Sports create excitement, inspire teamwork and foster a healthy competitive spirit. Mixing sports and group events creates a winning combination. Lincoln’s cherished athletic heritage also makes sports a great way for attendees to enjoy the local flavor. Not only does this college town rally around its often-victorious Cornhuskers, Lincoln is the sports capital of Nebraska.
Groups can experience the glorious Huskers tradition at a University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) venue. UNL’s football team is one of the winningest college football teams in the country, and students, alumni and fans alike are rightly proud of their team. When filled, the 85,500 seats of its Memorial Stadium hold more people than any but the two largest cities in the state, with UNL supporters forming a “sea of red.” The UN Alumni Association’s Nebraska Champions Club can welcome as many as 650 for receptions. Other venues include Wick Alumni Center, with a capacity of 300, and more than 280 acres of landscaped lawn and botanical gardens for outdoor events.
A golf tournament at Wilderness Ridge Golf Course & Restaurant can get things swinging for groups. In addition to one of the top golf courses in the state, Wilderness Ridge also offers very attractive and distinctive meeting spaces. The Lodge at Wilderness Ridge is built in a style of rugged elegance, appointed with wood paneling, a large stone fireplace and hunting trophies. Its Yellowstone Ballroom accommodates 230. Smaller spaces can welcome between 12 and 64 guests for banquets and meetings. Groups of 20 to 140 are welcome for golf outings. Located in Lincoln adjacent to Wilderness Park, the course itself features lush landscaping, including 22 lakes, four waterfalls, winding streams and mature trees.
Attendees can root for the Lincoln Saltdogs at the award-winning Haymarket Park in historic downtown Lincoln. The professional baseball team is a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball and has made the playoffs both years since joining the league. The stadium seats 4,500 and offers five luxury private suites for private rental, each of which can welcome 30. Groups as large as 1,500 can be accommodated for picnics.
Planners may encourage that playful competitive edge amongst groups at Champions Fun Center, which welcomes indoor parties as large as 200 and groups of 1,500 in its outdoor pavilion. Activities include eight lanes of bowling, an 18-hole miniature golf course, a four-story free fall ride, batting cages and go-karts. The facility is located in southeast Lincoln.
For More Info
Champions Fun Center
402.434.7066
www.championsfuncenter.com
Lincoln Saltdogs Baseball
402.474.2255
www.saltdogs.com
UNL
402.472.9810
www.unl.edu
Wilderness Ridge
402.434.5101
www.wildernessridgegolf.com
