By Jon Brooks
Everything seemed perfect. Idyllic, really.
The University of Nebraska at Omaha Hockey program looked like it had been born to play hockey at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. An outside observer in the late 1990s would have been hard-pressed to tell the team hadn't been playing there for decades.
The arena fit UNO Hockey like a glove.
But the winds of change were howling like a banshee. Local leaders were talking about a new arena/convention center as the millennium neared. Such was the case about many things in those heady economic days.
“If You Build It…”
A commission was formed in the late '90s to look at the viability of the city building a new arena/convention center downtown.
The commission studied many factors and made financial projections. The commission favored a location southwest of downtown's Old Market district. Mayor Daub favored the Union Pacific railyard on the northeast edge of downtown.
In addition, some in Omaha (like the Baer family, who owned the Omaha Lancers) were still pushing for the Aksarben property to become the focus of the city's arena plans.
The discussion of such a facility permeated Daub’s tenure in office, and likely defined his legacy in politics. He tended to have a bullish outlook on urban renewal efforts in Omaha, and his frenetic persistence on the matter eventually saw the arena come to fruition.
(There was even one report in April 1998 suggesting the Daub administration was considering building a NASCAR track near the UP railyard site).
In many respects, the issue turned into a race of sorts as the city kept a wary eye across the river at Council Bluffs, and whether the considerable casino revenue there would result in their city building an arena/convention center first.
(Council Bluffs did beat Omaha to the punch, but their arena would be built at less than half the capacity of Omaha's facility, and didn't have near the convention space or amenities).
After lengthy debate on a site for Omaha's proposed arena/convention center, the venue would end up in the northeastern part of downtown on the U.P. site where Daub had envisioned, adjacent to a park on the “cleaned up” Asarco lead refinery property (despite concerns from certain groups about contamination to the site's groundwater).
There was considerable debate on funding an entertainment/convention venue for Omaha. Perusing the reams of articles on the matter, it is readily apparent that a book could be written on the political machinations behind the downtown arena/convention center.
The measure was eventually put to a vote on May 9, 2000 (along with a measure to approve a governing authority — MECA — to run it).
A group called “Build It Omaha” set forth to promote the ballot bond issue. I remember their TV commercials (saying, “It’s about Omaha’s future”), red-white-and-blue yard signs, and website.
I also remember being handed a “Build It Omaha” sticker at the 2000 Maverick Council Dinner (one of our clients had a table at the event).
Voters approved both ballot measures, and work began in earnest on the arena/convention center project.
On the topic of minor league hockey at the venue…
There had been rumblings about such a thing at a new arena, but the financial projections reported limited the numbers to UNO Hockey and Creighton Basketball.
David Sokol (the first chairman of the MECA board) told the Omaha World-Herald on May 18, 2001:
“At this point, minor league hockey, in my personal view, has not demonstrated it would be the best and highest use for the amount of nights it would take.”
Should I Stay or Should I Go
The Omaha World-Herald published an article on May 25, 2002 telling readers that UNO Hockey was set to become the first major tenant at the yet-to-be-named arena.
UNO Athletic Director Bob Danenhauer said of the move: “For the viability of our athletic program and hockey, this is the right move for us. You're going to have a facility that is brand new and one of the best in the country.”
The financials of the deal were outlined in the article:
-- UNO would pay an estimated $600,000 annually — $6 million, plus inflation, over 10 years. The lease would start Sept. 1, 2003, and UNO would begin playing hockey at the arena in the 2003-04 season.
-- The main advantage is that UNO would be able to sell more tickets, [Danenhauer] said. The Civic's hockey capacity is 8,314. The new arena's will be about 14,500.
-- UNO's estimated $600,000 lease payment for the first year of the new arena is $200,000 more than the $400,000 the university will pay [for the 2002-03 season] for the Civic.
-- The higher cost of leasing the new arena would be more than offset by an estimated $650,000 increase in hockey revenue that first year, primarily from additional ticket sales and advertising income.
