Recommendation Specifics

Why has the CWS Oversight Committee chosen not make its findings public prior to this time?
The CWS Oversight Committee, College World Series of Omaha Inc., and the City of Omaha view the NCAA as a critical long-term partner in the success of the College World Series in Omaha. As such, the Committee has always intended that our partner should have the opportunity to hear the details of our preliminary recommendation before we initiated a dialogue with the general public.

Has the NCAA reacted to the CWS Oversight Committee’s recommendation?
There has never been any expectation of a definitive response from the NCAA following the CWS Oversight Committee’s presentation on February 26, other than a determination of the next steps in the process.

Did the NCAA give the City any indication of their preference for either a new venue or a renovation of Rosenblatt Stadium?
In meetings and written communications, the NCAA has stated that it does not have a preference for any specific proposal, whether it involves construction of a new venue or an extensive renovation of Rosenblatt Stadium. The NCAA’s expectations are for an atmosphere and venue that is befitting an NCAA national championship.

Will a downtown stadium result in traffic problems during the Mens College World Series?
Traffic flow around the preferred downtown site has been observed and analyzed and it is the preliminary recommendation of the design committee to widen and improve traffic control along Webster, 13th and 14th Streets. The preliminary traffic analysis indicates that vacating 12th Street between Webster and Cuming presents no imminent problem, if prescribed street and traffic control improvements are implemented. Computerized signals would be used more often to speed traffic flows.

With the renovation of Rosenblatt and all the additional sites considered by the Committee, what specific elements made this location the unanimous recommendation?
The preferred site offers numerous physical advantages that are attractive to the NCAA, such as proximity to downtown amenities such as hotels, restaurants, entertainment, Heartland of America Park, the Old Market, Lewis & Clark Landing and Eppley Airfield. The site is within easy walking distance to more than 9,300 parking spaces and the Qwest Center, where concurrent CWS/NCAA meetings and activities can be conducted. In addition, the city will be getting a new stadium with views of the downtown skyline, Qwest Center and new pedestrian bridge for a similar tax package as the one required for a renovated Rosenblatt Stadium. Either option would cost taxpayers the same.

What were the main factors utilized in the analysis of either renovating Rosenblatt or developing a new site?
Working closely with the CWS Oversight Committee, the design team developed an objective analytical matrix for comparing each of eight potential downtown sites and Rosenblatt Stadium. The matrix consisted of factors such as site availability, property ownership, topography, floodplain/groundwater issues, utilities and infrastructure costs, accessibility, design and cost analysis, acquisition costs and parking. Other factors considered included traffic, intangibles such as “WOW factor” and urban design issues related to proximity of restaurants, hotels and other athletic facilities.

What is the current proposed cost of the new stadium, and how will the City finance it?
Total projected cost of the new stadium is estimated at $127.84 million, plus an additional $11.95 million, which is required to retire the existing Rosenblatt Stadium debt and secure control of the Rosenblatt property. Total sources required are $139.79 million. Private donations would account for $42.95 million for a new downtown stadium, which includes the $11.95 million to retire the existing Rosenblatt debt. The remaining amount would be paid from a combination of stadium revenues, proposed increases in hotel/motel and car rental taxes and Keno funds.

How many jobs will construction of the new stadium provide?
According to Ernie Goss, Ph.D., MacAllister chair and Professor of Economics at Creighton University, during the two-year construction  period the new downtown stadium will support an average of 1,034  year-round jobs and increase Omaha wages and salaries by $64.6 million.

Rosenblatt

Would many homes have to be displaced under a Rosenblatt renovation?
The Rosenblatt Stadium architectural design included the purchase of property on the west side of 13th Street between Deer Park Boulevard and Phelps Street, and south of Bert Murphy Drive immediately adjacent to the existing site for the creation of a “Clean Zone.” A total of 68 parcels are located on the proposed site, mainly occupied by single family residence homes.

Why was the Roesnblatt site less than optimal about, according to the analysis?
The CWS Oversight Committee cited minimal access to hotels and parking, limited pedestrian access and future development potential, and poor relationship with other athletic venues. Another consideration was the continued negative parking impact of the Men’s College World Series on the Zoo, the risk of losing the Omaha Royals due to displacement during renovation and issues related to property acquisition of land areas west of 13th and south of Bert Murphy Drive for development as a “Clean Zone.”

And how about the stadium itself?
Among the design limitations to Rosenblatt Stadium are narrow and confined concourses, the location of the stadium relative to restaurants and hotels, limited number of clubhouses and student-athlete lounge space, limited NCAA staff office space and inadequate press conference space. Other limitations include operational inconveniences such as obstructed NCAA committee access to the field, lack of staging areas for activities on the field, inadequate storage areas, insufficient space for NCAA interactive exhibits and lack of space for athletic training and drug testing. It is questionable whether a renovation of Rosenblatt Stadium can result in a state-of-the-art venue that, when compared to those venues student-athletes play in during the regular season, is of the “championship quality” the NCAA requires.

