A deal could be announced today to raise Hamilton County's
sales tax to 6.5% to build a $540M stadium complex for the
Bengals and Reds (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 6/28). In Baltimore,
Jon Morgan reports that Cincinnati officials are offering Bengals
Owner Mike Brown a year-to-year lease in exchange for keeping the
team while stadium details are "worked out" (Baltimore SUN,
6/28)....In St. Louis, Lorraine Kee reports that it is "too close
to call" if the new dome will be "game ready" for the Rams' dome-
opener on October 22 (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/28). Also in
St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz writes, "The Rams have had so many
cancellations of luxury suites at the new domed stadium that
Civic Progress had to come to the rescue and put up some $6
million to cover the shortfall in guarantees" (ST. LOUIS POST-
DISPATCH, 6/28)....The Tampa Sports Authority Monday approved
$87.285M in public bonds to be used to build the $144M arena for
the Lightning (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 6/28)....The Univ. of Illinois at
Chicago last week rejected requests from LaSalle Partners on
behalf of the city of Chicago to use university land for a new
Bears stadium (CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS, 6/26 issue).
