By STEVEN HENNEBERRY
Assistant Sports Editor
Rosenblatt Stadium is home to the College World Series and the Omaha Royals.
For 11 games this season, it also is home to the Creighton Bluejays baseball team.
The Jays used to play one or two games per season in the colorful ballpark, but that number has increased significantly since 2006.
The College World Series has been played at Rosenblatt since 1950, but after 2011 the series will move to a new downtown stadium as part of a 25-year contract with the city. The 61-year-old Rosenblatt will be torn down. The future of the College World Series is known, but negotiations continue on what
will happen with the Royals and Creighton baseball.
Director of athletics Bruce Rasmussen, head baseball coach Ed Servais and others are waiting to see how negotiations between university officials and the City of Omaha turn out.
“We have three options,” Rasmussen said. “We can play all of our games at the new stadium, play some of our games there and the rest on campus, or we could play none of our games at the new stadium and build or renovate an on-campus facility.”
Rasmussen said that no option presents all positives or all negatives. He also made sure to point out that whatever happens with the baseball facility also affects the softball field and Department of Campus Recreation space, which uses the outfield on the baseball diamond.
“We’re evaluating each option and want to do what is best for all involved,” Rasmussen said. “It is not a simple question with a simple answer.”
Rasmussen said the negotiations are in the preliminary stages, but any contract would be a lease agreement since that is the current structure of the contract with Rosenblatt Stadium.
There are no NCAA rules that prevent Creighton from playing all home games in the new stadium, even if the venue hosts the sport’s championship event.
The new downtown stadium, which is yet to be named, will be northwest of Qwest Center Omaha, taking over parking lots C and E between Cuming and Webster Streets from 13th to 10th Streets.
According to a report from Barrett Sports Group and an article on Building Design and Construction’s Web site, the $128 million ballpark will have 24,000 seats with 26 luxury suites and 1,000 club seats. There will be a 360 degree, walk-around, wide concourse as well as food stands and a souvenir shop. There will be five locker rooms and administrative offices.
The Jays current on-campus home is the CU Sports Complex, which also houses the softball field and Kitty Gaughan Pavilion. There are 1,000 seats for baseball, plus a suite-style layout in the Pavilion for season-ticket holders, overlooking both fields.
The turf on both the baseball and softball fields needs to be replaced within the next two years, Rasmussen said.
No matter which option is chosen, head baseball coach Ed Servais said his program is ready to take another step forward.
“Any option is good because no matter what we end up doing, it will improve upon what we have right now.”
Servais, entering his seventh season with the Jays, knows playing in the new stadium or building a new facility on campus would help recruiting.
“Many recruits want to be wowed,” Servais said. “We never lie to our recruits, but it’s hard not to know where home will be in the next few years.”
Rasmussen, a former women’s basketball coach, understands this as well.
“It would be nice if we can tell a recruit they will be playing in the home of the College World Series or a brand new on-campus facility.”
Servais has concerns about where the team will practice, too.
“If we play all of our games at the new stadium, will we be able to work out there?”
Currently, the Jays are not able to practice at Rosenblatt before games due to conflicts with the Royals.
“It’s a tough question,” Servais said. “You have to consider whether the Royals will play there as well. There are a lot of variables.”
The situation may continue if an Independent League team comes to Omaha, a possibility that is being discussed by city officials.
As for which option softball head coach Brent Vigness and Campus Recreation director Bob Denney would like to see: both offered no comment, saying they didn’t have enough information to form an opinion.
The down economy has forced the department to be more conservative, Rasmussen said. He also admitted that if the decision were to build a new stadium on campus, raising money for it would be difficult.
Rasmussen said he would like to have an answer from the city within the next two months.
“Once we have a decision, we can take the next step in the process,” he said. “We’re excited about the future and continue to look at all three options. Again, we want to do what is best for all involved.”
Servais says he is excited as well, and knows “this is the right time for the program to take a big step in a positive direction.”