-- UNO would pay a base rent of $4,500 a game. The university also would pay MECA 10 percent of all per-game ticket proceeds in excess of $82,000.
-- The lease also requires a utility fee of $1,000 a game, which also would be increased annually by a percentage that matches the increase in the base rent. UNO also must pay a facility fee of $1.50 a ticket, the same amount it pays at the Civic.
UNO had expressed hopes of selling more seats as a result of the move. He suggested that season ticket holders at the time expressed interest in adding seats, and that the athletic department had a marketing and promotional program they were planning to unveil.
(UNO did, in fact, announce a marketing deal with “Omaha Sports Marketing” on March 5, 2003. OSM was a marketing division of the Omaha Royals Baseball organization).
Danenhauer also told the Omaha World-Herald that he didn't want to “cap [UNO’s] potential fan base” by staying at the Civic Auditorium:
Danenhauer said UNO came to the conclusion that if it stays at the auditorium, it would cap its potential fan base. UNO has sold out all 87 of its home games since the program started in 1997. Its average paid attendance of 8,314 has ranked in the top five nationally in Division I hockey each of the past four years.
By moving to the new building, Danenhauer said, there would be an opportunity to increase the fan base beyond the current waiting list for 900 seats.
Goaltender Dan Ellis said of the Civic:
“This is my favorite rink to ever play in — by far. Its the perfect sized rink for college hockey. It's got an unbelievable atmosphere because it’s a nice tight bowl. Our fans can fill the place, but even when it’s maybe a little empty it's still loud."
Legendary hockey coach Herb Brooks had this to say:
“I love the Civic, and it would be crazy if they ever took the college game out of there. You keep putting 8,000 people in the Civic and keep the tickets a premium, and you've got something going. With the sight lines, it's one of the great college hockey rinks in America. The fans are as boisterous and as enthusiastic as any I've seen."
Others shared fondness for the old barn, but the prevailing sentiment seemed to be that it was time for the program to move forward.
Coach Mike Kemp's comment to the Omaha World-Herald sums up the mindset during those years: “How do you drive a recruit from the airport down Abbott Drive and go past the new arena and tell him that you don't play there but that you play in the 50-year-old building up the street?”
With season ticket renewals at 98 percent for the 2003-04 season, things looked to be in good shape to build on a solid base of support.
Lest people think hockey fans and supporters didn't give the $290 million arena/convention center (soon to be known as the "Qwest Center Omaha") a fair shake, my wife Bridget had the following to say in the Dec. 10, 2003 issue of the Omaha World-Herald:
"I was skeptical at first because of my attachment to the Civic," she said. "But after coming here, I've come around."
What no one realized at that moment was that sentiments would change, and within three years of the move, local "influencers" (along with fans on forums like MavPuck.com) would start to bang the drum for UNO to have its own on-campus arena.
Read the previous installments:
By Jon Brooks
In Part 1 of "The Arena Origin Story" we touched on the nascent days of hockey in Omaha, looking at how the The Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum became the hub for pucks in the area.
Whether or not that piece of property -- nestled in the middle of Omaha -- is "hallowed ground" for the sport is yet to be seen. But there is no denying that the area holds an important place in the city's sports landscape.
The Spokes on the Wheel
With the Omaha Lancers finding a foothold at Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum in the late 80s, hockey's passionate fans came roaring to the fore. A rough start to the franchise's history was succeeded by teams with excellent records, and capacity crowds to cheer on the boys.
It only stood to reason that other interested parties would stand up and take notice.
Not only would rumblings once again surface regarding the possibility of UNO Hockey, but a minor league hockey team's owner would even propose building a 10,000-seat arena in Omaha.
The Land of Our Dreams
In November of 1990, the Ak-Sar-Ben board of governors decided to put its 340 acres of property up for sale.
As I mentioned in Part I, the proceeds from horse racing on the property had declined throughout the 1980s, and those charged with its care started looking for other opportunities.
