Osborne: Practice facility still a top priority for NU

With plans for a new arena on hold, Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne said Tuesday that the athletic department will at least consider moving forward with a practice facility for the Huskers’ basketball teams.

“The area of most urgency would be a practice facility,” said Osborne, who called “prudent” the decision by Mayor Chris Beutler and others to delay a public vote on the new arena.

A practice facility, to be paid for through private donations and revenue bonds, was tied to the project.

With the delay, there is no timetable for when a vote on the arena project will be scheduled.

Both of Nebraska’s basketball teams play and practice at the 33-year-old Devaney Sports Center, which Osborne has said needs to be refurbished for NU to stay competitive with rival schools.

Already, Nebraska is the only Big 12 program without a dedicated practice facility for its basketball teams or without one under construction.

“It puts you at a disadvantage in recruiting,” said Osborne, who said NU may have to look at locating a practice facility somewhere other than tied to the proposed arena.

“If you tie it to the arena, and you wait a year for a vote, and then the vote doesn’t move forward, then you’re a long ways behind,” Osborne said.

It’s not uncommon for practice facilities to be built off-site, especially in cases where the arena is located away from campus.

A practice facility, including courts for the men’s and women’s teams, locker rooms, medical facilities and coaches’ offices, could run upwards of $15 million.

Any decision to move forward, Osborne said, would require the full support of the NU administration and Board of Regents.