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New Stadium Gain Brings Losses For Omaha Save Email Print
Preparations begin to start downtown stadium construction
Posted: 2:57 PM Dec 3, 2008
 Last Updated: 5:49 AM Dec 4, 2008
 Reporter: Justin Joseph, Jaime McCutcheon
Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com
94 comments
A | A | A

Construction crews will soon get started on the new downtown stadium by the Qwest Center, but with the addition of the ballpark comes a few subtractions.

The cold wind seemed to blow in a lot of change at the Qwest Center Wednesday. Workers were busy covering traffic lights and closing several areas, all in preparation for the new stadium.

"You'll see within the next month Kiewit Construction Company will start taking out portions of the parking lots," said Qwest Center president/CEO Roger Dixon.

It goes well beyond just parking lots. Twelfth Street is now closed between Cuming and Webster, 13th and 14th streets are now two-way streets between Cuming and Cass, but continue to be one-way south of Cass.

Three new parking lots, E, F and G are now open. So are expansion areas at parking lots A and D.

To see a map of these changes, click here.

"The city has installed a traffic light exiting the parking lots onto Dodge Street that will facilitate people getting out of the lots quicker and the garage as well," said Dixon.

The area adjacent to the Qwest Center will be a full-blown construction site by this summer.

Some might not see all the changes tied to the new stadium as positive. The Olympic Swimming Trials that were a big success in Omaha over the summer won't be back in 2012 because it's scheduled for the same time as the College World Series.

"To have all the fans coming in for the swimming event and the fans that are in for CWS, there's just not enough hotel rooms," said Dixon. "Parking becomes an issue. It's just not feasible."

Dixon said that would be the case even if the CWS was still at Rosenblatt in 2012.

"This was a great show for our sport, that is what made these trials different from ones that we've had in the past,” said USA Swimming’s Chuck Wielgus.

Omaha had put itself on the sports map. "Omaha is the capital of amateur sports," said Harley Schrager of the Omaha Sports Committee.

And now? "Very disappointed to say the least and very troublesome for the future because we're all paying for this,” said Zoe Petersen of Omaha.

"I'm kind of sad about that, but I'm also concerned about the stadium that we're only using it two times during the year,” said Kim McAnally of Omaha.

Because Rosenblatt will be torn down before then, the Omaha Royals announced Wednesday a memorandum of understanding with Sarpy County to relocate the team there.

"We're all looking forward to putting together the financial package to build this stadium in the next couple years," said Sarpy County Administrator Mark Wayne.

"The Royals and Sarpy County are going steady,” said Omaha Royals president Alan Stein.

So without the Royals, you might wonder what will fill the new stadium when CWS isn't there. Dixon tells Channel 6 News they're still in negotiations with the Creighton University baseball team. He's also talked with an independent baseball league.

Tuesday, Mayor Fahey announced the city is short on money and asked department heads to make budget cuts for 2009. "No department will be immune from these cuts and there is nothing that will be taken off the table.”

