Latest news with #BigSky
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Controversial south Norfolk council HQ demolition plan approved
A former council headquarters will be demolished despite strong opposition to the Norfolk Council's planning committee decided on Wednesday that South Norfolk House, in Long Stratton, could be torn building was previously home to the council's offices, but has sat empty since the authority relocated to the edge of people felt the site should be repurposed and one local Labour councillor said "this is a disgrace". South Norfolk House opened in 1979 and was designed by Michael Innes, the architect behind Norwich's Castle Quarter and the redesign of Norwich Market, the Local Democracy Reporting Service council agreed to sell the building to its own housing development company, Big Sky, after it moved to a new office at Broadland Business Park in 2022 - which it shares with Broadland District deal stalled, as campaigners tried and failed to give the building protection from demolition through listed Stratton Town Council - which also opposed the demolition - said "it could be repurposed to provide much needed infrastructure". Daniel Elmer, the Conservative council leader, said the authority had spent about £660,000 on utility costs, insurance fees and business rates since the building was at the meeting, residents argued the building was not old enough to be knocked down and was needed as a community centre in the fast-growing Rochester said: "We feel we have been ignored and overlooked throughout this process."This project risks creating a derelict and fenced-off void in the heart of Long Stratton, and a scar on our community."Labour's Georgina Race said: "I think this is a disgrace. This building is too important to demolish."We will never be able to get the likes of this in the heart of the town again."It was meant to be a jewel in south Norfolk's crown and now it is being torn down." The committee also heard complaints the proposals had not been discussed more openly and councillors were interrupted by shouts of "shame on you" from the were considering whether the demolition required prior majority voted against this, meaning that planning permission is not required for demolition and works can get under way council has already set aside £370,000 to pay for demolition and the site is expected to be redeveloped for housing. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
South Norfolk Council leader defends former HQ demolition plan
Plans to demolish a former council headquarters so the site can be used for housing have been defended by the authority's in Long Stratton had campaigned for the former South Norfolk District Council HQ to be used as a "community asset".The council sold the building to its own development company instead, and its Conservative leader Daniel Elmer said the authority had "a legal and moral duty" to get the best price for the council's planning committee is expected to approve demolition of the building on Wednesday. South Norfolk House – which is in Long Stratton – has sat empty since the council moved to a new building at the Broadland Business Park on the outskirts of Norwich in authority later agreed to sell the building to its own housing development company, Big Sky, for an undisclosed fee. However, the deal was stalled by uncertainty surrounding the site, as campaigners tried and failed to give the building protection from demolition by getting it listed town council said "it could be repurposed to provide much needed infrastructure". Long Stratton's Labour district councillor, Georgina Race, said private investors had offered to buy the building to use part of it as an arts centre, with the rest available for "community purposes".She added that 1,800 homes were already planned for the town and it did not need more said: "What we need is for somewhere for the community to go to and have a community building. "We've got a village hall built in 1906, when the residents in Long Stratton totalled about 500 people. We've now got 4,000 people."Resident Paul Rochester said the "vast majority" of people in the town wanted the building – which is 49 years old – to be used as a community space."It's a huge site [there's] so much potential within the building itself. It just beggars belief as to why it should be levelled." But Elmer said it was "a taxpayer-owned building, it belongs to all the residents of south Norfolk".He insisted the private investors' deal did not offer "proof of funds" and the council had "a legal and moral duty to get the best return for the taxpayer off of that site".Elmer added that the dispute over the future of the building had cost the authority about £250,000 a year to maintain the also said he was unsure what kind of housing the site would be used for, should the building be demolished.A report advises members of the council's planning committee go give the go-ahead to demolition. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Business Wire
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
Coushatta Casino Resort Unveils Newly Reimagined Big Sky Steakhouse
