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Margaret Sughrue Carlson: Bring Gophers football back where it belongs
State support is needed soon or we'll lose momentum for a new stadium on campus.
Margaret Sughrue Carlson
February 10, 2006
Star Tribune
As the Minnesota Legislature begins its new session, lawmakers have an opportunity to rekindle a sense of excitement, spirit and pride in the University of Minnesota. They can provide the university the funding it needs to build a new stadium and bring Gophers football back to campus.
This is about much more than football. It's about bringing people young and old to campus, sharing traditions and rekindling a sense of community. It's about building a new center of university life that will be the home to athletic, recreational and cultural events and providing a richer campus for students, faculty and staff.
The university has made its case for the stadium and people have responded with enthusiasm. More than 16,000 alumni and friends have signed our stadium supporter list, and there has been solid fundraising progress. The University of Minnesota Alumni Association made the first major gift of $1 million for the stadium. Last year we celebrated the $35 million naming rights agreement with TCF Bank and another $2.5 million commitment from Best Buy. But as the Legislature convenes, the university faces a critical juncture.
The university has committed to raise 60 percent of the cost of the $248 million stadium, mostly with private funds. But without state support soon, we will lose the momentum we have built, making it much more difficult to get the sponsorships and donations needed to raise our share of the funds. Many private donors are waiting until they know the state will make its commitment, and other corporate sponsors are also watching the Legislature. Further delays will certainly result in additional construction costs.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty supports the stadium, and there is broad bipartisan approval in the Legislature for the bill providing the state's 40 percent share. The university has promised a fall 2009 kickoff in the new stadium, but can't do it unless the state funding piece falls into place early in the 2006 session.
I'm lucky enough to have experienced the thrill of Golden Gophers football in Memorial Stadium, and I've attended away games on all of the Big Ten campuses. It's time for our state's hometown team to play Big Ten college football the way it was meant to be played -- outdoors and on campus.
Margaret Sughrue Carlson is chief executive officer of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association.
