Thursday, April 7, 2011
A newly released platform for the Senate coalition KUnited addresses using University athletic venues for concerts and speakers.
Presidential candidate Libby Johnson, a senior from Lawrence, said KUnited would like to work with the Athletics Department and Student Union Activities to use Allen Fieldhouse and Memorial Stadium to house major events.
Johnson said the platform stemmed from listening to a friend’s parents reminisce about their time at the University.
“They talked about how when they went to school they remember having concerts after basketball games,“ Johnson said. “And we would like to welcome big name artists and speakers, things like that, back into Allen Fieldhouse and even Memorial Stadium.”
KUnited’s goal is to make those venues more accessible as an option to infrequently house big events.
SUA president Rachel Anderson said attempts were made year after year to have an event in Allen Fieldhouse.
“Something like what KUnited is proposing would be ideal," Anderson said. “But the question will still be do we spend a huge amount of money for that one show or spread it out over the entire year?"
Funding will always be an issue to book events, Anderson said, but developing a partnership could help fray those costs.
Anderson, a senior from Manhattan, said as an organization SUA had discussed this idea extensively.
“We’re happy this is one of their platforms and we look forward to sitting down with them and seeing what can happen,” Anderson said.
Jim Marchiony, the assistant athletics director, said it’s not an impossible feat KUnited is attempting.
“But,” Marchiony said, “It is very difficult to schedule outside events at Allen Fieldhouse.”
During the academic year, the Fieldhouse is reserved exclusively for basketball and in the summer it is reserved for camps.
Historically, though, it’s been done.
As recently as 2006 Allen Fieldhouse hosted comedian and actor Bill Cosby during Homecoming week.
Even artists such as Bob Marley and Louis Armstrong once graced the University with their musical presence.
“Certain artists won’t come because we have to be able to offer them a sell-out space and this could help in bringing any artist,” Johnson said.
Marchiony said the first discussions regarding this kind of proposal would most likely take place between himself and the Athletics Department facilities staff.
Without knowing specifics and without speaking to other staff members, he said it was difficult to discuss feasibility.
“We would talk about it as a department and decide on whether or not it would be something we would want to schedule here and something we would want to represent,” Marchiony said.
Neither Marchiony nor Anderson said they had personally spoken with KUnited coalition members.
Johnson said vice presidential candidate Gabe Bliss and herself had informally spoken with members of SUA and the Athletics Department regarding the platform.
“It’s just Allen Fieldhouse has so many traditions around it. It’s such a great place for basketball and can be a great place for artists, too,” Johnson said.
KUnited recently released more than 10 platforms for the upcoming Student Senate elections.
To learn more information about this and other platforms, go to www.kunited.org.
— Edited by Marla Daniels
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