KINDER, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Coushatta Casino Resort announces the highly anticipated grand reopening of its Big Sky Steakhouse on Monday, August 4. Big Sky Steakhouse, a beloved regional favorite for over 30 years, reopens with a complete renovation inspired by the Acadian region of Southwest Louisiana. "Our goal was to bring the best of Louisiana to a steakhouse setting. Our custom cuts, dry-aging process and commitment to Louisiana flavors make every dish stand out." - Chef Matthew Beard Share 'Our goal was to bring the best of Louisiana to a steakhouse setting,' said Chef Matthew Beard. 'I grew up in this region and have a strong connection to the area, which is why leading the team at Big Sky Steakhouse is deeply personal to me. Our custom cuts, dry-aging process and commitment to Louisiana flavors make every dish stand out.' Chef Beard, a native of Oberlin, trained at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Austin, Texas, and at the Le Cordon Bleu in Scottsdale, Arizona. Known for introducing inventive food concepts across the Coushatta property, he brings both culinary artistry and hometown pride to Big Sky's kitchen. The updated menu, inspired by the storied culinary traditions of the surrounding parishes, features prime dry-aged cuts like the 24oz Cowboy Cut Bone-In Ribeye, Gulf seafood including pan-seared black drum and Red Snapper Calcasieu, and classic Louisiana dishes such as oxtail gravy over buttery mashed potatoes. Standout house favorites include fried green tomatoes with lump crabmeat and crawfish (harvested from Coushatta's own farms), and the Big Sky Burger, crafted from dry-aged beef. The reimagined restaurant space pays tribute to the region. Inside, guests will find a welcoming space rooted in Acadian design: repurposed 150-year-old doors, locally crafted woodwork, curated antiques and custom lighting. The new layout includes cozy booths for intimate dinners and a spacious dining room anchored by a grand fireplace. Much of the finish-out was completed by local tradespeople and artisans. The art throughout the space, was handpicked from the Louisiana area, including several pieces by New Orleans-based fine art photographer Frank Relle. The new Mirror Bar serves as a dazzling focal point in the new space. The back bar features over 40 antique mirrors, each carefully sourced from across the South. The Mirror Bar offers the full dining menu along with craft cocktails like the Smoked Old Fashioned (accented with oak smoke) and the dramatic Voodoo Smoked Tiki Dreams, featuring layered rums, smoked bubbles, and a flaming garnish. Local pastry chef Kellie Trimble-Deaire brings her own Louisiana flair to the dessert menu, incorporating flavors like chicory, praline and rum. Signature sweets include Salted Caramel Mini Beignets and Bananas Foster Bread Pudding. Big Sky's dining room seats 120 and the Mirror Bar seats 42. A private chef's table, featuring a 2,230-year-old Sinker Cypress antique table, offers a personalized experience for up to eight adventurous diners. The private dining room, accented with local art and custom millwork, seats larger groups up to 20. ABOUT COUSHATTA CASINO RESORT Coushatta Casino Resort, Louisiana's largest casino resort, is located in Kinder, Louisiana. It's expansive gaming floor, the largest in the Lake Charles area, offers nearly 2,000 slot and table games, including live poker, bingo and sports betting. The property also features three hotels, the Dream Pool and Lazy River, world-class entertainment and the #1 rated golf course in Louisiana. Coushatta Casino Resort is owned and operated by the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana. For more information, call (800) 584-7263 or visit
NBC Sports
16-07-2025
- Business
- NBC Sports
They pulled off huge March Madness upsets. Now they're opting out of revenue sharing
Nicole Auerbach and Jordan Cornette react to Florida putting the finishing touches on a historic year for SEC men's basketball. Saint Peter's, Fairleigh Dickinson and Maryland-Baltimore County — three schools that have taken March Madness by storm at various points in the past decade — have declined to opt in to college sports' new revenue sharing model. The newly formed College Sports Commission, which oversees revenue sharing following the House settlement, posted a list of schools that have opted into revenue sharing. All members of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference are participating, and other Division I schools had to opt in or out by June 30. Saint Peter's, which reached the men's Elite Eight as a No. 15 seed in 2022, did not opt in. Iona and Manhattan, who play with Saint Peter's in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, didn't either. UMBC and Fairleigh Dickinson, the only two teams to pull off a 16-over-1 upset in the men's basketball tournament, opted out as well. Fairleigh Dickinson is part of the Northeast Conference, which had just one school — Long Island University — opt in. 'It's expensive to opt in,' Idaho athletic director Terry Gawlik told the Lewiston Tribune. 'We don't have that kind of money to pay for that.' Idaho is one of several Big Sky schools opting out. In addition to the costs of sharing revenue directly with athletes, Title IX concerns and scholarship limitations are among the reasons a school might opt out. 