Did the mayor steer Omaha sports in the right direction? "I don't really think he gave the people of Omaha their choice,” said Vicki Hunter of Iowa. “I think he made the decision for them."
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Posted by: Phil on Dec 10, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Fair weather fans, fair weather citizens. We have our best and brightest lay out a great plan for this city and the CWS; the plan gets the necessary votes; the plan is set in motion. Even if the new stadium is used for only 2 weeks a year it still pays for itself and provides a great spectacle for Omaha. Do you people that constantly whine about this really think that no one will come up with some ideas on how to utilize this new facility? Do you really think that entrepreneurs will ignore North Downtown with more and more people heading downtown to the Qwest Center, the new baseball stadium, the Holland Performing Arts Center, the pedestrian bridge, the Old Market, the River Front walking and bike riding paths? Do you realize that thousands of our citizens are moving to condos and townhomes throughout the downtown area? They are moving there because they see what is happening to our revitalized core. Come on people... get on board.
Posted by: Jim on Dec 7, 2008 at 09:04 PM
I have never been to Omaha, I don't get it. You have a AAA minor league team, but you are building a stadium primarily for the CWS, and the minor league team is looking to build another ballpark in the area. Looks like you may lose the Omaha Royals to another city eventually. Have you ever seen independent baseball? Remember these are guys who couldn't even make it in the minor leagues! If I were a taxpayer in your area, I would be insisting that the city have a regular tenant, such as the Royals for the new ballpark.
Posted by: Larry on Dec 5, 2008 at 01:56 PM
Of course CU and backers had this in mind all along, but it will still be vacant most of the year-unless taxpayers clamor so loud that they put a O/C dome on it (like Phoenix?). Why not clear the land in SCNTY build a dirt field amongst the corn, bring in the porta potties and PLAY BALL! Like the good old days. How about down by the river south of SField and below Soaring Wings (drink wine, watch game from the hill with binoculars, let the kids run,etc.) and cut out the expensive vendors. Or near the MSP/AS museum/Zoofari exit.
Posted by: J from Bennington on Dec 5, 2008 at 01:04 PM
@Hmmmm...: As re your comment about attracting a better baseball team to play at the new stadium when the CWS isn't there - the American League has already said that they would be hard pressed to bring in a team and compete for the same revenue that the Royals would be taking in. It would be very hard to support two baseball teams in one metro area, even if one were American League and the other AAA. The prospects there are not good. Why does Creighton *need* to play at the new stadium? Don't they have their own Sports Complex, recently renovated?
Posted by: Bill on Dec 5, 2008 at 11:58 AM
I'm sure when Fahey leaves office the moving truck will have left for his house in the Ozarks. He will leave us with a whole pile of debt.
Posted by: MT on Dec 5, 2008 at 11:16 AM
Hey Hmmmmm...; Exactly how much of the $35M per year is actually paid to the CITY of Omaha (not the Chamber of Commerce)? And isn't it 25 years, not 30? I just love how folks pump up numbers to make their arguments palatable. And the swim meet ticket give-away is priceless, I am sure that the majority of those tickets were freebies. No-Do never was nor has been about what is good for Omaha, it is a poorly chosen location for one of the grandest events in our city's history. Since our voice didn't count, the majority of the local fans (who make up better than half of series' revenue) aren't inclined to follow the series downtown for obvious reasons (Location, crime, location, parking, location etc). Without much local fan support, the CWS may fail and then No-Do would be nothing but a glorified hole in the ground that we will be required to pump money into. Nothing in this world will ever convince me to step foot into a stadium whose beginning is clouded by much public disdain.
Posted by: M on Dec 5, 2008 at 10:01 AM
To Hmmmmm...: So... What you're saying is that Corporate Omaha gave away around 79K tickets (assuming that the rest of the 96K actually paid for theirs). Right... And we gave these to almost every out-of-towner who came to see the trials (if you look at hotel revenues, you would realize just how far off base you are with the local give-away tact)? Seeing as this was an 8 day event, attendance was actually pretty good, even comparable to this year's CWS (when you take into account the corporate free tickets that were rampant during the entire '08 CWS session). And if you can't even get a major league farm club to go to No-Do, please define a BETTER baseball team and how they are going to attract more fans (avg 5K per game) than the Royals had? I am a true baseball fan, the numbers I look at are ERA, HR, balls and strikes, not the almighty bottom dollar amount. I do not care if they play in a mansion or an empty field, just as long as they play for the love of the game.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 5, 2008 at 08:35 AM
There would not have been conflict with the CWS and the swim trials if Fahey would have listened to the people of Omaha to begin with. He could have built a high rise parking garage near Rosenbalt to accomadate all the cars and had the Qwest Center available for the swim trials. Revenue would have been coming in from both sides. I am glad Fahey is stepping down but I think it is too late for the City of Omaha.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 5, 2008 at 08:28 AM
