Action 3 News - Omaha, Nebraska News, Weather, and Sports | Warren Buffett Says Stadium Project is Good Despite Economy
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Like hundreds of other Omaha Royals fans, Warren Buffett showed up to support a stadium, Sarpy County isn't sure it can pay for.
Dave Roberts: "Do you think this is a smart venture in this economic climate?"
Warren Buffett: "Yeah I do. Anything that makes sense long term, you start when you get the chance to do it. I never believe in trying to time things, we are doing things you know in our business that somebody else might say lets wait a year. We don't do that."
Dave Roberts: "Is it smart even though there is not a financing plan in place yet?"
Warren Buffett: "It will work. It will work, I garuantee it."
Dave Roberts: "Does that mean you are going to make sure it works?"
Warren Buffett: Well, I, we wouldn't be sinking shovels in the ground if we didn't think something was going to happen, that is for sure. It will work."
Now that the shovel hit the dirt, farmland at 126th Street and Highway 370 will soon transform. Including the interest, county board members say the total cost will be roughly 48 million dollars. 16 million dollars is still needed to pay for the project.
Governor Dave Heinemen likes the project, but not enough to provide state funding.
Dave Roberts: "Is it smart even though they don't know how they are going to pay for it yet?"
Governor Dave Heineman: "Well that is the challenge I know that they are going to overcome. Now they have already said that they have the money to do it locally no matter what and in my sense that is where we will end up ultimately."
The financial hurdles asside, Buffett says the ballpark is a home run.
"I like baseball yeah. I was never any good at it, but my day will come. I mean who knows, a couple years from now my eight-mile-an-hour fast ball may be just what the Royals need," says Buffett.
Private donors are now being sought to help fill the funding gaps. Mr. Buffett wouldn't say whether or not, he's ready to write the check.
