UNI-Dome Renovation

[clenz]

How much do you suppose they are paying Mahomes and Kelce annually?

Enough to have to lay off a few thousand employees and close a handful of stores.

[run&blade]

Farm Bureau is the winning answer.

and the amount will be underwhelming.

[UNIAlum95]

Enough to have to lay off a few thousand employees and close a handful of stores.

They honestly don't know what they are anymore. They add things without plans to run them. The Wahlburger's at College Square is so poorly run that I can't believe it is still open. They've got a buffet with every type of cuisine and I can only imagine how much gets thrown each day and now they've decided they need a candy aisle that is three times as wide as any other in the store. I really don't get what they are trying to do. So why not throw $10M to put their name on the dome? Seems right up their ally of throw something against the wall and see if it sticks.

[sevelev711]

Kum-N-Go Dome or nothing. We will be able to pull in 5 star recruits off of how funny that name is alone.

[sevelev711]

They honestly don't know what they are anymore. They add things without plans to run them. The Wahlburger's at College Square is so poorly run that I can't believe it is still open. They've got a buffet with every type of cuisine and I can only imagine how much gets thrown each day and now they've decided they need a candy aisle that is three times as wide as any other in the store. I really don't get what they are trying to do. So why not throw $10M to put their name on the dome? Seems right up their ally of throw something against the wall and see if it sticks.

Don't forget their dating show. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...ne/8983915002/

[BCPanther]

Farm Bureau is the winning answer.

and the amount will be underwhelming.

I'm guessing $15 or $20M for 10 years and that doesn't seem underwhelming at all. It's $10M to get the West Entrance named after you so that feels right.

I'm all good with it being The Farm Bureau Center.

[QCPanther05]

While the Deere Dome has a certain ring to it, that is way out of their wheelhouse for marketing and how they control that brand. Hy-Vee would certainly have the marketing budget and Newsbreaker's comment about them having marketing money to burn is accurate. How much do you suppose they are paying Mahomes and Kelce annually?

Hy-Vee is floundering right now. They probably aren’t in the mood to burn money on naming rights.

[ronfitch]

They honestly don't know what they are anymore. They add things without plans to run them. The Wahlburger's at College Square is so poorly run that I can't believe it is still open. They've got a buffet with every type of cuisine and I can only imagine how much gets thrown each day and now they've decided they need a candy aisle that is three times as wide as any other in the store. I really don't get what they are trying to do. So why not throw $10M to put their name on the dome? Seems right up their ally of throw something against the wall and see if it sticks.

When they built in Oakdale (suburb to the east of St. Paul, MN), it was immediately and for a long time packed. Cub - a big hitter up here who should have cleaned up mid-level grocery after Rainbow first closed many stores then was bought by Cub, who closed the rest - built a model store right across the street, the nicest on the east side. But Hy Vee just kept rolling along, with a restaurant, a variety of walkup counters (old school chicken, ribs, sides; pizza; Asian and at least two more), plus the bakery, in-store cooking classes, etc. But, like you write, they just don't know what they are ... constant change, closing stuff, opening stuff, closing that and what felt like endless rearranging. The Twin Cities was just waiting for a better mid-level grocer than Cub after Cub failed to step up when they owned that segment. And Hy Vee was that for a few years. But now they have display racks in front of walkup counters that used to serve hot food, I think the restaurant gave way to a Wahlburgers, which is not doing well. And they cut hours.

They seem rudderless right now.

[clenz]

The ceo that oversaw and pushed all of that is now out, or very close to out, and a UNI grad is taking over.

would be a pretty tough first impression for him to step in and go “I’m spending millions on the naming rights for the football stadium of my Alma mater”

[FOTY]

The ceo that oversaw and pushed all of that is now out, or very close to out, and a UNI grad is taking over.

would be a pretty tough first impression for him to step in and go “I’m spending millions on the naming rights for the football stadium of my Alma mater”

He is not fully out for several years. He’s no longer the CEO but will continue to oversee the entire company as the Chairman of the Board. They now have 2 CEO’s (a plan that’s been in the works for several years) which he is able to influence.

Oh, and I understand the new CFO is also a UNI grad.

But yes, word from a few connected friends is that they are burning through money as of late. I don’t see them wanting the naming rights in CF.

[vbfan19]

Fareway is an Iowa company too, are they not?

[UNIpanther99]

Fareway could certainly be in the running, but give me Cookie's UNI-Dome!

Seriously though, some other Iowa-based options:

Pioneer, Pella, Kinze, Happy Joe's, Grinnell Mutual, Stanley, Theisen's, Vermeer, Bomgaars.

[clenz]

Largely I don't care what they name it. I'm still going to call it the dome.

The one thing I'm hoping is they don't change to to *Sponsor* Center or *Sponsor* Stadium. Leave it was *Sponsor* Dome or the *Sponsor* UNIDome.

[UNIAlum95]

This supports what I heard from the athletic department a few weeks ago with the amount of money to be raised. Sounds like we are earlier in the process than later.

The first phase of the project is already underway with the construction and opening of Van G. Miller Family Charitable Foundation Meeting Room.

Replacements to the Dome's fabric roof, reconstruction of the west entrance and concourse, and building new and expanded suites are also part of the first phase.

The fabric roof is currently 25 years old. In summer 2023, more durable fabric will be used to help withstand cold winter and hot summer conditions.

The new west side entrance will have one main entrance with several doors, in an attempt to solve congestion issues. A ticketing office will also be constructed there.

A new and expanded suites level is to be constructed. A new elevator will give access to the premium suites area. A timeline for phase one of construction will be determined at a later date as funds are acquired.

Money doesn't have to be in hand for the roof because it is a structural / safety item and therefore they can proceed. This will hopefully be funded through several grants from the state and local governments. The other items require 90% cash in hand to begin work. If we were further into the fundraising they'd have a timeline for Phase 1 already. From KWWL: https://www.kwwl.com/news/waterloo/u...91277936d.html

[BCPanther]

Welp. Just need 9 more secret multi-millionaires to contact us and we'll be set to go...