Mayor Fahey wants to cut the budget for 2009 by 4 to 6 Million dollars and he is going to start by cutting jobs. Why don't you cut the power on the Christmas lights downtown. That would save 200,000-250,000 dollars or more a month and that would feed our homeless, plow our streets and maintain our city parks.
Posted by: girl on Dec 5, 2008 at 05:41 AM
You people need to think before you build!! I really enjoyed hanging out in downtown Omaha last summer during the swim trials and now I can't because of construction that doesn't need to happen in the first place. What's more important; a new stadium that you can't afford or a good reputation for a good place to try out for the Olympics??
Posted by: hmmmm....cont'd on Dec 4, 2008 at 09:19 PM
if any of you were "true" baseball fans, it would not matter where the Royals played, you would go. Keeping the CWS here, although contrevertial, is the best deal all the way around, hands down. We can all pretend that the city doesn't need when we have it, but truth be known, we'd rather have the revenue from it than the pittance that was made(if any) off of the Royals. They have talked about leaving for years, now the bluff has been called and thay can go and be the LaVista Laddies. No offense. The $7 hotdogs, $10 beers will keep um comin back for a year or two but end the end, LaVista will get stiffed and the novelty will have worn out. I really hope I'm wrong about this BTW. Anyway, the economy will get better, we will get lots more opportunities at No - Do and all will be good in the end. Patience people, Omaha keeps growing and dowtown is, although seemingly dark right now, the answer. Trust me, I was forced through the "Jobbers Canyon" deal, it all worked out.
Posted by: Hmmmmm... on Dec 4, 2008 at 09:07 PM
I'm no genius but if the CWS brings in $35mm a year x 30 years, isn't that just over $1 billion dollars? Wouldn't that amount increase most years, hopefully? Ok, the Olympic trials get taken, NOT because of anything but lack of hotels and parking.It's a "nice" event folks but I'd like to know the real numbers on how it was subsidized by the Big 3 or 4 companies in Omaha as ticket sales were bad except for what they bought to give out "at work". I'm don't mean anything bad but as I understand it, attendance would have been pretty mediocre if it had not been for that corporate support. I gotta believe the new stadium will attract a new baseball contract with a new, BETTER team. truth be told, Omaha basically subsidized the Royals when they were here. Thay got a great percentage of the gate, what it was, all the concessions and WE paid them to leave Omaha during the CWS (100 grand)even though they knew it would be here every year. AND, if any of you were TRUE baseball fans,
Posted by: To helen J on Dec 4, 2008 at 08:56 PM
mmm...Fahey isn't running...get a clue before posting.
Posted by: John on Dec 4, 2008 at 08:43 PM
We have money for a new stadium? It's too bad we wont have the money to plow our city streets this winter. Apparently we don't have the funds to remove gang graffiti or maintain our city parks. When wil the city do something about the poor ducks that are shivering in the water at the Leahy mall. If the city wont retrieve these poor creature and get them into a shelter in the cold weather they should stop clipping their wings so they might migrate south for the winter. Omaha has become a real sick place in recent years.
Posted by: J for Bennington on Dec 4, 2008 at 08:30 PM
@Helen J: Mike Fahey is not running for re-election. Your choices (so far) are: Hal Daub, Jim Suttle and Jim Vokal. I don't have a clue as to what their positions as re the elderly are, but will keep an eye out for you.
Posted by: EVELYN on Dec 4, 2008 at 05:59 PM
The Mayor made the choice for us. This should have been place on the ballot and let us vote for it! Instead the people who voted for our elected officials to serve the public interest has managed forgot about us!
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 4, 2008 at 05:32 PM
The Fahey ethos is to spend other peoples' money like it's going out of style, and tax the...spit...out of everything he can. When the city goes bankrupt, he'll bail out to his mansion at Lake of the Ozarks and laugh a lot.
Posted by: HEY! on Dec 4, 2008 at 04:28 PM
If the private donors bail on No-DO and the bonds fail to produce enough revenue, can we ask Congress for a No-Do bailout? Why not bailout the Omaha taxpayers holding the bag that Fahey & CO so carefully grafted for us? We are too big to fail but we will if we do not pay down the nearly billion dollars in debt we have outstanding for previous projects, including $300 million for the Qwest that we haven't even begun to pay the principle on. And using more credit to pay off existing debt (like the Qwest loan) never works out in the long term and will cost us MORE than any of this is worth. We need to address crime, streets, city services and our growing debt. We don't need No-Do or a ten block trolley system that will cost taxpayers millions but most of us won't use. If anything in next year's budget should be eliminated, it would be the mayor's self-proclaimed personal dream. Oh, and 'Thanks' Mr. Mayor for dropping the Olympics swimming trials. It's not like we could use the $$.
Posted by: M on Dec 4, 2008 at 04:01 PM