When the decision was made to sell, it was done with the idea that only select civic entities would even be considered.
An Omaha World-Herald article on Nov. 20, 1990 stated: "A new owner would be prohibited from using the land and buildings for any commercial activity..."
Obviously, that didn't quite end up being the case, and the Aksarben property is today a vibrant "mixed-use" development with commercial, residential, and educational facilities.
UNO was one of the educational entities on the short list for the sale. Local leaders felt there was merit in the idea that the property would allow for UNO's landlocked campus to have expansion opportunities.
Another entity that Aksarben's leadership found acceptable as a buyer was Douglas County, and board member Steve McCollister started devising a plan for the property.
McCollister proposed many possibilities for the property, and the idea of UNO as a major participant was definitely at play. In addition, he proposed building a new sports arena:
"The number of seats hasn't been determined but probably would be between 8,000 and 15,000," McCollister said. "Omaha's City Auditorium Arena seats 9,300; the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln seats 14,300." -- Omaha World-Herald, Jan. 5, 1991
There was a certain amount of debate as to where the city should build a new sports arena. Some local politicians (such as then-Mayor P.J. Morgan) favored downtown Omaha as a locale. Others were pushing for the soon-to-be available Aksarben property.
The sale of Aksarken had the resultant effect of putting all the various plans in limbo.
"Hockey at UNO?"
That sentence started out an Omaha World-Herald article published on March 22, 1991.
UNO had just released a 20-year master plan, and hockey was listed as a possible addition to athletics.
[UNO Athletic Director Bob] Gibson said several people have asked him about UNO adding hockey. He said the success of the Omaha Lancers is probably one reason why.
"I don't think there's any question that has something to do with it," he said. "This is a hockey city."
The article itself was little more than a "tease," but it showed the concept was on UNO's radar.
Douglas County Makes Its Pitch
Douglas County Commissioner Steve McCollister wrote an editorial (published in the Omaha World-Herald on Jan. 8, 1992) titled "How Purchase of Ak - Sar - Ben Would Add to Quality of Life."
The plan would see the county purchasing the property, and the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben continuing as a foundation (using proceeds from the sale for charitable work within the community).
McCollister also wrote: "It is important to stress that it is not what Ak - Sar - Ben is today that is exciting; it is what it can be in 10 or 20 years. This is not an offer to buy a racetrack."
The vision that McCollister had is largely what we have seen the Aksarben development become (albeit with a significant commercial component).
Mayor Daub Enters the Picture
In April of 1995, Mayor Hal Daub started talking about redevelopment possibilities at Aksarben. Debate was swirling as to whether the property -- which in its heyday had been known for horse racing -- should be used for "non-gambling" uses, or whether casino gambling should be allowed on the property.
Daub focused on redevelopment centered around educational uses for UNO. He commented on the topic in the April, 21, 1995, issue of the Omaha World-Herald.
Mayor Daub said Friday that a conference center, a sports arena and an engineering college for the University of Nebraska at Omaha are among the redevelopment options that are under consideration for Ak - Sar - Ben.
Daub said the plan could include a 6,000-seat sports arena for hockey and basketball and a conference center for use by the city's medical schools and other educational institutions.
He said his personal view was that an engineering college "should offer undergraduate and graduate study, as well as continuing education classes."
(Note: Hal Daub currently serves on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, and was one of the board members who approved the bonds to fund the UNO Community Arena adjacent to the Aksarben redevelopment).
McCollister voiced similar views the following week, and expressed his concerns about the property being turned over to "gaming" interests. He also reiterated the notion of the property being used for future UNO facilities.
Many discussions have been held over the years about uses as varied as UNO facilities and parking, amphitheaters, soccer fields, amateur and collegiate hockey to Shakespeare on the Green. -- Omaha World-Herald, April 28, 1995
In the final sum game, the "non-gambling" interests won out, and the road toward the ongoing Aksarben redevelopment we see today was forged.
It is fascinating to see how the property has developed in a fashion similar to those early visions.
