davidnark Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 On February 15, 2004--a year ago this Tuesday--Don Whelan wrote: http://www.billikens.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/d...orum=DCForumID3 Since then, we have received very little additional information and have only developed more questions regarding the status. Don, or anyone else in the development office, how about an update? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobile-iken Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 Cheryl was on KMOX last night pre-game, I was lucky enough to hear it on my way to the game. She said she has 13+ million in pledges and they won't break ground until they get to 35 million (Nothing new there). She was very upbeat about the donations coming in and she said that she is on the cusp of having one (or more) very large donor(s) stepping up to the plate. She has absolutely no doubt that this is going to get done, it might take a little time it will get done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlumniFan Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 I have heard the exact same thing about the fact that the arena will absolutely get done. I think that what we need to keep in mind is that there are three HUGE fund raising projects going on right now at SLU. 1. the 320 million capital campaign 2. the research center 3. the arena The $320 capital campaign is going quite well, but the goal is still about $50 million away. As much as I want to see the arena happen, the main capital campaign and the research center are certainly the most important, both for SLU and St. Louis. Our fund raising people at SLU are really top notch and are handling huge demands to raise dollars. We are lucky to have them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted February 13, 2005 Author Share Posted February 13, 2005 Thanks for the information; I didn't have a chance to catch her interview. Is it just me, or has this supposed large donation been "just around the corner" for about two years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 Seriously, what is the AD supposed to say about her number 1 project? Cheryl's hands are tied until Brad can show that this horrific season is a fluke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhagolf Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 I have another take on the slow arena progress, which relates to the cancelled NHL season. Bill Laurie has been quoted as saying that, unless there is a salary cap, the Blues are for sale. Since he also owns Savvis, that makes it a real white elephant, at least for now. Maybe, the Bills can negotiate a real sweetheart deal on rent for the near future, knowing that they get poor dates and game times, anyway. It might be cheaper for SLU in the short run to use this to their advantage. Any opinions to this idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SluSignGuy Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 It isn't just you. I believe this arena will happen. However, I don't expect ground to be broken anytime before Dwayne Polk and Luke Meyer receive their diplomas. Nothing to base that on. Just a guess. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tseugnekillib Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 3star, while the new arena may be the AD's number 1 project it is not SLU's/Biondi's top priority. The on-campus arena is second to the medical research center....always has been, always will be and always should be! If Brad's Billikens were 23-0 the on-campus arena would still be behind the medical reseach center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted February 13, 2005 Author Share Posted February 13, 2005 This is a project intended to last much of this century. I hope that it is not put on hold due to one bad season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 There is no reason to think slowing down the building of the new arena just to take advantage of some kind of a possible sweetheart deal at the Savvis because of the Blues situation is any realistic position. The Savvis is simply to big and we do not get any homecourt advantage there. Do you think the refs last night felt intimidated by the crowd? Big donors are hard to pin down - they move at their own pace and have reasons for why they do what they do when they do it. I had to work out the arrangements with a person who was giving us land - worthless to him but not to us. The land was in a flood plain and separated by a creek from the rest of his property. We needed it for ball fields and when I approached him about buying it, he offered to give it to us for the tax break - it took 3 years to wrap the deal up and I really could not tell you why. All I know is it just dragged on and on. When he was finally ready to sign the property over, then it had to be done like yesterday and all the lawyers on both sides were jumping through hoops to get it done. What Cherly is running into is the big donor or two will step forward when they are ready and not a second sooner. Has any thought that Shannanhan might be one of the big donors and is waiting for the sale of his stock of ESI? I know he gave a million already but he just came in to a big chunk of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Unless there is a salary cap there will be no hockey, so Laurie will not have a team to sell. Laurie needs a product in that arena, he will have something, most likely an NBA team if hockey continues towards its death march. Savvis will never be the best option for SLU athletics. No matter what SLU should move on as quickly as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Not to worry - hockey will be back. It may not be the NHL as we know it now but the owners can simply fold the league and start a new one. Might be the best option anyway - they can dump a few of the marginal financial teams by paying them off and only award franchises to the cities and owners that can really afford a team. They can set a salary cap or whatever. Players would have no recourse but to play under the new rules and if they formed a new union the owners would not have to ever agree to lifting the cap. I do realize this would not be a "simple" matter but it is not impossible. Soccer leagues have done before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEE Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 it is my understanding, per my dad and folks in the administration that nothing will happen in terms of ground breaking until the research building is underconstruction as to not have a revolt from the faculty. my dad has told me that the board of trustees is going to have to make the decision to be fully behind the project regardless of the status of fund raising, ie: realize that the university needs the building as much as other physical structures and go ahead and build it. also i know for a fact that father through back channels has been approached to start relationships with some of stl's more wealthy indiviuals who like to give money away, folks with big egos that need to be stroked and father has refused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 AF, Do you know how the 27% by '07 project is coming along? I think that's a huge project as our percentage of donating alumni affects our standing in the U.S. News rankings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Father Biondi is your father? Man, welcome to the board Tee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEE Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 oh no!, i knew that looked strange when i wrote it! :-) rough weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 TEE - I am confused are you saying Father B refuses to make contact with rich St. Louisians for the arena or just in general.?. I could see why he would want to hold off for the arena if he is still tapping them for the research center. He always said the research center was first priority. He has to deliver on that because the university promised to me an active member of the biobelt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 >oh no!, i knew that looked strange when i wrote it! :-) >rough weekend I got a chuckle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEE Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 some of st. louis' wealthiest individuals have no relationship with SLU, other than they know that it is a university in the city they call home. some of these folks are capable of making a donation that would at this point easliy surpass the $35 million goal, the catch is that Fr. Biondi(big ego) would have to essentially kiss some a$$ to receive a large gift around $20-$40 million and he won't/doesn't feel comfortable doing that. i know that cheryl is trying like heck to engage all types of people, there have been some private functions with potential donors. the major problem that i see is that the board and Fr. Biondi are all not on the same page, not all of them realize the positives to an on campus events center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Have we asked Lou Fusz, Jr., Bob Dierberg and Andy Puzder (Hardee's) for a donation yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlumniFan Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 The 27% by '07 is coming along relatively well, although I think it is an extremely aggressive goal. Nonetheless, I applaud the development office for taking on such a stretch goal. I am most familiar with where the b-school is and I think we are around 15%-16%. University wide, due primarily to allied health, the rate is probably a little above that. The big push is to get very recent alumni to become more involved. Hopefully, this will make a big difference down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGeyser Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Capps Family and the Bidwell Family Foundation are possible donors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLU_Nick Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Trump? oh sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 You're fired...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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