To J - Yes, TAXES did pay for Memorial but the CWS will NOT pay for the new stadium as you so erroneously convey. First off, all the CWS revenue is based on consumer spending, seen a lot of that these days? Expect to see it in the near future? That spending pie is divided up in so many ways with only a fraction actually being applied to the city's operating expense and project debt. The CWS doesn't guarantee our revenue, in fact it is the city who has to make sure that the CWS gets paid regardless if we make a dime or not. Of course, the report you grandly refer to is obviously biased and fact is that options were made available that would have only cost the taxpayers $60 million to refurb the 'Blatt. Where are all your private donations or signed contracts from Creighton or Royals as was promised? As usual, the Fahey/MECA/C.O.C. promises are empty and bonds aren't doing well so who is next to pick up the tab? If it comes to a vote to support NO-DO, we'll bury Fahey's Folley.
Posted by: Christina on Dec 4, 2008 at 02:43 PM
I am happy I moved out of Omaha. Bellevue seems the lesser of two evils anymore...good luck Omaha!
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 4, 2008 at 02:36 PM
To Anonymous in response to Scott: You're not smart. You spend your way out of trouble? I'm guessing you're broke. Nice try though fella. The bigger problem arises when you have no money to spend...such as the case with this local and our federal government. Borrowing to spend is never the answer and this is what's happening.
Posted by: Peter on Dec 4, 2008 at 02:27 PM
I want to know who I can sue when my property taxes go up to pay for the 14 day stadium that the people did not get a say in. Any expenditure over 25 million should be put to vote.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 4, 2008 at 02:24 PM
When it comes to Huskers and CWS people put on thier blinders and can't seem to see the real truth. Spend 200 million for a stadium and I'll bet in 10 years they will be pumping for money to expand and update it. Take a look at the Blatt they pumped 15 million into it to update it and haven't even come close to paying for it. No way will this ever be able to pay for itself. The old saying goes, a accountant can figure but figures can lie.
Posted by: helen j on Dec 4, 2008 at 12:58 PM
This new stadium is going to cost the elderly too much money. And they have to watch every penny! This is exactly why I will not vote for Mike Fahey in the next election. I think we should recall him.
Posted by: Barbara on Dec 4, 2008 at 12:50 PM
Stadium...oh great...how much is this going to cost Sarpy County tax payers? My property taxes skyrocketed this year and I can't even sell my home for what the tax valuation is now (27% higher than last year). We need a tax break. No thanks to higher rates!!!
Posted by: Sandi on Dec 4, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Is there any way that the constituents of Omaha could get an injunction to stop the construction of the new stadium?
Posted by: jenny on Dec 4, 2008 at 12:34 PM
At least the stadium will create (or save) some jobs.
Posted by: DB on Dec 4, 2008 at 12:30 PM
It is so typical of this city. Everything we do is backwards. Build an interstate wait a few years and redo it again. Move all of the lanes around. Build Kennedy freeway and make it one lane. It is not to late to cancel the new stadium is it? I was against it from the get go. Waste of money. How much can Omaha really make two weeks out of the year after expenses. Dumb..dumb..dumb! We need some real leadership in this city. My vote is for Hal Daub.
Posted by: CM on Dec 4, 2008 at 12:27 PM
I cannot resist commenting. For all who have a problem with the new stadium, I suggest you organize and take this proposal to the Mayor's office. Propose that we cancel the CWS eff right after the 2009 series. Then tear down Rosenblatt and do what YOU want with the property. Then...sit back and watch your taxes go up. They say that the Christmas shopping time is what makes or breaks a lot of retail outlets. Well, the money spent by the CWS participants/fans in the hotel/motel/restaurants is a large hunk of their income for the year. Sure, it APPEARS at this time that the new stadium will be used 2 weeks of the year but let the negotiations mentioned in the article play out; Creighton may use it. And just because YOU are not a baseball fan doesn't make it a bad idea; just not to YOUR liking. I don't think it is a bad idea for you to eat spinach, just isn't my thing. Get the point? And AM - spot on, Ace! There is a difference though - this is NE where football is..you know.
Posted by: j on Dec 4, 2008 at 12:19 PM
You people just want to gripe! Did we have the CWS and the swim trials AT THE SAME TIME this year? NO! Omaha doesn't have enough hotel rooms to have both at the same time. This has nothing to do with the stadium or parking. Use your heads a little.
Posted by: J on Dec 4, 2008 at 12:10 PM
To: "To AM" - First off, the state paid for Memorial stadium through TAXES! Did you forget that? The CWS brings in enough money to pay for the new stadium on it's own... (there is a report on the internet that shows this as well..., without including the likes of outdoor concerts, and other 'specialty events' that will take place there) And based on what you 'hear' the fans for the CWS will show up whether you say they will or not, it's a no brainer. And if you look at the same report on the internet that says the CWS will pay for the stadium alone, you will also see that Rosenblatt, with it's financials, isn't a viable option. Soon enough, you will all find this out... or you will ignore this because you're too ignorant to believe the facts and not what your simple mind wants to believe.
Posted by: No Way on Dec 4, 2008 at 12:02 PM
Creighton and a "Independent" league team in the stadium? First of all Creighton cries poor all the time - if they use the stadium they can pay FULL DOLLAR for it's usage. As a taxpayer I'm not giving Creighton a free ride too, I didn't want the stadium to start with. An "independent" league baseball team? I hope that was a joke because no one goes to watch the Omaha Royals in an "old" stadium. Who on earth is going to watch a team of nobodys in a league no one knows or cares about and pay $8 to park, etc., etc.? I am ashamed. What a joke. Four fireman per truck isn't helping the budget and us taxpayers either.
