Why does Lincoln need a new arena?
Pershing Center is Lincoln’s only city-owned arena. At fifty years of age, it is functionally obsolete as a modern entertainment and sports venue. With only 4,500 seats, inadequate stage rigging, and worn infrastructure, it is severely limited in its ability to attract concert and entertainment events within the region. The University of Nebraska’s arena needs are currently served by the 13,500-seat Bob Devaney Sports Center. Home to the UNL men’s and women’s basketball teams, it is the only facility of its kind in the Big 12 Conference without a practice arena. It also houses swimming, track, wrestling, and gymnastics. Built in 1976, the structure was not designed to support the sound, lighting, and video requirements of modern score boards or concerts. The Devaney Center is heavily utilized by UNL and only rarely hosts non-University related events.