'Revenue sharing and scholarship limits are really one piece, but the big thing for us is the roster limitation,' Central Arkansas athletic director Matt Whiting told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette while explaining his school's decision to opt out. Military rules prevent Navy, Air Force, and Army from compensating athletes through name, image and likeness deals, but aside from them, the Football Bowl Subdivision leagues have full participation in the settlement. Other conferences with all full members opting in included the Atlantic 10, Big East, Coastal Athletic, Horizon, Missouri Valley, Southwestern Athletic, Western Athletic and West Coast. The Big West had everyone opt in except Cal Poly and UC Davis, which play football in the Big Sky. Nebraska-Omaha is the lone full member of the Summit League to opt out, and Tennessee State is the only full Ohio Valley member to do so. The Ivy League said in January that its eight schools — which do not award athletic scholarships — would not participate. The Patriot League didn't have any full members opt in either, although Fordham, Georgetown and Richmond — associate members who play football in that conference — did. Of the 68 schools that made the NCAA men's basketball tournament last year, only American, Nebraska-Omaha, Saint Francis and Yale have opted out of revenue sharing. Five schools that made the women's tournament opted out: Columbia, Fairleigh Dickinson, Harvard, Lehigh and Princeton. Commissioners of historically Black conferences have expressed concern that the push to make athletes school employees could potentially destroy athletic programs — but the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Southwestern Athletic Conference had everyone opt in except North Carolina Central. Some schools that don't play Division I football or basketball opted in — such as Johns Hopkins with its storied lacrosse program. Augusta University, which is located in the same town as the Masters and perhaps unsurprisingly competes in Division I in golf, was on the list of teams opting in.
San Francisco Chronicle
16-07-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
They pulled off huge March Madness upsets. Now they're opting out of revenue sharing
Saint Peter's, Fairleigh Dickinson and Maryland-Baltimore County — three schools that have taken March Madness by storm at various points in the past decade — have declined to opt in to college sports' new revenue sharing model. The newly formed College Sports Commission, which oversees revenue sharing following the House settlement, posted a list of schools that have opted into revenue sharing. All members of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference are participating, and other Division I schools had to opt in or out by June 30. Saint Peter's, which reached the men's Elite Eight as a No. 15 seed in 2022, did not opt in. Iona and Manhattan, who play with Saint Peter's in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, didn't either. UMBC and Fairleigh Dickinson, the only two teams to pull off a 16-over-1 upset in the men's basketball tournament, opted out as well. Fairleigh Dickinson is part of the Northeast Conference, which had just one school — Long Island University — opt in. 'It's expensive to opt in,' Idaho athletic director Terry Gawlik told the Lewiston Tribune. 'We don't have that kind of money to pay for that." Idaho is one of several Big Sky schools opting out. In addition to the costs of sharing revenue directly with athletes, Title IX concerns and scholarship limitations are among the reasons a school might opt out. 'Revenue sharing and scholarship limits are really one piece, but the big thing for us is the roster limitation,' Central Arkansas athletic director Matt Whiting told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette while explaining his school's decision to opt out. Military rules prevent Navy, Air Force, and Army from compensating athletes through name, image and likeness deals, but aside from them, the Football Bowl Subdivision leagues have full participation in the settlement. Other conferences with all full members opting in included the Atlantic 10, Big East, Coastal Athletic, Horizon, Missouri Valley, Southwestern Athletic, Western Athletic and West Coast. The Big West had everyone opt in except Cal Poly and UC Davis, which play football in the Big Sky. Nebraska-Omaha is the lone full member of the Summit League to opt out, and Tennessee State is the only full Ohio Valley member to do so. The Ivy League said in January that its eight schools — which do not award athletic scholarships — would not participate. The Patriot League didn't have any full members opt in either, although Fordham, Georgetown and Richmond — associate members who play football in that conference — did. Of the 68 schools that made the NCAA men's basketball tournament last year, only American, Nebraska-Omaha, Saint Francis and Yale have opted out of revenue sharing. Five schools that made the women's tournament opted out: Columbia, Fairleigh Dickinson, Harvard, Lehigh and Princeton. Commissioners of historically Black conferences have expressed concern that the push to make athletes school employees could potentially destroy athletic programs — but the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Southwestern Athletic Conference had everyone opt in except North Carolina Central. ___
