Ron Bellamy of the Eugene Register Guard newspaper has an interesting story on the University of Oregon's new "Matt Court" Basketball Arena. Here is an opening quote from his column:
Many challenges, over many years, faced the University of Oregon in its quest to build a new basketball arena.
Cost. Financing. Site location. Criticism on all those fronts from within the university and from the surrounding neighborhood.
Click on the title for a link.
Despite all the criticism describe by Ron Bellamy, and I might add that of a certain reporter for the Oregonian newspaper, the project would have never become reality without the dreams and actions of three men who should be acknowledged because with out them Oregon would still be playing it's basketball games in Mac Court.
They are,former AD and donor Pat Kilkenny, donor and Nike founder Phil Knight, and Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director and ramrod for the project, Jim Bartko. Every fan of Oregon Basketball should give a big "THANKS" to these men of vision. Long after the critics are forgotten the new arena will stand as a monument to their achievement.It's a building for which the entire state of Oregon can be proud. They have my thanks ! GO Ducks!
(Pat Kilkenny)
( Phil Knight)
(Jim Bartko)
These are men of action!
Phil Knight:
I hope it lasts for 80 years,” he said. “And that there are hundreds of thousands or millions of people coming out of that arena with smiles on their face.
The arena is named for Phil Knights son who died in his 30's in a scuba diving accident.
