Recommends collaborative discussions with the NCAA, CWS of Omaha Inc. and MECA

(OMAHA, Neb. – February 17, 2008) – Ken Stinson, Chairman of the CWS Oversight Committee and Chairman of Peter Kiewit Sons’ Inc., today announced that the CWS Stadium Oversight Committee has unanimously reached a preliminary recommendation to Mayor Fahey that the Qwest Center parking lots C and E be the site of a new home for the College World Series, the Omaha Royals and Creighton University. The Committee further recommended that collaborative discussions with the NCAA, CWS of Omaha Inc. and MECA proceed as soon as possible.

“The NCAA has presented Omaha with a great opportunity to extend our long partnership. I want to thank the professionals who assisted the Committee in considering alternatives and preparing a recommendation,” said Stinson. “We were fortunate to gather a team of competent and committed professionals to assist us in our work, and we are especially grateful for the detailed analysis of logistical and site-specific considerations that were completed in a very compressed timeframe.”

According to Stinson, full details of the analysis and recommendation will be released publicly as soon as the preliminary recommendation has been presented to the NCAA and the NCAA has had sufficient time to review the information. 

Stinson also stated that he and the Committee were very pleased that Mayor Fahey responded to the principle concern of David Sokol and the MECA board, sending a letter on Friday to the MECA Chairman and Board members detailing the City’s intent to have MECA operate and manage a new stadium in the event that the Qwest Center parking lots C and E are the selected site locations.  And the Committee has directed its team of professionals to provide each MECA board member and the MECA staff copies of all final reports and analysis developed in the course of the Committee’s work.

“MECA has demonstrated good stewardship of important City assets, and we believe they are ideally suited to operating the new facility,” said Stinson. “We are prepared to meet with the MECA Board and staff at their earliest convenience to ensure that the concerns they have expressed are adequately addressed.”

Stinson emphasized that the Committee understands the importance of fully informing the public of their analysis and conclusions and of the need to provide detailed information on the estimated costs and the sources of funding. Input from the public will be sought in a series of public meetings very similar to those conducted in the development of the Qwest Center in 2000. 

“We’re looking forward to another generation with Omaha as the host city for the College World Series,” concluded Stinson. “We’re improving the Road to Omaha, and have once again demonstrated our community’s ability to respond to opportunities.”