University of Nebraska plans to build $1.6 million esports center

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) is seeking donors to create a modern esports center with an area of more than 460 square meters. The project is estimated at $1.6 million.

University officials emphasize that esports is not just entertainment, but a multi-billion-dollar industry, and UNL wants to give its students a competitive advantage in this field.

The center will provide students with a professional space for gaming, training, and broadcasting. According to the plan, the facility will be divided into several key zones:

• Gaming arena: equipped with 40 high-performance gaming PCs.
• Console zone: a space for playing on the latest-generation consoles.
• Broadcast booth: a specially equipped area for streaming and match commentary.
• Spectator zone: where students will be able to watch competitions.

In addition to construction costs, the project includes annual operating expenses of about $150,000.
This amount is expected to be distributed as follows:

• $90,000 — salary for a coach or program director;
• $40,000 — salary for a graduate assistant;
• $20,000 — expenses for esports players representing the university.

The university aims to catch up with other institutions in the Big Ten Conference, many of which already have developed esports infrastructure. Currently, the UNL esports club has hundreds of members, but they are forced to train remotely or in unsuitable facilities.

University leadership believes that the new esports center will help attract students. The project is intended not only for players, but also for future specialists in IT, marketing, media production, and management.

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