From today's Oregonian Newspaper
Plans to build a basketball arena at the University of Oregon began taking shape in 2002, the year the Ducks were one win from the Final Four of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Since then, progress on a facility has slowed, and one important donor suggests the project might have to be scaled back -
The University of Oregon's plans to break ground on a $160 million basketball arena in January and open the state-of-the-art venue by 2009 appear to be in jeopardy, if not dead. Officials had expected to complete designs for the 405,000-square-foot arena complex this month and present them to boosters in the hope of raising enough money to complete the project, what would be the most expensive undertaken by an Oregon university.
Instead, the most significant development in July was the departure of associate athletic director Jim Bartko, who was the project manager and has taken a position in the University of California athletic department.
One of Bartko's primary duties was to act as a liaison to Nike co-founder Phil Knight, who would be counted on to make a sizable donation to the project, as he did to the $90 million renovation of Autzen Stadium, which was completed in 2002.
That year, the university announced plans to build a basketball arena to replace McArthur Court, the second-oldest Division I arena in the country. Since then, the project has been fraught with multiple delays.
The school's original timeline called for construction to begin in summer 2004 and be completed by fall 2006. But the only statements from the university about the arena in recent months have been a short news release in May stating the project still is in motion and several "no comment" responses to further inquiries.
UO President Dave Frohnmayer has appointed himself spokesman for the project but has declined interview requests. UO athletic director Bill Moos also won't speak about the project.
The closest person to the proposed 12,500-seat arena project who has discussed it with The Oregonian is booster Pat Kilkenny, the owner of Arrowhead General Insurance Agency in San Diego who last fall donated $1.5 million for the development of the conceptual design plans. Those plans can be viewed online under current projects at www.tvaarchitects.com.
Officials said at the time of the donation that they hoped to have the final plans set by late July to present to potential donors. They hoped to raise enough money to break ground by January 2007.
Kilkenny confirmed July 18 that the plans have not been completed and that the ambitious timetable for the project probably would be altered.
'09 is off the table, would be my best guess," Kilkenny said.
About $40 million of the arena project is expected to come from state-issued bonds.
Kilkenny said Bartko's departure hurts most because of the work Bartko had put into the project.
"It does put them in a tough spot," Kilkenny said.
Through a Nike spokesperson, Knight said he had not contributed to the project.
Still, Kilkenny said the project, which would replace 79-year-old McArthur Court, is anything but dead.
"I still absolutely believe this will get built," he said.......
(to read the rest of the article and related articles in today's Oregonian click on the title above for a link.)
I have been told from sources with good contacts that the Basketball Arena will not be built as long as Bill Moos is Athletic Director because of the well publicized fact he and Phil Knight do not get along. I hope that is not true , we need to make the baseball arena a reality!
