OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The College World Series is staying in Omaha through at least 2010 after the NCAA and the city signed a five-year contract extension Thursday.

The Div. I baseball championship has been held in Omaha every year since 1950. Also, the NCAA nixed a proposal that would have pushed it into July some years.

The NCAA’s new agreement with Omaha goes into effect in 2006 and contains several improvements to Rosenblatt Stadium. Among them are a new video board and scoreboard, protective fencing in front of each dugout, laser grading of the field and enhanced media facilities and umpire locker rooms.

Mayor Mike Fahey said the city would spend about $2.2 million on the improvements over the next three or four years.

The contract gives Omaha the first right to negotiate another contract extension in 2009.

Last year attendance was 257,730 for the 10-day CWS, with a record average of 23,339 per game.

A study by Creighton University professor Ernie Goss found that 48.5 percent of the fans are from out of state, and the economic impact on the Omaha area is $33.8 million.

Poppe said the CWS would continue to end the last week of June for the foreseeable future.

The Division I Baseball Issues Committee proposed last month that the NCAA tournament and CWS begin a week later to accommodate a uniform season starting date of March 1.

Some teams in the South now begin their seasons the first week of February, while most in the North are unable to play games until March. That puts northern teams at a competitive disadvantage, proponents of a uniform starting date have said.

But Poppe said the Division I board supports a uniform start date, but would rather have teams play fewer games than extend the season. The maximum number of regular-season games is 56.

College officials in favor of keeping the CWS dates the same said it would be too expensive to house and feed players into July and that it would increase the time commitment required of players.

Poppe said if a uniform starting date is adopted, it probably would go into effect in 2008.

AP-ES-02-03-05 1313EST