Lincoln City Council approves putting arena on ballot
Lincoln Journal Star
February 8, 2010
By Deena Winter
City hall swelled Monday with about 100 people who wanted to talk about whether to build a new arena to replace Pershing Center -- even though the question at hand was primarily whether to put the issue to a public vote.
Ultimately the council voted 6-0 to put a portion of the financing on the May 11 primary election ballot.
Councilman Jon Camp, who owns eight buildings in the Haymarket District, abstained from voting.
Pro-arena forces filled most of the seats and kicked off testimony with Mayor Chris Beutler explaining the importance of the signature project for his administration.
Besides the arena, the proposal includes new roads, parking garages, a hotel, retail development and an indoor ice skating complex to be built west of the downtown Haymarket on an existing railyard.
Beutler was followed by a parade of booster and business groups. Many supporters wore suits; most naysayers tended to be average Joes.
Twenty-five people testified in support of a new arena, six were against and five weren't clear about their stance.
Michelle Waite, assistant to Chancellor Harvey Perlman, read a letter from Perlman saying he expects the NU Board of Regents to approve on Friday an agreement to form a joint public agency with the city of Lincoln. He said remodeling the Bob Devaney Sports Center "is an option, but is not the preferred option."
Clifford Sibley said he supports a public vote on an arena, but first he'd like an update on the city's infrastructure backlog and the cost of environmental cleanup and how that will be covered.
Among the supporters: The Downtown Lincoln Association, the Lincoln Independent Business Association, the Star City Skating Association, the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, the chamber's Young Professionals Group, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln student senate, the Updowntowners, the Lincoln Ice Hockey Association, the Center for People in Need and 2015 Vision. The chamber proffered 600 signatures of support.
"This project creates a destination," said chamber President Wendy Birdsall.
LIBA head Coby Mach said his group will oppose any plan to refurbish Pershing Center and monitor the cost of environmental remediation.
Bob Van Valkenburg seemed supportive of the project but was skeptical of spending "a fair chunk of change" here in "Potholeville, Nebraska."
The Nebraska Restaurant Association reiterated its request that the city not rely only on entertainment taxes -- expected to pay for about half the $344 million project.
The leader of an opponents' group, 77-year-old Lynn Darling, castigated the City Council and accused the city of corruption.
"This is just another shut up and pay, and it's time the taxpayers stand up," she said. "These slick, candy-coated presentations have made me sick to my stomach."
However, Clint Burge, business manager of a union of electrical workers, said the jobs the project will create will help his 40 unemployed electricians "at a time when we really need it the most."
Pat McGrane was a rarity: He didn't think the issue was ready to go on a ballot yet. He said since Nebraska men's basketball Coach Doc Sadler has said he's happy playing in the Devaney Center, "why are we spending millions of dollars?"
Others said the ballot language should be more clear, that although people are being asked to approve $25 million of the financing, it's a $344 million project.
Tom Henning, president of Assurity Life, represented 2015 Vision, which he said would lead an effort to raise $20 million toward the project and millions more for the Breslow Ice Center.
Jeff Poley said he likes the idea of a new arena, but as a former city planner, he doesn't think the city knows enough about environmental problems in the targeted development area.
"We have a site that we know could very well be an environmental disaster," he said.
However, Jim Linderholm of HWS, which has been hired by the city to study environmental issues, said the $7.5 million budgeted for cleanup is a "worst-case scenario" and the city could buy insurance to protect it from unknowns.
Former Councilwoman Robin Eschliman said she was a fiscal conservative when she served on the City Council, but she supports the project to help spur tax revenue.
And Beatty Brasch, executive director for the Center for People in Need, said although some question the timing of the project, it will generate jobs, especially construction jobs.
"Construction is a key area for many working poor," she said.
In two related 6-0 votes, the council approved an agreement with UNL to form the joint public agency to finance the arena and for the Husker basketball teams to play in the city-owned arena.
