If U were a multi-Billionaire & could rename something at UMn, what would you rename and why?

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The Minnesota Ford dealers should offer a Nagurski Edtion of the Ford Bronco (I know they're spelled differently, but close enough). A Bronco, maroon colored, with an included football tailgate package, and a Nagurski nameplate.
 


First off, I'd hire my own construction firm to tear down the interior of Williams arena and rebuild it with a raised floor and a roof made of metal. Wide concourses, more bathrooms and concessions. and seats for all attendees. would secure student seating behind the baskets and one sideline with free admission to all students. Williams arena would still and forever be the name and the outside walls would be preserved, but the student section would forever be named the Otis Zone.

Also, I'd have written into state law that the stadium floor will be ringed by maroon with gold lettering of Golden Gophers on the sidelines and Minnesota on both end lines. The "M" would be at mid court. Failure to comply would result in the building being renamed "Spoofin Arena".
 


I would rename a library or building after my grandpa Manny Block (RIP) He was a major champion of higher ed and especially our state's fine public institution. He received his E.E. bachelors on the G.I. bill, His masters in E.E. and a PHD in vocational education (at the age of 76!) all from the U. Even though I was never a great student he was incredibly proud of me for graduating from the U and taught me to appreciate my time there and to ALWAYS take time and notice the beautiful girls on campus! (very wise.)
 



1) rename TCF Bank Stadium to Warmath Field.

2) buy the railroad tracks directly northeast of stadium and turn it into the ultimate tailgating lot. Complete with actual bathrooms, vendor hookups for food, green space for games, plenty of room for bags, electrical hookups and a stage for entertainment. Make it the biggest party in the state 7-8 Saturdays a year.
 



Like the ideas everyone, the serious ones, and the funny ones, too.

If I had Bloomberg money, I'd get TCF stadium renamed Memorial Stadium maybe, or maybe Bruce Smith Stadium or Smith-Giel Stadium? And I'd pay for the expansion, first thing. Maybe Warmath Stadium? NOPE, as an uber Billionaire, I have a much better idea. I'd name it Memorial LEGENDS Stadium, and I'd have statues of every cfb Hall of Fame player and Coach placed throughout the structure, as well as their image placed on the walls, and every NFL HOF player and coach, as well as many other significant and deserving players, etc.. Any other sports complex named after some corporation I'd pay off and rename them for some deserving athlete, or maybe an AD? lol Coyle Arena? And I'd build a new BB Arena, with the largest national capacity, by a good margin, the best the nation has ever seen, and all students would get in for free. And I'd dedicate enough money to bring in the best Tennis Coach ever known to man. Why? Just because, lol. Just because it's the sport we have never done well at and I'd do all I could to change that, as quickly as possible, just because I could. :) And I'd fund a new bowling alley and a bowling team, too.

Legends Stadium? Yep, I do like that idea.
 

WinLoseOrTy said:
1) rename TCF Bank Stadium to Warmath Field.

2) buy the railroad tracks directly northeast of stadium and turn it into the ultimate tailgating lot. Complete with actual bathrooms, vendor hookups for food, green space for games, plenty of room for bags, electrical hookups and a stage for entertainment. Make it the biggest party in the state 7-8 Saturdays a year.
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Warmath Field has such a nice ring to it. I love it. I’d say Kill Stadium, but..
 

Rename CFANS to The Norman Borlaug CFANS. I was always obsessed with him as an undergrad.
 

hungan1 said:
If I have that kind of money, I am sorry. I wouldn't rename a building after myself or my family. I would pick a name honoring individual(s) that have made a huge impact in people's lives in the state and the world.

However, with that kind of money, I would focus my largesse on larger worthy causes other than sports. I will also donate to Gopher Athletics, but make it a matching fund donation.

I would create a foundation to build and support low cost or free med hometel tied to the University Hospitals and Cancer Centers. They are very much needed. Maybe somehow it can be tied into a fund generating vehicle for cancer family support and/or cancer research foundation.

IMHO, every family is touched by cancer. It is very devastating to families especially those who are less financially well off and having to travel a long way. I feel their stress, their heartbreak, and their pain.

Almost a dozen years ago before my older sister died of cancer, I visited the U hospitals regularly. She spent a good part for her remaining life there for treatments.

It was gut wrenching to see whole families from rural MN and out of staters sleeping in the guest waiting area or whatever is made available to them. They couldn't afford the cost of hotels for longer stays. Some don't have relatives or friends in town that they can rely on. They need more places like the Ronald McDonald's House.

The nurses, counselors, social workers, volunteers, and other care givers who work with these families are angels. I could see the pain in peoples faces. I could see the nurses in tears. To my sister and I they were our family. We need more of them and would support free tuition scholarship for people going into these fields like oncology nurse, social work, counseling, psychologist, etc... Also, a foundation is needed to put more money into these causes.

If I had that kind of money to throw around, I would do that. But, I don't want my name on any building or foundation.

I would also do what the co-founder of Home Depot Ken Lagone and his wife did. They donated $100 million to an initiative for free tuition for doctors especially in general practice, OBGYN, and pediatrics.


