Omaha wants proof they will stay before it builds

OMAHA, Neb. -- Before Omaha builds a new ballpark or does a major renovation of Rosenblatt Stadium, home of the College World Series for 57 years, the NCAA must agree to a contract extension of at least 10 years, an official said Tuesday.

CWS Inc., the local organizing committee for Division I baseball's national championship, and the city have submitted to the NCAA plans for either a $25 million Rosenblatt face-lift or a $50 million stadium that would be built downtown.

Omaha's current contract with the NCAA keeps the College World Series through 2010.

The key to the stadium issue is whether Omaha can get a long-term commitment from the NCAA. The NCAA has never granted more than a five-year extension.

CWS Inc. president Jack Diesing Jr. said a minimum of 10 years would be the starting point, and the NCAA has been told that.

"To make a significant commitment," Diesing said, "you would need time to get a return on your investment."

The NCAA Division I baseball committee probably will make a recommendation late this year or early in 2008, said Dennis Poppe, the NCAA's managing director of baseball and football. The Division I championships competition cabinet would decide on a contract extension after that, Poppe said.

Poppe said it's understandable for Omaha to seek a longer commitment than the standard five-year extension.

"That's where our partnership comes into being," he said. "We both have to agree that the stadium meets our requests, and the city needs to be able to say that this is feasible."

Rosenblatt was built in 1948 and became home to the College World Series two years later.

First known as Municipal Stadium, it was renamed in 1964 in honor of Johnny Rosenblatt, Omaha's mayor from 1954 to 1961.

The 23,145-seat stadium has undergone $35 million in improvements the past 15 years, and city leaders and the NCAA say more upgrades are needed if Rosenblatt is to remain a viable venue for the CWS.

If a new stadium were built, it would have 9,000 permanent seats with the ability to expand to 25,000 for the CWS, according to preliminary plans. The temporary seats, like those used in stadiums at Olympic sites, would be set in place with helicopters.

The 9,000-seat plan would provide a more intimate atmosphere for the Triple-A Omaha Royals, who would play at the stadium.

If Rosenblatt were renovated, the stadium would require structural upgrading and amenities such as new clubhouses and space for fan interactive areas. The renovation would extend outside the stadium, with the plan calling for a village setting where vendors could operate and fans could congregate.

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On the Net:

National Collegiate Athletic Association: http://www.ncaasports.com

College World Series: http://www.cwsomaha.org/