Posted by: To AM on Dec 4, 2008 at 11:37 AM
First off, taxpayers got a voice in Memorial Stadium, with NO-DO we did not (though we voted it down in 2003). Since you love NO-DO so much, why don't you pay for it? You confuse 'anti-progress' with 'financially prudent' when speaking of our disdain for the mayor's personal dream. No-Do will prove to be the CWS's Waterloo when the local fan base and support totally disappears by 2015. Most of the revenue generating fans at the CWS are from Omaha and based on what I hear, we aren't going to be showing up. The mood for the CWS has become contentious due to the glorious lack of vision by our mayor. The NCAA stated in writing that the 'Blatt would have worked, no new stadium needed and even offered a 25 year deal BEFORE No-Do was an item. In other words, we could have had our cake and ate it too! I, too, love Omaha but can't stand our recent leadership that only has their own agendas at heart. When they refuse to listen to the little guys, it's time for real change.
Posted by: Rather not say. on Dec 4, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Maybe the swim trials can be held in Sarpy County.
Posted by: Doug on Dec 4, 2008 at 11:28 AM
Do the Qwest officials really believe the parking and traffic issues have been solved for the new downtown stadium? Why does it take 20 minutes to get out of the parking lot after a CU basketball game? The current parking lots are a nightmare with their diagonal traffic patterns that don't lead to an exit. (Most of which are gated shut!) What will happen when you have 25,000 fans leaving the afternoon game and 25,000 more fans coming to the evening game?
Posted by: Barb on Dec 4, 2008 at 11:19 AM
All I can say is that this city is just one screwed up mess!!!! Poor planning for one thing...build a new convention center with a parking lot, then build a new stadium and tear some of that parking lot out for it and just for 2 weeks out of the year. What a waste of money!!!!
Posted by: Dave on Dec 4, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Sure the new stadium will be used for other things, it better be for that price tag. Yes we can blame Fahey, we elected him to represent us and he does a better job of spending our money and representing himself. While I agree that Omaha is a growing city and needs shiny new stadiums and such to keep attracting people, we need to do this all in a fiscally responsible manner. Fahey likes to spend our money like a 17 year old girl at the mall with Dad's credit card.
Posted by: Tom on Dec 4, 2008 at 11:07 AM
So now they will have to shut down the Qwest for 2 weeks. What a blundering money pitfall. Build a stadium for 2 weeks use like that is never ever going to pay for itself.
Posted by: Kathy on Dec 4, 2008 at 11:04 AM
The CWS "powers that be" refused to change the dates even though it is 4 years away due to scheduling conflicts??? CWS officials should be willing to give us a one time break so we can have both. After all, look at what Omaha is giving them!
Posted by: Bill on Dec 4, 2008 at 11:00 AM
"Omaha is the capital of amateur sports," said Harley Schrager of the Omaha Sports Committee. I think you might want to rethink this statement. Indianapolis is by far the capital of amateur sports in the US. Maybe some day when Omaha grows up they can try to take the title.
Posted by: Joe on Dec 4, 2008 at 10:59 AM
Wait, they're talking to an independent baseball league? What makes the city "leaders" think anyone is going to go downtown to watch the lowest level of minor league baseball when they won't go downtown to see the highest level of the minors? Practically everyone that lives west of 72nd street has said they won't go downtown for baseball, but if the Royals have a stadium in Sarpy closer to West O., they'll be there. And you can pretty much forget Creighton playing there. If the Royals wouldn't agree to the terms, I don't see any way that Creighton will. Besides, I think they might be more interested in building their own, smaller stadium on campus. This thing is a complete disaster and the problems it causes will be felt long after Fahey is gone.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 4, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Chris.. You obviously have never played any type of organized sport. Baseball should'nt be a sport??? Really?? The point is cutting jobs (police, fireman) is going to happen and shouldn't. This new field is not needed. The Bridge to nowhere was not needed. What is needed is the protection of the Police and Fireman. This city does not have enough now. That is obvious, just watch the news.
Posted by: Bill on Dec 4, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Just wait until the sewer separation projects begin in Omaha. The expression “you can't get there from here” will be the mantra for the city. With budget cuts, a new stadium, yet ANOTHER trolley study will the city have the money to pay for the federally-mandated sewer separations? How much in fines will the city have to pay when they are not completed on time?
