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ASUN supports construction of stadium
By Veronica Daehn
Staff writer
ASUN senators may have helped take more
students out to the ball game Wednesday night
when they passed a bill in support of the construc
tion of a new baseball and softball complex.
The complex would be home to the University
of Nebraska-Lincoln men’s baseball team, the
womeni softball team and a minor league profes
sional baseball team.
The baseball stadium would seat up to 5,000
people.
City-owned land west of Interstate 80 would
be the site of the new complex.
Association of Students of the University of
Nebraska President Andy Schuerman said the NU
Board of Regents will vote Friday on whether the
project should be approved.
“I’ve been talking to students (about it) and
getting a feel for how I should vote,” Schuerman
said.
Senators passed a bill saying ASUN would
endorse this project as long as student fees, state
taxes or tuition were not used for funding.
The $29.5 million project would be the result
of three entities working together - UNL, the city
of Lincoln and NEBCO Inc., a private firm.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Business and
Finance Scott Lewis said if approved, Lincoln
would pay $12.83 million, and NEBCO would
pay $6.1 million.
UNL would pay $ 10.6 million, most of which
will be garnered through private donations, Lewis
said.
The Athletic Department would use its operat
ing funds to pay the remainder.
“No student fees, tuition dollars or state funds
would be used,” Lewis said.
Because the complex would be located across
a four-lane highway, Schuerman said, shuttles or
trains would be looked at as an option to transport.
students to the stadium.
So far, student fees used for parking are not
being considered to fund the parking lot that
would accompany the complex.
Schuerman said even if the regents approve
the project Friday, UNL will still be able to “pull
out of the deal” up until next March.
The complex would be completed by March 1,
2001, Lewis said, in time for a men’s baseball
game and women’s softball game to be played that
day.
The college baseball and softball seasons
would not interfere with the professional minor
league, Lewis said.
College games are done by the time the pro
fessional season starts.
The current baseball field would be used as a
practice site to avoid conflicts in scheduling, he
said.
Cody Northrop, College of Engineering and
Technology senator, said he thinks the complex is
a good idea.
“I like it because I think we could use it, and
Lincoln could use it,” Northrop said. “A lot of
teams (share stadiums).”