2008 Woodie Awards
Student referendum to decide stadium's fate
Nik Nelson
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: News
Students and the La Crosse community rallied behind the fundraising efforts of the UW-L Foundation Friday in a last-minute fundraising blitz to pull together $2.3 million to keep the upcoming stadium project on schedule.
The funding crisis began two weeks ago when contractor bids for the stadium came in severely over budget. If the project was to continue on schedule, with initial demolition beginning in June following the WIAA state track meet, the state required that a decision be made with enough time to sign the appropriate documents, which also need Governor Jim Doyle's approval.
Since then, the Stadium Committee has lobbied donors to increase their pledges and the Student Association to help reallocate money previously set aside specifically for the Strength Center in Phase II of the project.
When students initially authorized construction two years ago, the approved referendum included a mandate that $750,000 be set-aside for the second phase of construction and put into a 5,000-plus square-foot weight and training center. Collegiate Fundraising Specialist and Stadium Project Leadership Group member Mike Desmond said, other Stadium Project officials and community donors implored the Senate to take any action to approve this money for Phase I last Wednesday.
"This wouldn't entail [students] paying more than they already have," Chancellor Joe Gow said, as the money would simply be moved from one place to another.
"It sounds to me like its Friday or the highway," Senator Calie Eck added in an effort to garner support from other senators to take steps to reallocate the Phase II money.
What resulted was a resolution calling for another student referendum April 29 that, if passed, would give the go-ahead to move the money, and a provision that the UW-L Foundation would continue to fundraise for Phase II after all of the necessary money has been pledged for Phase I.
One of the driving forces behind the referendum was saving the WIAA state track meet, which is held annually at Veterans Memorial Field. More importantly, senate efforts to get a referendum on the table encouraged community donors to increase their pledges.
The funding crisis began two weeks ago when contractor bids for the stadium came in severely over budget. If the project was to continue on schedule, with initial demolition beginning in June following the WIAA state track meet, the state required that a decision be made with enough time to sign the appropriate documents, which also need Governor Jim Doyle's approval.
Since then, the Stadium Committee has lobbied donors to increase their pledges and the Student Association to help reallocate money previously set aside specifically for the Strength Center in Phase II of the project.
When students initially authorized construction two years ago, the approved referendum included a mandate that $750,000 be set-aside for the second phase of construction and put into a 5,000-plus square-foot weight and training center. Collegiate Fundraising Specialist and Stadium Project Leadership Group member Mike Desmond said, other Stadium Project officials and community donors implored the Senate to take any action to approve this money for Phase I last Wednesday.
"This wouldn't entail [students] paying more than they already have," Chancellor Joe Gow said, as the money would simply be moved from one place to another.
"It sounds to me like its Friday or the highway," Senator Calie Eck added in an effort to garner support from other senators to take steps to reallocate the Phase II money.
What resulted was a resolution calling for another student referendum April 29 that, if passed, would give the go-ahead to move the money, and a provision that the UW-L Foundation would continue to fundraise for Phase II after all of the necessary money has been pledged for Phase I.
One of the driving forces behind the referendum was saving the WIAA state track meet, which is held annually at Veterans Memorial Field. More importantly, senate efforts to get a referendum on the table encouraged community donors to increase their pledges.
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