bring back Sushi Nara!
1 Like
Nara was well known as the bar that never carded when I was an undergrad, didn’t know it closed.
1 Like
Here’s a thought. Hotel + arena + conference center + Miami Tribe Casino! Spend the money on NIL. Get better players. Move to a better league. A guy can only dream
1 Like
I love your idea of building a casino. It’s a big, original idea. Will never happen but still…
Don’t throw cold water on my fantasy let me run with this for a while lol. I know it will never happen but think of the possibility of a tribal casino. Tribe get money. Use the money the university would get to end student subsidies of the athletic department which would lower tuition. Use part of the money to fund academics. Use some to find athletics. Win win for everyone. Have a good buffet. Get some talent to perform shows. Boom Oxvegas
2 Likes
Certainly not trying to throw cold water on your fantasy. Question: have you ever thought about putting it on a boat (the casino and possibly arena) that could float up and down 8 mile creek?
Might solve some of your logistical issues. Would also be the world’s first arena that can be anywhere as 8 mile connects to The Ohio I believe.
I talked with on of the Administrators involved in funding for the project when I made my annual donation ( incidentally I have increased my annual donation because of the success of our coaching staffs and I give half to both men’s and women’s hoops), things I used to coach.
We cannot get straight funding from the state but they have allowed us to issue bonds to help pay for the project. Also, we have 7 major alums who have agreed to help with the funding and who have accepted this site and plan, some after a lot of discussion. Some time this Fall there will be a vote to proceed with the project and then the Athletic department needs to get a signed commitment from those 7 donors as the final step. That is the general timeline but no set time schedule yet.
4 Likes
Let’s hear it for bluesman, digitalhawk, yanksalex, DG, Nickskin, mollautt, and the Chipotle/Starbuck’s dude for stepping up!!! 
13 Likes
Gonna cry myself to sleep if Nick Lachey doesn’t come through either.
Interesting about the state funds, I’m not surprised that we can’t dip into it like the Browns will with the recent legislation but I’m curious what the actual reason is.
So after those guys we know throw in a few bucks, will the rest be paid in coffee beans?
Why yes, and this man’s estate will make the donation! (For you old guys!)
From today’s Mens Basketball Twitter site. I thought no one used Cook Field. Does anyone besides me see the irony in these photos? 
1 Like
The men’s basketball team posing at the site of their future home? Seems natural to me.
10 Likes
The new unclaimed funds legislation allows for up to 25% of the funding to be sourced through the new program. That money has to be repaid to the state through income or sales tax increases.
1 Like
Their future home is just a green field with softball fields on it?
It is concerning that the project is on a " slow track " basis. With a a project like this every day of delay results in most instances in increased costs. If this p-roject is a " go" a project manager should be named and objectives to be achieved established each day. It may be that secure funding has not yet been achieved
2 Likes
DO NOT SEEK THE TREASURE!
My understanding is that just like the Bengals we were denied money from that source but were approved by the state for “tax shielded bonds”. Not sure if that is the proper name for it.
UPDATE HERE. The Oxford Free Press ran this 8/29/25. Some takeaways:
February: Site selection chose Cook Field and six months later here is where we are….
Ande Durojaiye, vice president for strategy and partnership at Miami says: “still in discovery phase” and “IF we get the green light, we not only get a new arena, but we also look at hotels, restaurants and other areas of hospitality that will support a larger event”
“the university has not completed an economic impact study for the project, as it is still in the “exploratory phase.”
No clear timeline
Cost of arena and event space is “not clear”
Durojaiye said, as the project is being explored, he couldn’t clarify what’s a “for sure thing” or not, but the university is determining whether its budget can support a new arena.
Finally…. “It’s not yet clear whether the university’s budget would be able to sustain the project in light of the other projects it’s undergoing, including its Advanced Manufacturing Workforce and Innovation Hub, geothermal expansions and other ongoing renovations and constructions.
Questions about the breakdown of how the project might be funded were not answered by press time Wednesday. Additional questions about the potential hotel and other potential businesses planned for the Event District were also not answered by press time Wednesday.”
-in slightly more positive news, this comes from the BOT meeting Minutes of June 25:
New Basketball Arena: (BOT Dec ’24)
This project will create a new basketball and volleyball arena to replace Millett Hall. The existing Millett Hall, originally built in 1968 has over $80 million dollars of deferred maintenance. There is also a desire to locate a new arena more centrally to the campus to drive use and economic development. A site selection committee has been appointed by the President to make a recommendation on the site for the new arena. An architecture firm has assisted with due diligence and renderings to assist in the selection of the site.
The board has approved funds for Programming, Schematic Design, and fund-raising materials. Criteria Architect selection process has taken place and we are entering into a contract with SLAM Collaborative, who will provide criteria services and lead design efforts through the conceptual design stage which is scheduled to be complete in October 2025. Around this same time, we will solicit design-build firms and select a team to continue efforts through the schematic design phase
FYI: Next BOT meeting is in 12 days (September 16th)
2 Likes
WTF? I’m not getting any younger.
2 Likes