THE UNIVERSITY OF HAIRY KANSAN FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2009
NEWS
ATHLETICS
7A
Luxury club to continue building revenue
Courtesy of University of Kansas Athletics
The Gridiron club will feature luxury seating for 3,000 people. The club will have cushioned seating, lounging areas and five-star cuisine.
Officials not shaken by football season and lack of donors
BY DANIEL JOHNSON
djohnson@kansan.com
The billboard-sized banner draping the east side of Memorial Stadium doesn't show disappointed players or a head coach accused of abusive tendencies.
Instead the advertisement for Memorial Stadium's Gridiron Club expansion portrays a determined Todd Reesing ready to carry the future of Kansas Football on his back. A black-and-white photo of legendary running back Gale Sayers backs the senior quarter back.
"Join the Legacy" the sign commands.
Although a six-game losing streak and Thursdays resignation of Coach Mark Mangino have
become staples for this season's legacy, Athletics officials insist a shaky season will not hurt plans for the $34 million luxury seating expansion.
"The Gridiron Club is bigger than just
one week or one season," said Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director for the Athletics Department. "Our donors understand that."
cushioned seating, five-star cuisine, and other first class amenities to donors who purchase season tickets to finance the project. Money earned from the club will be used to support both athletics and academics at the University.
"A considerable amount of interest has been shown by alumni, donors and season ticket holders."
In time for next football season, the Gridiron Club will add 3,000 luxury seats to a new section atop the east side of Memorial Stadium. The club will include lounge areas.
Although Marchiony insisted the current football season had not negatively affected interest in the expansion, other members of the program's fundraising team said giving had been slower than hoped for.
JIM MARCHIONY Associate athletics director
John Hadl, former All-American quarterback who played 17 years in professional football, is leading fundraising efforts for the Gridiron Club.
"It's slowed down because of the economy and the fact that our football team isn't doing well right now," Hadl said. "But I think the main thing is the economy. People are waiting to see what's going to happen with our country before they make decisions right now."
Despite current fundraising
hiccups, the donor driven Gridiron Club is riding in on a wave of increased giving to Athletics. According to Kansas University Endowment, yearly donations to Athletics have raised from $7.5 million in 2000, to $31.3 million last year.
total. Athletics donations have more than quadrupled in the last decade.
Rosita McCoy, a spokeswoman for KU Endowment, said the Athletics Department had not yet reported current numbers for Gridiron Club fundraising. She said that current fundraising was still in the form of pledges, rather
than actual contributions.
"Right now, no money has been given directly to us," McCoy said. "Athletics has a tendency to give us money in lump sums. So until they decide to hand over what they collect, it's hard to say what they have raised."
But most students and season ticket holders are not considering membership in the luxury club. To join, members must make a minimum purchase of a 5-year season ticket. The five-year season ticket costs $30,000. In a season with six home games, this equates to about $666 per game.
Scott Sturgeon's father has had season tickets for the last four years and plans to buy them for a fifth year. Sturgeon, Leawood senior, said he had mentioned getting tickets to the Gridiron Club to his father to no avail.
"My dad pretty much brushed that idea aside." Sturgeon said. "This is something that is for fans who already are paying huge amounts and probably already have good seats. It's not realistic
But Marchiony said the high costs would not impede donors from buying in. He said Athletics had conducted studies that revealed significant support for the current proposals, including membership prices.
Marchiony said donors understood that donations to the
"A considerable amount of interest has been shown by alumni, donors and season ticket holders." Marchiony said. "It is proceeding well."
used to finance the planned $24.6 million Olympic Village expansion, which will include a new 400-meter track and field, new soccer fields, and improved seating, among other developments.
Gridiron Club would help more than just Athletics. Specifically, the project has committed $40 million of future proceeds to academics.
"The money that comes in for this will take care of all the other sports that need facility upgrades," Hadl said. "We've caught up with our football facilities, but we've got to keep going. We've got to keep it fair with all the other schools."
In addition to the stadium expansion, the Athletics Department plans to remove the tailgating field on the stadium's east lawn to add 158 new parking spaces. To provide access for the lots, developers will realign the offset intersection of 11th and Mississippi streets.
"The money that comes in for this will take care of all the other sports that need facility upgrades."
Chuck Soules, the city's director of public works, said he was waiting for the University to contact his office to discuss the project. SouLES said the University had said it would be meeting with him during the last month,
but had recently been
silent on the issue
Hadi added that supporting the Gridiron Club is a commitment to programs other than football. He said profits from the club would be
JOHN HADL Fundraiser for Gridiron
"They said they were supposed to be having a meeting in the last month, but I have heard nothing." Soules said Friday. "I sent an email, but they haven't responded."
Soules said he was unsure as to whether
the football team's recent problems had anything to do with a recent lack of communication.
According to Athletics, the Gridiron Club expansion will be completed in the next eight to 10 months.
Edited by Megan Morriss
Guinean president shot by presidential military guards
INTERNATIONAL
BY RUKMINI CALLIMACHI
Associated Press
CONAKRY, Guinea — A renegade faction of Guinea's presidential guard opened fire on the African country's leader Thursday, slightly wounding him amid rumors of deep divisions within the army nearly three months after a military-led massacre of protesters at a peaceful rally.
President Mouissa "Dadis"
Camara was shot at by his military
aide, who heads the presidential guard, Communications Minister Idrissa Cherif said. A statement read on state TV said the 45-year-old president had been slightly wounded but that his life was not in danger.
"The president of the republic is still the president of the republic and he is in good health." Cherif said as military helicopters and sporadic shooting could be heard in downtown Conakry.
Cherif said Camara had left the
country's main military barracks from where he has been running the country since seizing power in a military-led coup 11 months ago. He headed downtown to a military camp housing hundreds of men under the control of Abubakar "Toumba" Diakite, the president's aide-de-camp. The shooting occurred inside the camp.