If the stadium is built downtown will the Rosenblatt site be put to good use?
The approximately 43 acres of property currently occupied by Rosenblatt Stadium and parking holds exciting potential for future development by Nebraska’s No. 1 tourist attraction – the Henry Doorly Zoo. Zoo officials have expressed interest in acquiring control of the Rosenblatt property upon completion of a downtown venue.

Funding

How do we know this won’t ultimately result in a property tax increase?
The CWS Oversight Committee worked with the mayor’s office and considered input from members of the Omaha City Council in evaluating how best to obtain the required public funding. The public revenue sources are a combination of stadium revenues and public funding through hotel/motel and car rental taxes and Keno funds. These sources are primarily paid by visitors to the city, and will adequately meet the need for public funding.

Is a downtown stadium a good investment/catalyst for development? Will the new stadium be used more during the course of a year than we’ve seen in the past?
In addition to serving as the home of the Men’s College World Series, it is anticipated that the stadium will be used for home games by Creighton University and the Omaha Royals baseball team, and for outdoor concerts. The ballpark is anticipated to have several additional and unique design components that will provide for four-season use of the facility, or help make an evening at the ballpark a memorable and often-repeated family experience.

General

What do college coaches think about the recommended changes?
When many coaches describe The Road to Omaha, they refer to the warmth and friendliness of the people here who welcome them in restaurants, stores and hotels across the city. They also appreciate the hospitality of the service club members who go out of their way each year to provide student-athletes and their coaches with special activities and experiences unique to Omaha. The emotional connection that Omaha fans have to the student-athletes, coaches and NCAA member institutions is not dependent upon a single venue.

Will tailgating still be allowed in the parking lots?
Tailgating will continue to be a popular tradition at the Men’s College World Series.

Will the current season ticket holders have a place in the new stadium?
Season ticket holders will be treated as revered patrons at any new venue.

Does the College World Series benefit the city of Omaha economically?
According to “The Impact of the College World Series on the City of Omaha 2007 – 2018” by Dr. Ernie Goss, Ph.D., the Men’s College World Series will add $25.7 million in Omaha city tax collections between 2008 and 2018. Statewide, the Series will add approximately $66.5 million to total state and local tax collections. The Series also supports roughly 537 year-round jobs with an annual payroll of approximately $12.1 million. Between 2008 and 2018, it is estimated the Series will support a total payroll of more than $159.4 million. The Series has a stabilizing impact on the area’s economy with the number of jobs supported rising significantly over the past decade. In addition, other significant amateur events surround the Series and add to its economic clout. For example, SlumpBuster, sponsored by Triple Crown Sports, will draw 400 teams and nearly 12,000 players, coaches and fans to Omaha in 2008. The Series also contributes to the attractiveness of Omaha, encouraging in-migration and discouraging out-migration.

Will there still be a general admission section in a new stadium?
Total seating distribution in the 24,000-seat stadium includes 5,292 general admission seats consisting of continuous benches with backrests provided over cast-in-place concrete treads and risers; 14,000 reserved seats; and 4,708 box seats. A sloping ramp on the outside of the stadium will provide an overlook of the Fan Fest area for general admission fans waiting for entry into the outfield seating areas.

What kind of entertainment venues will be easily accessible from a downtown stadium?
In addition to providing considerable space for the Fan Fest experience, the preliminary ballpark design places the stadium with a five-minute walk from five hotels and numerous entertainment venues including the InPlay complex, the Qwest Center, the Film Streams independent movie theater, the Saddle Creek Records complex including bars and shops and the Old Market. Other downtown amenities include Heartland of America Park, the Old Market, Lewis & Clark Landing, the Pioneer Courage and Spirit of Nebraska Wilderness sculpture parks and Eugene Leahy Mall, to name a few.

Will raising the hotel/motel tax leave Omaha with one of the highest hotel tax rates in the U.S.?
For 2007, the average total cost, which includes room rate, taxes and service fees, of a room in Omaha was $125.32, according to Business Travel News. That ranked Omaha 81st on the list of the top 100 U.S. cities. After a 1 percent increase, the average hotel room rate inclusive of all taxes and service fees would only move Omaha from 81st to 80th among the top 100 U.S. cities.

How will the parking issue be addressed?
A preliminary parking analysis indicates that potential development of a significant number of surface parking lot spaces exists within a reasonable walking distance from the preferred stadium site. Most of these parking spaces will be located well within a six-minute walking distance.

Will a new downtown stadium in Omaha result in downtime for the Qwest Center?
During the Men’s College World Series, all hotel rooms are taken by Series visitors, so few events will occur at the Qwest Center during that time. Also, it was contemplated when the City of Omaha drafted its lease agreement involving the Qwest Center that there would be future development and cooperative use that visualized the displacement of parking and how it would be replaced.