It wasn't easy getting from there to here, and the notion of UNO having a new sports arena -- let alone a hockey team -- seemed like a faint dream.
While local leaders were ruminating on the future of sports, entertainment, and conventions in the area (along with the dealings at Aksarben, Mayor Daub was laying the groundwork for riverfront redevelopment downtown), UNO Athletic Director Don Leahy was laying the groundwork for D-I hockey at the university.
The "Don" of a New Era
The concept of D-I hockey at UNO was again floated publicly as Don Leahy returned to UNO for another stint as athletic director. This time, Leahy would pull it off.
Leahy's installment as AD was covered in the Aug. 11, 1995 issue of the Omaha World-Herald:
Don Leahy, introduced as UNO's new athletic director in a press conference on Thursday, said he had come up with the idea during his previous stint as athletic director at the school, from 1974 through 1985.
"Shortly after I arrived, I went to Ronald Roskens -- who had hired me -- with a plan to start hockey at UNO," Leahy said. "He said he liked it, but because of the timing and some possible problems involved, we decided to put it on hold."
Leahy had come to UNO from Ak - Sar - Ben's executive staff, where his responsibilities included working with the Omaha Knights of the Central Hockey League.
Now, more than 20 years later, UNO Chancellor Del Weber is enthused about the possibility, Leahy said.
But coming up with the funding -- and finding a place to play -- are different problems.
"I would think it would be extremely difficult for us to play at Ak - Sar - Ben, with another hockey team (the Omaha Lancers) and a basketball team (Omaha Racers) already there," he said. "But that will be part of our investigation. I haven't looked into it yet, but we're going to look at every option."
Another option would be renovation at the City Auditorium that would include ice for hockey.
Leahy had been brought in to revitalize athletics. There was considerable hand-wringing regarding UNO Athletics in the early 1990s, and it wasn't a pretty period.
I was a UNO student at the time, and there were some in Omaha who were even suggesting that the university drop athletics altogether.
Leahy -- and hockey -- proved to be the elixir that would fix an ailing athletic department.
(Note: That was part of my motivation for sending Bridget over to UNO to stand in line for hockey season tickets in May of 1996. I saw our school doing something positive for athletics, and thought it was important to support them in the effort).
Looking back, it is fascinating to consider Leahy's connection to the Omaha Knights organization, and his previous employment with Ak-Sar-Ben.
Even though the UNO Hockey program has yet to play a game in the area, Aksarben is inextricably tied to the program, and it almost seems like UNO building a new home there was predetermined from the inception.
But as we all know, the program would take a few detours on its road to the UNO Community Arena...
Next time: The Arena Origin Story: Part 3
By Jon Brooks
Every story has a beginning...
The road to the UNO Community Arena saw its beginnings long before the first puck was dropped at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in 1997.
To tell you the truth, I'm not altogether sure the general public was really paying attention. I know I had read bits and blurbs, but I certainly didn't see how things were evolving at the time. It's the benefit of hindsight, I suppose.
As much as the vision started with proposals for the redevelopment of the Ak-Sar-Ben property, it started years before when the Omaha Knights left the city, leaving a void in the city's sports landscape.
Club Hockey at UNO
The Omaha Knights had folded. Their league (the CHL) was in limbo. By all accounts, fans of the sport were left to wonder whether they'd get to watch high-level hockey in Omaha again.
UNO Athletics (under the direction of Athletic Director Don Leahy) fielded a club hockey team in the immediate aftermath of the Knights' departure — a team that played 14 games at Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum in 1975-76.
(Omaha University had a club hockey team during the 1940s that played in the Amateur Hockey League.)
Mike Kemp (who was only 23 at the time) was the coach of the club team, and he had high hopes they would move up to the varsity level for the 1976-77 season (either Division I or Division II, the latter held championships from 1978-84 and 1993-99).
