FWIW, the $50M price tag includes a number of items besides the arena (including upgrades to the Dakota Dome now that it will be exclusively a FB/track venue).
I'm guessing naming rights were not included in the package because of the significant amount of additional fundraising required. USD probably wants to keep that chip as an enticement for another large donor. And Sanford's name is already on the school of medicine, and Sanford and USD are closely related in Sioux Falls, with the USD school of medicine sitting on Sanford's campus.
I am a bit surprised that USD didn't phase this project, in order to receive incremental approval by the Board of Regents (in SD, 100% of funding must be committed before the board will approve any construction). You'd think that they could do $30M for new BB/sports medicine facility, $15M for dome improvements, $5M for outdoor facilities (including a track and practice fields) or something.
He's sort of like Ralph Engelstad. Except without the Nazism. And the racism. And the demanding it be his way or he'll allow the buildings to be succumb to the elements. And the publicly calling out of school officials in a way to embarrass and harass them. Come to think of it, they aren't really alike. I guess they both made their millions swindling people out of their money. In that aspect Ralph might be a little cleaner only because you kinda gotta expect a casino to take you to the cleaners, and credit card company isn't so frontal about it.
Don't matter. FIVE-PEAT!
LAKESBISON 3/4/2006-4/15/2011 Forever in our heartsStu Whitney @stuwhitney4mSurprised Harvard missed out. MT @AllHailTank: Well I guess I got watt I wonted I will take my talents and higher my education at UND.
Former representative of 3rd Floor Johnson
Current representative of 12 St. N Fargo