BY TODD HENRICHS / Lincoln Journal Star
Swapping singles for singlets, Lincoln’s retail and hospitality sectors came out on the losing end of a shakeup of high school championship venues Friday afternoon.
After listening to proposals from Lincoln and Omaha one day earlier, members of the Nebraska School Activities Association’s Board of Control voted unanimously to move the state wrestling tournament ” a signature event in Lincoln for the past 42 years – to Qwest Center Omaha in 2006 and 2007.
In those same two years, Lincoln will take ownership of the state baseball tournament, a longtime Omaha landmark.
“We love the fact that we got baseball, “said Wendy Birdsall, president of Lincoln’s Convention and Visitors Bureau.
But in losing the wrestling tournament, Lincoln now has a vacancy sign up for 1,600 hotel rooms during each of the next two years that would have been reserved by wrestlers and wrestling fans.
Clothing stores, restaurants and filling stations will also feel the void of losing a tournament that set a three-day attendance record in February with 46,403 fans attending five sessions.
“Any retail sector that you can think of would be affected, “said Birdsall, who added the loss of the tournament should catapult the city into building a new convention center and arena.
“Instead of thinking about it, “Birdsall said, “we need to do it.”
The state wrestling tournament is the first NSAA state tournament to move to Qwest Center, the Omaha arena which opened in September 2003.
During the past two years, Omaha officials unsuccessfully tried for the wrestling and volleyball tournaments. In both instances, Omaha presented bids with few financial incentives.
That wasn’t the case this time. Omaha presented a plan to waive the $50,000 rental fee for the Qwest Center and to provide free parking for schools and meet officials.
The bottom line, according to NSAA executive director Jim Tenopir, was that the tournament’s net cost to the association in Omaha would be less than Lincoln.
“The biggest thing for me is they really looked like they wanted it this time, “said board member Brian Maher of Centennial, whose district includes Lincoln. “In all due respect, the last time they treated it almost like an entitlement.”
Board member Bob Reznicek of Omaha Westside gave credit to the Omaha Sports Commission, whose stated mission is to make Omaha the amateur, high school and collegiate sports capital of the nation.
“My board of directors has enjoined me to be very aggressive in going after events that will make the most sense for our facilities and our spectators, “said OSC president Dan Morrissey. “And NSAA wrestling was one of them.”
Lincoln was able to overcome the dominance shown by Omaha-area teams on the field in recent years to win rights to the state baseball tournament by a 4-2 vote. After clarifying what expenses the NSAA would occur, Tenopir estimated Lincoln’s proposal to be worth $7,000 annually more than Omaha’s plan.
But more important was a proposed schedule calling for a minimum of 10 games at Lincoln’s Haymarket Park and allowing for six of the eight qualifying teams to play at least twice on the Huskers’ home field. Other games will be played at Sherman Field.
Omaha officials countered with a plan calling for only first-round games and the championship at Rosenblatt Stadium, the home of the College World Series.
Also Friday, board members took the unprecedented step of awarding Lincoln a five-year contract for the boys and girls basketball tournament.
Although there was no competing bid for the basketball tournaments this time around, Lincoln officials offered $50,000 in added incentives ” a total of $302,500 over five years ” for an extended contract.
Lincoln also retained the state swimming and diving championships and the Class B state tennis tournaments for the next two years. The decision on a site for future boys golf meets was put off until next month.
With the NSAA headquarters in town and as the state’s capital city, Lincoln has enjoyed the benefits of hosting championship events for years.
But with competition from Qwest Center, complaints grew over the cramped quarters at the Devaney Sports Center for wrestling. Some observers went so far as to question the safety of the wrestlers, an accusation refuted by Tenopir during Friday’s meeting.
“The safety issue is a burr under my saddle, “he said. “It did not become a safety issue until we had another venue to take it to.”
The modern Qwest Center is better equipped to handle eight mats and has more locker room space and a bigger warm-up area than the Devaney Sports Center, which opened in 1976. Qwest Center will have upwards of 2,000 more seats available for each session and more paved parking.
Those attending the meet in Omaha, however, will incur additional expenses for parking. The NSAA will be responsible for paying a seat tax of up to $1 per ticket sold.
It’s uncertain whether a proposed arena for Lincoln with fewer seats than Qwest Center would have made a difference in the board’s vote.
But with Lincoln almost certain to face a challenge from Omaha for the volleyball tournament and other events in the near future, Birdsall said Lincoln officials need a new arena to compete.
“We’ve got to overcome a hurdle in getting people to understand how bad we need this, “she said, adding that Lincoln did everything it could this time around.
“Did we get the kitchen sink thrown at? “Birdsall asked. “We did.”
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7439 or [email protected]
Wrestling Gear
