The mayor’s arena task force has narrowed potential locations for a new arena to replace the Pershing Center to one favorite: Just west of the Lincoln Station in the Haymarket District.

However, the task force is just a group of volunteers — albeit an influential bunch — who will recommend the site to Mayor Coleen Seng. They acknowledged that if a private developer agrees to build a convention center and hotel near the arena, their desires probably would be superceded.

The task force has been meeting since early 2005 to study the feasibility of building a new entertainment arena to replace the city’s 50-year-old Pershing Center. The group has previously recommended the city build a 15,000-seat arena, parking garage, new roads and extra surface parking at an estimated cost of $244 million.

They’re banking on a private developer to build a hotel and convention center near the arena for about $95 million.

In June, the task force narrowed down nine sites to three; the other two remaining options would put the arena on the site of the downtown post office or south of the Harris Overpass.

On Thursday the task force voted on its top choice, but made it clear it’s open to community input.

Pershing Center General Manager Tom Lorenz, a member of the task force, said he likes the idea of using the Lincoln Station as the entrance to an arena. He said the arena would be centrally located, easier to assemble and close to the Haymarket.

Chamber of Commerce President Wendy Birdsall agreed, saying it would spur more development south of the Harris Overpass, since the arena wouldn’t swallow up that area.

Of course, if a private developer is willing to shell out some $100 million to build an accompanying hotel and convention center, the task force would likely defer to their wishes, task force chairman Dick Campbell said.

“I think they’re gonna have a lot to say about it,” he said.

Missouri hotel magnate John Q. Hammons has expressed interest in building a hotel and convention center “if” the city builds a new arena.

Lincoln attorney Kent Seacrest has been working on the arena idea since fall 2004, when a group of business leaders began meeting privately to explore the idea. He now sits on the task force.

He cautioned against picking one site, saying it was premature, but agreed it would be OK if the committee made it clear other options could be viable.

Stan Meradith — principal architect with DLR Group, the Omaha firm that designed the Qwest Center — headed up a brainstorming session on possible Lincoln arena designs in March, and attended Thursday’s task force meeting.

He said he has long considered the Lincoln Station option the darkhorse and said it would be more economical to build. He said designing Lincoln’s arena will be more difficult than Omaha’s because it has to fit in the Haymarket.

The committee also:

* Talked about recommending to the mayor that a citizens’ committee take the torch from them, analyzing their work and carrying the idea to the public.

* Decided to recommend that an independent consultant analyze the feasibility of a new arena.

The task force hopes to wrap up its work and report to the mayor in two or three weeks.

Campbell said the earliest he foresees an arena opening is 2010, assuming the community endorses it and many other pieces fall into place.

Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.