this project.   To argue otherwise is ludicrous.   If UNL wants to put an "N" on the arena as part of their contribution to making this happen the citizens of Lincoln should be grateful that is all they want.

 

I could care less if Creighton wanted to negotiate to put a bluejay on the Qwest/Clink arena.  I could argue that might be appropriate as well.  But Creighton's presence in that arena is about 1/10 as important to the city as UNL's presence in PBA.

 

I see your point.  As someone who has lived in Lincoln for awhile it's not about the arena for me.  It's about seeing what UNL can do in this town.  They own Lincoln.  It's really that simple.  I don't deny that they help more than hurt, but there comes a time where I just want the city of Lincoln to accomplish something that isn't *driven* by the University. 

 

I think the arena is something to be proud of regardless of a "N" on the side or not.

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