Recently the Register-Guard and The Oregonian have editorialized in favor of Dave Frohnmayer’s proposal to build a UO Nike Arena with $200 million in state funds. The Register-Guard has repeatedly suggested that Phil Knight’s “legacy gift” of $100 million will be used as a financial “backstop.”
Past University donor dramas and a pattern of recent dismissals would suggest that the “gift” is indeed a mechanism but would be more accurately described as a $100 million trapdoor, a trapdoor designed to eliminate anyone who disagrees with Nike’s “Just Do It” approach to expand the University into a world-class global marketing opportunity.
Recently Frohnmayer described his incomplete financing information as “a moving landscape of developing information.” If the legislature denies Frohnmayer the $200 million, perhaps his focus will change to more reasonable goals like how to raise money to address an estimated $150 million in deferred maintenance that has accumulated at the University.
Zachary Vishanoff
Eugene, OR