olldflame wrote:ballcoach15 wrote:As for naming new arena, the best way to go may be to sell naming rights. That way building gets a name, and LU gets some $$$$$$.
That's what some other schools/teams have done.
I think JLFJR has shown he prefers not to go this route, and I tend to agree with him in our current circumstances. Apparently the funds are there without it, and this way a major donor, whether private or corporate, cannot use that leverage to try to exert influence over future decisions. It's something we had to do in the past, and we were blessed with wonderful christian donors like Art Williams, Art DeMoss, and Tim LaHaye, who for the most part did not attach strings to their gifts, but that's not always how it turns out.
OK, guys, had a meeting today and decided to build the new parking garage across the bypass simultaneously with the expansion of the Vines. I suggested the idea a year or so ago of building the parking garage on top of the existing public frontage road so that the road runs through the parking garage. This will allow us to build a parking garage large enough that parking will never be an issue at LU again while allowing us to demolish only 2 dorms on Campus East. We broke ground today on the new highway off ramp from US 460/29 bypass eastbound lane to accompany the existing on ramp. A roundabout will serve these two ramps. This means locals will be able to use the bypass to enter the parking garage, take the elevator down to the pedestrian tunnel under the bypass to the arena, then return without hassel. I think this will greatly increase attendance at games. Also, please go back and read the articles announcing this project as an EXPANSION of the Vines Center. That means the new facility will still be called the Vines Center. I like some of the ideas here of naming the different courts after certain people who were instrumental in making LU and its athletics program what it is today and, olldflame, you're right. LU is in a different place now. We can name facilities after donors without fear of strings being attached. If donors step forward, there are plenty of naming opportunities for this facility and others. The new Rawlings School of Divinity is a prime example. The Rawlings family has the purest of motives in helping LU and you are also correct that the three donors you mentioned never tried to exert undue influence even though they easily could have when they made their donations because LU was struggling financially in those days. If any school is going to stay true to its mission, it has to have adequate financial resources. Otherwise, there is great danger of donors buying influence and changing the school's direction. That's how many private universities went astray in this country over the last few centuries. In fact, even if the donor is completely innocent and has no ulterior motives, donors always have business associates and relatives who sometimes try to take advantage. That didn't happen at LU even when we were in desperate financial straits only because God protected Liberty - just my opinion for what it's worth.
--Fumble (1961-2009), RIP
- By TH Spangler
- By Tothehoopyall1