A new arena could mean a new Entertainment District.
"It would help us compete, keep up," said Senator Colby Coash. "We're starting to be a big-kid city now and this is what big-kid cities do."
Senator Colby Coash's bill would give cities the option to create Entertainment Districts. At Haymarket Arena that means an area similar to Power and Light in Kansas City. Complete with an ice skating rink in winter and an outdoor movie theater in the summer.
"It basically is extending the liquor license from one of our tenants out into that area," said Brett West. "So with that logoed cup we feel that is going to create a direct tie back and as a developer the last thing we want is to have a problem."
Haymarket Arena is set for completion in 2013, and the City of Lincoln supports a surrounding Entertainment District.
"We need to have a unique vibrant experience for people so they don't just drive to the concert and drive home," said Dave Landis, with the City of Lincoln. "So they come early stay late and have a lot to do, and that is what an Entertainment District is designed to do."
Controlling consumption is an issue, but it's something that hasn't caused power and light much trouble.
"Their response was we haven't had any problems," said Hober Rupe, the executive director of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. "You'll have some things no liquor license is perfect but it wasn't that they had anything in excess of other licenses, in fact they were generally more compliant."
