Area Students Win ULI Competition For Minnesota Vikings Stadium Site

By Sam Black

A team of graduate students from Kansas State University, University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Kansas won a national Urban Land Institute competition that judged development proposals for the future district near the Minnesota Viking's stadium district.

The team's plan, called "The Armory," proposed a development that would use park space and redevelops the Minneapolis Armory as a flexible civic meeting space and an indoor market.

The proposal included graphics showing how the green space could be used, with activities such as Tai Chi on the lawn, and it showed a new multi-family housing in a new tower that would incorporate the Star Tribune building facade.

The Kansas team beat out 157 other entries, including three other finalists from Yale University, Harvard University, and a joint team of Purdue University and Ball State University. The winning team in the competition wins $50,000 and each of the finalist teams receive $10,000.

Click here to learn more about the various proposals. The ULI/Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition — now in its 11th year.

Kansas Universities' Athletic Directors Paid In Part By The State

Universities' athletic programs often operate separately from the universities themselves, with separate budgets.

But the Topeka Capital-Journal reports that except at Kansas State University, the state's regents universities all pay a portion of their athletic directors' salaries. That means state funding is contributing to the salaries.

At the University of Kansas, which pays about 40 percent of Athletic Director Sheahon Zenger's salary, the university says the arrangement helps the school maintain proper oversight over athletics.

At Wichita State University, the WSU Intercollegiate Athletic Association relies on university funding for all of its employees but reimburses the state for some of them, the Capital-Journal reports.

KU Pulls Out Of Sports Complex Plan, Decides To pitch Its Own facility

The University of Kansas is seeking some changes in a plan that would establish new sports and recreation facilities in the city of Lawrence.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports the university is pulling out of a proposal to build a new $24 million sports complex in conjunction with the city. Instead, KU says it wants to build a larger sports complex near the initial planned site and have the city move its recreation center and youth fieldhouse there.

Monday, April 2. Postseason Basketball or Postseason Hockey

Tomorrow night KC has two choices to get their sports fix. If basketball is what you are jonesing for you can watch KU take on Kentucky in the National Championship game on CBS. The Jayhawks have employed an unusual strategy in this tournament. Lull the opposing team into a false sense of security in the 1st half and then clamp down on defense and win in the last 2 minutes of the game. This is a strategy that may not work against the Wildcats, but you never know. If you want to watch it in public then head to a local bar. The best known KU bar in the KC area is Johnny’s. There are several locations in the area, including on the Missouri side at the Power & Light District. If you want a more game like feel head to Lawrence and watch it with a few thousand fans at Allen Fieldhouse. The University is hosting a watch party there for all to enjoy on the scoreboard.

If hockey is your game then you can head to the Independence Events Center and see if the Missouri Mavericks can sweep the Evansville Icemen in the CHL Playoffs.This is the third consecutive year that the Mavericks have made the playoffs and they are looking to make a deep run this year. There will be several fan activities. Including:

Food & Beverage - $1 hot dogs and $3 beers all game long

Face Painter - Get your face painted with your favorite Mavericks hockey theme! Located across from Section 107
American Family Insurance - Be one of the first to stop by the American Family kiosk and pick up a free foam puck behind Section 113.
Noodles - Stop by the Noodles kiosk and spin the prize wheel located behind Section 105.
Wing Stop - Get great coupons and enter to win a $50 Gift Certificate and a 50 piece family pack behind Section 103.
Red Robin - Red Robin will be handing out coupons at their kiosk behind Section 114.
Sloan's Pools - Ever thought about owning a swimming pool, or already own one? Stop by Sloan's Pools kiosk behind Section 106 and get coupons and information.

Take your pick and have fun. No matter which one you choose you will be watching postseason action.

March 31 Weekend Preview

The Arena Sports weekend kicks off early this weekend. Tonight, The Missouri Mavericks take on the Evansville Icemen in Round 1 Game A of the 2012 CHL Playoffs. The Mavericks are making their third consecutive trip to the CHL playoffs and went 4-1-1 in the season series (with 2 games being decided in overtime and 1 ending in a shootout).
There will be a Post-Game Party at the Brew Top Pub (700 NE Woods Chapel Road in Lee’s Summit).
Thursday night the Kansas City Command (0-2) host the Arizona Rattlers (1-1) Thursday night at Sprint Center in Week 4 of the Arena Football League season. Kickoff is set for 7:30pm. The Command is calling for a BLACKOUT. The first 3,000 fans in the door will receive a Black Command T-Shirt. The game will also be broadcast on Sports Radio 810 WHB and KSMO TV 62.
Over the weekend the top 35 bull riders and the fiercest bucking bulls in the world will compete in the Kansas City Invitational at the Sprint Center. Fans will witness thrilling 8-second rides and jaw-dropping wrecks throughout the adrenaline-soaked performance as the PBR's insanely brave cowboys risk it all against monstrous animal athletes that can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds.
If roundball is your passion you can catch KU take on Ohio State in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. You can have a cold one while watching it at a local watering hole or you can head to Lawrence. The University of Kansas will host a watch party at Allen Fieldhouse. Doors open at 6 p.m. and admission is free. The game tips off at 7:49 p.m. CDT.
If you are still in the mood to go out on Sunday, head down to Municipal Auditorium and catch Mike Epps on his "I'm Still Standing" Tour. One of the top comics in the biz for over a decade, Mike Epps is back on tour with a new show with new laughs. Hot off the set of his new feature film “Sparkle” with Whitney Houston, Epps is ready to show fans, once again, why he remains one of the only Hollywood funnymen with the ability to make ‘em laugh live on stage. Whether you've seen him in the movies (Next Friday, The Hangover, Jumping the Broom) or in his stand up specials (Mike Epps presents: Live From Club Nokia), he has undoubtedly made you laugh. Get ready for his new show.