Posted by: To LLR on Dec 4, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Unfortunately, I probably will be here to see Fahey's fiasco to completion. Isn't it amazing that the $800K that Stinson 'sacrificed' to be on the stadium committee produced a $140 million contract for him to build it? Fahey has done nothing but railroad NO-DO past all valid concerns, even when we lowly taxpayers were telling him that there was no way to pay for it without undue debt. Remember the taxpayer gets stuck with the bill if those PRIVATE DONORS (who should be identified to substantiate Fahey's claims) fail to produce and the revenue from those special tax increases is non-existant. If Fahey REALLY means what he says than he should take his self-proclaimed dream (NO-DO) off of the table first before cutting any services (which he already had in my book) and personnel. He should also cancel the $300K that the city council has approved for the railcar impact study, that money should be paying for NECESSARY services that we can no longer afford.
Posted by: Charlies on Dec 4, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Way to go Mike Fahey... You need to be removed altogether..including removed from Omaha. Move out!
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 4, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Scott, the goverment is supposed to spend money during a RECESSION! It is supposed to stop when the economy is good.
Posted by: Bev on Dec 4, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Now I am wondering how many want him recalled? They told everyone that two events would never be held at the same time but he was wrong! Now we have lost the Omaha Royals, USA Swimming Olympic Trails in 2012 and at this point the stadium may be used for only 2 weeks. Wow if I handled my money that way I would loss everything. How much more is Fahey going to lose Omaha before he leaves office next year.
Posted by: HA! on Dec 4, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Exactly as I predicted! Two major events cannot share the same space on the same date, contrary to Fahey's boasts when he pitched his self-proclaimed 'personal dream'. All those Olympic revenue dollars lost, the Royals gone (as I also predicted), the economy in the tank and everyone who clamored for the new stadium is starkly silent. NO-DO (whose tag aptly fits) still has no static funding (bonds aren't selling well with our city's credit rating being degraded due to our runaway debt - another Fahey foobar). Before we cut services and jobs, useless projects like NO-DO and the trolley need to be scrapped. The CWS doesn't bring the city enough revenue to justify the sacrifices we have been forced into. And for those that didn't know, the revenues from the Olympic trials blew away the numbers from the CWS last year. So now instead of basking in the glow of two major events in our midst, we get only the one that we had to begin with before the $127 million. This is Fahey's legacy!
Posted by: me on Dec 4, 2008 at 09:43 AM
There would NOT had been a parking issue if the CWS had stayed where it was!!!Mayor Fahey has screwed this city over bigtime. The swim trials brought people here from all over this country.What a sad day this has become!!
Posted by: DJ on Dec 4, 2008 at 09:40 AM
The Mayor is just like the CEO's from Ford and GM. He has his head in a hole and not seeing whats going on around him. We the People will end up paying for this Stadium. I hope that when the new Stadium ,in sarpy county is up and opened that the people will go and forget the downtown Stadium, Which will only be open for about 2 weeks a year. Whats wrong with this?? We can't have the 2012 swimming trials because of the CWS, Get this, No Parking. Cut jobs Mayor, so you can fund a Trolley that will only run for 10 blocks at the cost of a study for 300.000. Then maybe 6 million to build. Omaha people its time to wake up.
Posted by: Josh on Dec 4, 2008 at 09:29 AM
This has nothing to do with the stadium. Even if the CWS had been at Rosenblatt, Omaha simply doesn't have the hotel rooms to have the CWS and the swim trials at the same time. Quit pointing fingers when it's simply a scheduling conflict.
Posted by: LLR on Dec 4, 2008 at 09:26 AM
Not enough hotel rooms? PLEASE. Council Bluffs has hotels/motels, and none of them will be charging the 9% lodging tax. Bellevue also has some motels, and Lincoln is just a 45 minutes drive away. Someone could make a mint running an affordable shuttle between Lincoln and Omaha for either even or both. Bottom line: Grasp at any straw, because the bottom line is we would not be having this conversation if Fahey hadn't rammed the ballpark down taxpayers' throats, behind closed doors and without a simple vote of the people. So yes, "Me" @ 8:31PM, THAT is how this is Fahey's fault.
Posted by: omahahan on Dec 4, 2008 at 09:14 AM
haha way to go fahey. build overpriced stadium to be used only twice a year. then lose the royals. ha this is great. hahaha
Posted by: Pat on Dec 4, 2008 at 09:04 AM
Omaha needs to put a dome on the new stadium so it can be used as a homeless shelter for the 48 weeks or so per year it's not used for the CWS because more Omahans, besides the many un-fortunate folks now, will be homeless since our taxes will skyrocket to pay for this ill-advised project, and we'll lose our homes. How was our ?leadership? so short-sighted as to think spending this amount of money for a facility that will be used 2 weeks per year will be a benefit for Omaha citizens? Sarpy County & Council Bluffs are looking mighty good as places to live!
Posted by: Jill on Dec 4, 2008 at 08:15 AM
I am very against anything that is going to cost this much money when everyone is struggling enough as it is and they are talking about cutbacks in every department. Especially when the only time this city cares about baseball is when the CWS is here. It can't bring THAT much money in 2 weeks to necessitate such a large waste of money. Maybe we can use all the money the CWS generates to pay salaries of people that are going to lose their jobs due to cutbacks! You want cutbacks, lose the new stadium!! STUPID! STUPID!!
