(EVANSVILLE, IN) – Memorable moments in the history of Roberts Stadium will have a place of honor in the new Ford Center. The new Hilliard Lyons Corridor of Champions will be dedicated in a private ceremony before the UE vs. IU game on Wednesday, November 16. Media are invited to attend the event which will begin at 5:10 p.m. in the lobby of the Ford Center.
The move from Roberts Stadium and the enhancement of the Corridor of Champions has been made possible by the very generous donation of naming rights sponsor Hilliard Lyons and several supporting sponsors. The display has been completely revamped and includes a video loop of greatest moments at Roberts. It will eventually also honor great moments in the Ford Center.
The agenda for the dedication ceremony is as follows:
4:15 p.m. Doors open
4:30 – 5:10 p.m. Reception and photo opportunities with honorees
5:10 p.m. Dedication ceremony (Mike Blake, Master of Ceremony)
-Remarks by Jerry Sloan (on video), Larry Humes and Calbert Cheaney
-Dedication remarks by Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel and Alan Newman, Hilliard Lyons
-Unveiling of the Hilliard Lyons Corridor of Champions
Tickets may still be purchased for the private dedication of the Hilliard Lyons Corridor of Champions by calling the Ford Center box office at (812) 422-1515 or the UE Athletic Ticket office at (812) 488-ACES. Funds raised by this event will be put toward the second phase of the exhibit which will memorialize members of the University of Evansville men’s basketball team who were killed in a plane crash in 1977.
I am sure this will be a very nice memory hall for those who grew up and grew older with Roberts Stadium and Aces basketball. But give me a break. “Naming rights?” Couldn’t Hilliard Lyons just have made the contribution and let it go at that? Anonymously would have been wonderful. Next project – naming rights for the restrooms, then each seat, then each stair step. It is all about corporations trying to buy a warm fuzzy feeling by having their name associated with a location or object that people are emotionally attached to. It really is a cheap shot. I have no respect for such companies. (Same goes for Ford.)
What’s wrong with them getting a little publicity? I dont’t think anything that can be an incentive to get companies to invest in the Arena and generate revenue for it should be overlooked. If someone is willing to pay for naming rights to the restrooms, why not?
Is it just me or shouldn’t all of this be going up at Roberts Stadium, you know, the place they are actually trying to commemorate with all of this?
Downtown Arena Bonds
“The Evansville-based investment firm of Hilliard Lyons served as senior manager for the offering, with City Securities Corp. and Fifth Third Securities also participating. The City’s financial adviser for the arena project is London Witte Group.”
* * * * *
Evansville Redevelopment Commission approves incentive package for Hilliard Lyons move to Red Spot retail store at 110 Main Street.
* * * * *
What ever the city of Evansville is receiving from Hilliard Lyons for “naming rights”, it will not be a drop in the bucket to what you and I have given them in tax money!
__
I hope they save all the old pictures, banners, and memorabilia.
My wife, Angie Geiser-Smith, was on the 1981 Reitz girls state championship team, and their team picture was on a large banner in Roberts Stadium.
Steve,
If that banner was not included someone probably still has it. There is a support group for Roberts Stadium that I believe worked on this project. Go after that banner and you can let us all know where the “rest of the story” is being (hopefully) kept.
Comments are closed.