Toumba is accused of having led the presidential guard that opened fire on the peaceful demonstrators that had gathered inside the
capital's national stadium. At least 157 people were killed and dozens of women were raped by the red beret-wearing presidential guard who also assaulted them with bayonets, rifle butts and with pieces of wood. At least 20 women were kidnapped and driven away in military trucks to private villas where they were drugged and videotaped while they were being gang raped over several days, according to three survivors as well as several human rights groups.
The massacre led the European Union and the African Union to impose sanctions on Guinea, including on top members of the junta, who are now the subject of a travel ban. Sources inside the military say that it deeply aggravated divisions that were already present and has led to the clique fracturing further. Members of the junta, including Toumba, are believed to lead private armies that are faithful only to them.
CRIME Wichita junior arrested in case involving kidnapping
A University student was arrested Wednesday on charges of kidnapping and aggravated assault, according to Douglas County District Court records.
Eric Ashton, Wichita junior, was booked into Douglas County Jail at 2:11 p.m. Wednesday after being arrested at the Sedgwick County Jail in Wichita. Ashton is accused of committing crimes that occurred about 6 weeks before his arrest.
A 21-year-old Lawrence resident reported three crimes Oct. 15: aggravated kidnapping by firearm, aggravated assault and aiding a felon. The report indicates that the offender was suspected of using drugs or narcotics.
Two Lawrence residents are listed as witnesses in the report, one of whom is a University student. Ashton was released from jail at 7:47 p.m. Wednesday on a $50,000 bond. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victim or witnesses in the case.
As of Thursday afternoon, the full court record was unavailable and it was unclear when Ashton will be appearing in court next.
Brandon Sayers
VOLUNTEERING Organization needs more people to aid holiday party
The campus organization Mentors in the Lives of Kids is looking for 20 to 30 more volunteers for its holiday party Dec. 9.
Emily Lamb, Lawrence sophomore and co-coordinator of MILK, said she expected to host about 550 children from the Lawrence community at the party.
Lamb said the party will involve games and crafts related to holiday celebrations from around the world, including Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Chinese New Year.
MILK coordinates with the Boys and Girls Club after school care program year-round.
The holiday party will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday in the ballroom of the Kansas Union.
If you would like to volunteer, send an e-mail to milk@ku.edu. There will be an orientation for volunteers at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6 in Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union.
— Samantha Foster
NATIONAL
Family survives three days in car after being trapped
BY JEFF BARNARD Associated Press
MEDFORD, Ore. — Keith and Jennifer Lee were driving home on a remote mountain road, their prized Christmas tree strapped to the roof of their all-wheel-drive, when they rounded a backcountry corner and found themselves suddenly mired in snow.
Out of cell phone range, and unaware a search was under way, the couple spent three days and two cold nights before Keith Lee finally freed the Subaru and drove home, the tree still tied on top.
They soon heard newreports on the radio about a search that had begun Wednesday with a helicopter, Sno-Cats and ATVs. They called 911, then phoned a close friend who was taking care of them.
"I screamed, "They're safe, they're coming home," said the friend, Sophie Smith. "Everybody just fell and cried."
The couple also ventured into the Siskiyou Mountains near the California border last year, but got lost. They were better prepared this time, bringing two maps, a cell phone equipped with GPS, three blankets and 24 bottles of water. They purposely drove their all-wheel-drive, but didn't take chains.
"We went around the corner, and there was no snow and then all of a sudden it was like quicksand."
fir that only grows at high elevation, just like the one they got a year ago.
Just like thousands of Oregonians each year, the Lees bought a Christmas tree permit from their local national forest office and headed out Tuesday morning to find the perfect tree — a silver-tip
The couple cut the tree and headed for home. Then disaster struck.
of their four children.
Keith Lee tried rocking, putting the car in drive, then quickly in reverse. But each time the car slid back closer to a cliff.
"We went around the corner, and
JENNIFER LEE Medford, Ore.
there is no snow and there was no snow and then all of a sudden it was like quicksand," Jennifer Lee said. "We just sink into two feet of snow."
Above the fog that regularly socks in the Rogue Valley in winter, the Lees were warm during the day. The couple huddled under their blankets at night, running the car engine 15 minutes every hour for heat. They had no food, but
"It was like something you see on TV news," Jennifer Lee said. "It was really surreal — not like it was really happening to us."
Jennifer Lee said she spent much of Tuesday and Wednesday praying while her husband worked to free the car. She thought of her kids, ages 8 to 18, and what kind of Christmas it would be for them without their parents.
plenty of water.
"Who was going to have my kids?" she said. "Where were they gonna go? What kind of Christmas is this without my kids? Santa. Of course, Santa. Where's Santa gonna go? Santa for my 8-year-old. Where's my 8-year-old gonna go?"
"It was absolutely a needle in a haystack," Medford police Sgt. Mike Budreau said. "The more time that went by, the more concerned we got and we were absolutely concerned we were not going to find them alive."
Smith had picked up 8-year-old Maddie after school on Tuesday, as planned. When the Lees didn't return to their Medford home that night, she brought the rest of the kids and the dog to her house. She called police Wednesday morning.
Police had two clues: the Lees had gone into the Siskiyous for last year's tree.
The couple knew exactly where they were, but had no way to communicate, Jennifer Lee said.
"What were we thinking?" she said. "Thirty dollars for a Christmas tree. Just pay the $30 and be done with it. Thirty Dollars wasn't worth our life."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jennifer Lee and her daughter Madeline Lee, 8, are reunited at their home in Medford, Ore. Thursday after surviving for three days in their Subaru on a remote road leading into California on the south side of Mount Ashland.
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