Posted by: citizen on Dec 4, 2008 at 07:28 AM
Fahey is a good example the liberals don't care about the voter/taxpayer, just themselves... I wish Fahey would take his ball and go home.
Posted by: pt on Dec 4, 2008 at 07:26 AM
Instead of letting big events go down the drain, how about planning ahead and finding a better way. One suggestion might be to keep and renovate the Rosenblatt area and build another hotel or two in between downtown and Rosenblatt. Then maybe try to add some other attraction besides baseball and the zoo to attract more visitors year round. Then Omaha would not have to embarass itself by showing they cannot manage to have two big events in town at once. Once again, our hard earned tax dollars being carelessly managed.
Posted by: Chris on Dec 4, 2008 at 07:07 AM
You know in the article it says that there are not enough hotel rooms for both events, but then it also says that there is not enough parking either, so in a way it is Fahey's fault because if he didn't have to have the stadium then there would be enough parking.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 4, 2008 at 06:45 AM
Baseball is boring and it causes traffic jams.
Posted by: Ron on Dec 4, 2008 at 05:31 AM
Send the College World Series to Sarpy county every four years. College baseball shouldn't be a priority over such a prized gem as any Olympic trials. It's boring.
Posted by: B.K. on Dec 4, 2008 at 03:40 AM
With the nation in a recession and the city running short on money, is building a baseball stadium for a two week event really the best idea? They've already been calling off condo projects, I think they should reconvene and discuss about delaying/cancelling this project for a while.
Posted by: Kona on Dec 4, 2008 at 02:28 AM
I am so embarrassed to live in this city. Moving somewhere else is not an option for a few years. Darn!
Posted by: seriously! on Dec 4, 2008 at 01:20 AM
So the president/CEO of the Qwest center is looking at an independent baseball league and is still in talks with Creighton to fill up time in the new stadium. How many POSSIBLE baseball fans are there in the area that would provide enough support to the CWS, the Royals, Creighton and an independent league, in different venues and each with different goals/strengths/weaknesses, to make it worth their time? Seems like oversaturation of the 'market' to me, but then I don't care for baseball so perhaps I'm missing something. And, with a confirmed recession on,which is projected to get worse, don't even get me started on the streetcar study!
Posted by: Jim on Dec 3, 2008 at 11:44 PM
Omaha has done it again, no swim meet in 2012, just a few days of baseball! Their claim? Not enough parking or hotel/motel rooms! I guess the powers that be in Omaha have never heard of council bluffs,lincoln,freemont or all the other small towns within a 50 mile radias with said hotels/motels. As for parking, since the parking lots are being torn up,might as well build garages and scalp a few more bucks out of us! Another idea, have the MAC do the swim trials
Posted by: AM on Dec 3, 2008 at 11:22 PM
How many of you people that are complaining about the stadium being used 2 weeks a year are the same hypocrites that go to Nebraska games at Memorial Stadium which is only used 7 days a year??? Nobody complains about Memorial Stadium. What's the difference??? Thank goodness our mayor has a progressive mind. I love Omaha, but I can't stand the abundance of conservatives in this town that are so "anti-progress"!
Posted by: A Taxpayer on Dec 3, 2008 at 10:44 PM
Hate to say it, but, I TOLD YOU SO!!!! Fahey is a fool, and I'm glad I moved out of town so I won't be paying for this fiasco. Stop the stadium fools!
Posted by: J from Bennington on Dec 3, 2008 at 10:12 PM
The paper says "the Qwest Center grounds and local hotels" . . . could not handle the crowds. It's both. Perhaps it could have been handled if the CWS were at Rosenblatt and the Swim Trials at Qwest, perhaps not. The original schedule only had them overlapping by a couple of days - I think the hotel problem wouldn't have been an issue, as many people leave toward the end of these events when their team/athlete disqualifies. The problem mentioned by Dixon (WOWT) and in general by the paper was parking. Remember how Fahey and MECA said nothing ever goes on at the Qwest during the CWS anyway, so there would never be a loss of revenue during that time frame. $40 - $50 million worth of economic impact every 4 years - I guess if Fahey can throw away $350,000 on a trolley/downtown development study while calling for $4 - 5 mil in budget cuts, he can also throw away a possible $40 - $50 mil coming in during 2012.
Posted by: J on Dec 3, 2008 at 10:01 PM
Obviously people can't read or don't comprehend logic. NO MATTER WHERE THE CWS IS PLAYED, THE OLYMPIC SWIM TRIALS AND THE CWS CANNOT BE PLAYED IN OMAHA AT THE SAME TIME! THIS CANNOT HAPPEN BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH HOTELS TO FIT ALL OF THE TRAVEL NO MATTER WHAT! PAY ATTENTION AND STOP ASSUMING YOU'RE SMART AND KNOW EVERYTHING!
Posted by: Chris on Dec 3, 2008 at 09:55 PM
This is crazy and now we need to cut the budget. Lets build a stadium to be used for 2 weeks a year.. and sit empty the rest of the time.
Posted by: mv on Dec 3, 2008 at 09:49 PM
smart peole.first safe haven, now this ! omaha is going to be at the top off the list?high taxes..but its o k! i like seen omaha on CNN NEWS go mayor cool brige....lets cut the police force!!! not
Posted by: John on Dec 3, 2008 at 09:29 PM
As the hedline said, new stadium gain brings losses for Omaha. I think that the losses that we'll see haven't even begun to be realized. Once the stadium is build more problems will begin to show their effects.