Omaha World-Herald writer Jerry Fricke addressed the state of hockey in Omaha in a column published on April 21, 1976:
"Coach Kemp, whose club team finished with an 11-14-2 record, has been recruiting and arranging a schedule with the idea that UNO will go varsity.
'If we don't go varsity, I won't be here,' Kemp said. 'Most of the games I've arranged are with varsity teams, and they won't play us unless we have a varsity team.'"
OWH research also shows that a non-profit group had been set up to help raise money for scholarships for the club players.
"Varsity" UNO Hockey did not become a reality in the 1970s, and the dream was put on hold. Every so often an errant mention of UNO possibly starting a varsity hockey program would surface, but it wouldn't happen for another 20 years.
The Heat is On!
A spectator-brand of hockey didn't return to Omaha until 1986, when a USHL franchise formed in Omaha.
The Omaha Lancers didn't come out of the chute with immediate success (they were 0-48-0 in their inaugural season), and they initially played at Hitchcock Ice Arena in South Omaha (which sat 900 for hockey).
But Lancer Hockey changed the Omaha sports landscape in a profound way during the intervening years.
When the Lancers did finally take the ice for the first time at Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum in December 1987 (a single game during the 1987-88 season played there), 4,000 tickets were pre-sold, according to Omaha World-Herald reports. Ticket prices: $4 and $3.
When 28-year-old Omahan Ted Baer (and his father) bought the franchise, more games were played during the 1988-89 season at the Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum. Baer was a fixture during his tenure, and could be seen walking around the arena during games in a jersey and blue jeans.
Ak-Sar-Ben Executive Director Don Drew said in an Omaha World-Herald article on May 27, 1988, that the Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum had "the best ice surface west of the Mississippi."
"The quality of the ice, the arena, and the excitement of players realizing they will play before large crowds is very important," Drew said. "It should help make the Lancers a better team. I've heard people talking about hockey. Hockey is a big, big game in this town."
Baer moved all home games to the Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum for the 1989-90 season. The organization also made a coaching change, and hired Frank Serratore to take the reins.
(Serratore is currently the head coach at Air Force. He'll bring the Falcons to Omaha this October for UNO's debut at the new arena).
Before long, the Lancers became known for packed houses and on-ice success.
I have fond memories of attending games at the Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum. It was old, musty and smelled like warm beer, but it was a wonderful atmosphere for hockey, and still stands as one of the great sports experiences in Omaha.
Sure, there were beams that obstructed the view from certain seats, and the pitch and angles were kind of wonky. But the rough-and-tumble fans made it an experience.
As important as Baer's purchase was for the future of hockey in Omaha, an inkling came in the summer of 1988 that Aksarben's future was in limbo.
The Future of Aksarben
In 1988, the Douglas County Board of Directors had their sights on purchasing the Aksarben property so that they could build an arena and convention center using revenue bonds.
That July, the Ak-Sar-Ben Board of Governors rejected the proposal.
According to OWH articles at the time, horse racing on the property wasn't generating the sort of revenue that the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben wanted. Other forms of gaming were eating into the revenue that horse racing had previously generated.
For those not familiar with the Aksarben property's historical place in Omaha's history, here is a bit of background from the July 17, 1988 issue of the Omaha World-Herald:
"The Knights of Ak - Sar - Ben, a nonprofit civic organization dating to 1895, opened a race track in 1920. Ak - Sar - Ben has sponsored Thoroughbred meetings each year since 1935, except for 1943 and 1944. Ak - Sar - Ben (Nebraska spelled backward) also sponsors a rodeo and a 4-H show, provides big-name entertainment, has more than 47,000 members, and calls itself 'the largest civic organization of its kind in the world.'"
As interest in horse racing waned in the late 80s (competition came across the river in Council Bluffs from casinos and greyhound racing), the buzzards started circling, eyeing the prime Aksarben real estate in the city's center.
Vast acres lay in wait for what would eventually become a mixed-use development (and the home of UNO's "Pacific Street Campus")...
Next Week: The Arena Origin Story (Part 2)