These doctors don't make money like the orthopedic surgeons. The over burdensome tuition cost is creating shortages nation-wide. Many GPs are leaving the practice in droves over the last two decades. If someone was to go practice in a rural community, community based care in the innercities and suburbs, I would pay off their tuition 100 percent.

We need to change the sense of the country/world from "me first" to caring and empathy for others. A sense of community of caring for fellow man. IMHO, something really changed over the last forty years as the world becomes more crowded. If you have to give a penny to every person on earth, you will need $75 million dollars! Yes, 7.5 billion souls. That is how many people on earth there are. We share a common humanity. Human kind is doomed if we stop caring for others.

That is my $1 billion dollars worth.
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What an honest, honorable and heartfelt post. Thank you for sharing your personal insight into our health care system. There is great need and much unnecessary suffering. Elected officials should quit acting like politicians and act more like leaders. Then maybe we might get answer to this and other issues. Finally i am sorry for the loss of your sister.
 



Well, if we are talking about having ridiculous money:

1. Buy the railyard by TCF stadium. Then build a retractable roof baseball facility named after Paul Molitor and Dave Winfield.
2. Build a roof over the University's Les Bolstad Golf Course giving Minnesota the worlds first year round golf facility north of the Mason-Dixon line! No more southern school advantages in those sports!
3. New Williams arena. You know the plan.
4. Put in the extra seats originally planned for TCF field. Paint everything in the visitor's locker room anthracite! even the drains.
5. Free tickets to students to all University sports! By lottery system if the demand gets too high.
6. Fix Gopher Hockey! Pay to move the American Hockey Hall of fame from Eveleth to adjoining Marriucci and add a Minnesota State Hockey Tournament Wing.
7. Hire lawyers to find a loophole and start the Golden Gopher channel to broadcast all Gopher sports.
 
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KillmeNow said:
Like the ideas everyone, the serious ones, and the funny ones, too.

If I had Bloomberg money, I'd get TCF stadium renamed Memorial Stadium maybe, or maybe Bruce Smith Stadium or Smith-Giel Stadium? And I'd pay for the expansion, first thing. Maybe Warmath Stadium? NOPE, as an uber Billionaire, I have a much better idea. I'd name it Memorial LEGENDS Stadium, and I'd have statues of every cfb Hall of Fame player and Coach placed throughout the structure, as well as their image placed on the walls, and every NFL HOF player and coach, as well as many other significant and deserving players, etc.. Any other sports complex named after some corporation I'd pay off and rename them for some deserving athlete, or maybe an AD? lol Coyle Arena? And I'd build a new BB Arena, with the largest national capacity, by a good margin, the best the nation has ever seen, and all students would get in for free. And I'd dedicate enough money to bring in the best Tennis Coach ever known to man. Why? Just because, lol. Just because it's the sport we have never done well at and I'd do all I could to change that, as quickly as possible, just because I could. :) And I'd fund a new bowling alley and a bowling team, too.

Legends Stadium? Yep, I do like that idea.
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Bierman-Nagurski Memorial Stadium
 

I'd rename the hockey arena "Mary Oochie Arena", and the basketball arena "Willy M's Arena" just to mess with people.
 

WindyCityGopher said:
If I'm a billionaire I donate money to create new basketball arena that's a replica of The Barn, only with all the modern amenities (like wider concourses, more bathrooms, no obstructed seating), and insist as the only condition of my donation that there be a courtside section for students behind the benches. And I would have it named Bobby Jackson Arena in honor of the most electric Gophers player I ever saw, homework be damned.
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I like this. I'd also add a requirement they put back the banners from the Clem era that they took down.
 




One of the things that will benefit the U in perpetuity is to acquire adjacent land/property abutting the university campus.

The U does not have enough wiggle room for growth.

Maybe the properties east of the University Industrial Park, properties to east of TCF Bank Stadium and north of University Avenue all the way to Hwy 280.

Also, maybe they can build on top of the railroad yard and utilize that space.

Something to think about if you are a zillionaire.

www.google.com

University of Minnesota Athletes Village · Bierman Field Athletic Building, 516 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455

★★★★★ · Sports complex
www.google.com www.google.com
 

I'd designate all of TCF Bank a standing and drinking friendly place.
 

I'd convince the Alumni Association to allow the Band Plaza Show perform in the wide open space next to McNamara. It's more than large enough, and a WAY better space for it than the current placement.
 

I'd burn the BWW to the ground and create the best fan friendly pregame/postgame spot ever. Not sure exactly what that means but if I had my billion to spend I'd figure it out. Would keep the Station 19 name but figure out how to squeeze Big10 subs in there as well.
 


I would name one end zone "Bryce" and the other "Witham". Oh, and of course I'd put in Slab's hot tubs.
 

LakerFan said:
I'd burn the BWW to the ground and create the best fan friendly pregame/postgame spot ever. Not sure exactly what that means but if I had my billion to spend I'd figure it out. Would keep the Station 19 name but figure out how to squeeze Big10 subs in there as well.
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God Bless You!
 


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