Posted by: Sam on Dec 3, 2008 at 09:27 PM
Let's all pitch in and hire a lawyer to sue Fahey. If Ernie can do it why can't we.
Posted by: Get over it on Dec 3, 2008 at 08:39 PM
First off: If you want to bag on the Mayor, thats your right, but at least spell his name right. FAHEY. Second off: Swin trials are every 4 years. CWS is every year. More people go to the CWS, so get over the whole swim trial thing. The stadium is a done deal. Let it go.
Posted by: Scott on Dec 3, 2008 at 08:32 PM
The Mayor is talking about cutting jobs, Police and Firemen included, yet he is still building a two week stadium and wanting to spend more money on a trolley. During a RECESSION!
Posted by: Me on Dec 3, 2008 at 08:31 PM
This has to do with scheduling not the new stadium. I'm no fan of Fahey, but I'm failing to see how this is his fault?
Posted by: taxed to death on Dec 3, 2008 at 08:28 PM
sounds like Kiewit Construction Company is getting paid off by the mayors office .Or is it the other way around.
Posted by: B on Dec 3, 2008 at 08:20 PM
Swim trials...internation attention focused on Omaha. CWS...two weeks of revenue brought to Omaha and the stadium sits empty the rest of the year. Too bad. Should have left Rosenblatt as is and welcomed the swim trials again in 2012.
Posted by: C on Dec 3, 2008 at 08:12 PM
Read the article people!!! There are not enough hotel rooms in Omaha to have both events at the same time. That's 99% of the reason why the trials won't be here in 2012. This has NOTHING to do with the new stadium being next to the Qwest Center.
Posted by: ed on Dec 3, 2008 at 07:54 PM
let's see, spend millions for a new 2 week a year stadium, lose millions in revenue from swim trials, be told that parking issues will not have conflicts with the college world series, demand budget cuts to make up for lost sales tax revenue, decline to run for re-election---priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Chris on Dec 3, 2008 at 07:53 PM
Baseball shouldn't even be considered a sport, no one goes to see the Royals play anyways. The new stadium will be good use for other things as well and construction is always good for the economy.
Posted by: Amy on Dec 3, 2008 at 07:30 PM
I have said it a million times before, what a huge waste of money!!
Posted by: steve on Dec 3, 2008 at 07:28 PM
they should build it bigger that way they will need more men on the job most of the construction workers will be from omaha
Posted by: ME on Dec 3, 2008 at 07:21 PM
I understand the CWS is a HUGE thing for this city, it just doesnt make any sense to build a brand new stadium that is going to cost us hundrends of millions of dollars, to use it for 2 weeks out of the year... where is the logic?
Posted by: Ben on Dec 3, 2008 at 07:11 PM
Hey taxpayers....just wait for the bill on the remodeling of the interstate system downtown!
Posted by: Ya on Dec 3, 2008 at 07:08 PM
SO what if the swimming trails won't be here. Thats two weeks ever 4 years vs. 2 weeks every year.
Posted by: Mary O. on Dec 3, 2008 at 06:29 PM
There goes more money our city could desperately use.
Posted by: Linda on Dec 3, 2008 at 06:20 PM
What a tragedy, an incredibly expensive stadium that will get used for two weeks a year AND no swimming trials. Omaha and its tax p[ayers are the big losers in this mess.
Posted by: Mike on Dec 3, 2008 at 06:14 PM
Do you people not read the article before posting your thoughtless comments? I don't think the NCAA cares if the Royals play there or not and the swim trials wouldn't have come even if the CWS was at Rosenblatt, it is a scheduling issue. The CWS isn't going anywhere, it is an annual event in Omaha and the trials are once every four years. The CWS blows the trials out of the water. Maybe they can build you all a little pool at the Rosenblatt site and you can have your own trials.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 3, 2008 at 05:21 PM
How sad to go on with this in the midst of a huge reseccion. Foolish waste!
Posted by: Michaela on Dec 3, 2008 at 04:54 PM
BOOO!!!!!!! SAVE ROSENBLATT! What if the NCAA hears that Royals will not be using this they could totally stop it and say they are going to look at other cities. Shouldn't you do something if EVERYONE is behind it. Obviously not everyone is.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 3, 2008 at 04:43 PM
Why is it that no one is stopping this mess before it progresses!
Posted by: Shells on Dec 3, 2008 at 03:59 PM
Millions of dollars spent on a stadium that will be used 2 weeks out of the year, we loose the Royals & we loose the Olympic swim trials (which, by the way, were really cool). Someone needs to stop these construction crews! Is it too late to put a stop to this stadium?
Posted by: LLR on Dec 3, 2008 at 03:40 PM
OH, SURE. Begin construction the day AFTER Fahey calls for budget cuts across the board and the very day OF the announcements that the Royals will move to Sarpy County and the 2012 Olympic Swim Trials can't be held here? Real nice, Stinson. I'll bet construction wasn't SUPPOSED to start until February or March but in light of all the bad news you thought you better get your crews in motion? Or did King Mike call you this morning and tell you to get started? I am here to tell you, in ten years Omaha will be so far in debt with this white elephant and they will lose the CWS ANYWAY. Fortunately I won't be here to see it.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 3, 2008 at 03:39 PM
I think you need to take down that stadium leave rosenblatt there leave it alone alls Mike Fayhe is wanting to do is hold up traffic what else does he want to do do something smart Fayhe if you know how or why don't you just RETIRE!!!!!!!!! Get out of the mayor's office. Ananamous
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