Nebraska Innovation Campus

The Nebraska Innovation Campus is a public/private research campus being developed by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. It is located in Lincoln, Nebraska on the 249-acre (1.01 km2) site of the old Nebraska State Fair grounds.[1]

Its purpose is "To encourage and incent the greatest amount of private/public research and economic development on this property thus allowing this site to become a preferred location for significant job creation in Lincoln and the State of Nebraska."[2]

The project is managed by the Nebraska Innovation Campus Development Corporation and is overseen by a nine-member board of directors appointed by the University Regents.[3] From 2018-2023, Robert G. Wilhelm led the Nebraska Innovation Campus as the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development at UNL.[4] The first projects will be related to agriculture and natural resources.[5]

The project was made possible by a 2008 state law which moved the Nebraska State Fair to Grand Island and turned the old state fairgrounds over to the university. Several citizens filed a legal challenge to the law, contending that it "created a special benefit" for some of the groups and people involved in the plan.[6] However, in May 2010 the Nebraska Supreme Court rejected those arguments and upheld an earlier dismissal of the lawsuit.[7] There was also an attempt to overturn the state law by referendum,[8] but the petition drive failed to get enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.[9]

All of the State Fair buildings were to be demolished except the Arsenal and 4-H buildings, which were be remodeled and transformed into a focal point for the research campus. A group of activists attempted to save the 97-year-old Industrial Arts Building from demolition, and the Regents gave them until July 2010 to find a way to renovate and keep the building.[10] One Wisconsin company submitted a bid to restore and renovate the building, but the university rejected it in August 2010 as too expensive.[11][12] Later, the university approved a plan to repurpose the Industrial Arts Building, which included the addition of greenhouse space on the second floor.[13] The Ice Box, an ice hockey arena on the former fairgrounds, was also spared from demolition; it is currently leased to the Lincoln Stars for use until 2031, after which time the city of Lincoln has recommended it also be razed and redeveloped.[14]

  1. ^ Schreiber, Danny (June 7, 2010). "UNL's Innovation Campus set to facilitate collaboration". Silicon Prairie News.
  2. ^ Nebraska Innovation Campus website
  3. ^ Abourezk, Kevin (April 16, 2010). "NU puts face on Innovation Campus". Lincoln Journal-Star.
  4. ^ Washburn, Ashley. "Wilhelm assumes vice chancellor post May 15". University of Nebraska-Lincoln Office of Research & Economic Development. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  5. ^ Myers, Alicia (January 15, 2010). "Nebraska Innovation Campus to Begin with Agriculture". KOLN. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011.
  6. ^ Funk, Josh (January 31, 2010). "Nebraska Supreme Court to hear case against State Fair move". Lincoln Journal-Star.
  7. ^ "State Supreme Court approves State Fair's move". Grand Island Independent. May 29, 2010.
  8. ^ "Innovation Campus Referendum". Nebraska Board of Regents. June 13, 2008. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010.
  9. ^ "State Fair Petition Drive Fails To Get Necessary Signatures". Nebraska Pulse. September 4, 2008. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012.
  10. ^ "Clock Ticking for Condemned State Fair Building". KETV. March 30, 2010. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012.
  11. ^ Abourezk, Kevin (July 1, 2010). "Wisconsin company bids to renovate Industrial Arts Building". Lincoln Journal-Star.
  12. ^ Hall, Terra (August 10, 2010). "UNL Rejects Only Development Proposal for Industrial Arts Building". KOLN. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011.
  13. ^ Bartling, Kelly (January 5, 2012). "Today@UNL - Industrial Arts Building redesign to feature greenhouses" (Press release). University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
  14. ^ "Nebraska Innovation Campus (NIC) Redevelopment Plan" (PDF). City of Lincoln. September 8, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2024.