The NFL and city of Cleveland have yet to sign a contract
guaranteeing that a new football team will play in a new stadium,
according to Vickers and Koff of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER.
Neither the league or Cleveland Tomorrow have paid the $5M each
promised to pay to finance the start of design and engineering on
the facility. The deal has some members of the City Council
"concerned the stadium will not be ready on time" and will cost
more than the $220M-230M budget. Cleveland Mayor Michael White's
administration said the stadium will be built on time and within
budget and that all parties will sign the deal "within about a
week" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 5/23).
MORE PARTNERS: Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie pushed for the
vote at the NFL meetings in Charlotte to raise the minority
partnership limit from 14 to 25. Lurie hopes "to add at least
three community partners" (USA TODAY, 5/24).
DROP IN THE BUCKET: In L.A., T.J. Simers writes on NFL
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue's gag order on owners on possible
franchise relocations. Simers notes the memo will "particularly
affect" the Colts who have had an interest in exploring the
Hollywood Park opportunity. But the memo came this week because
of the "league's mounting concern" that Hollywood Park and the
Bucs were close to a deal to move the team to LA in time for the
'98 season. Pat Lynch, GM of the LA Coliseum, said the league's
policy "makes life more difficult" for them. Roger Goodell, NFL
Senior VP/League Development, is in LA to meet separately with
Dodgers Owner Peter O'Malley, Disney Sports President Tony
Tavares and two other groups interested in discussing new stadium
sites (L.A. TIMES, 5/32). S.F. EXAMINER columnist Gwen Knapp on
Tagliabue's decree: "Tagliabue has prevented nothing. He
distributed condoms for use as water balloons" (S.F. EXAMINER,
5/24). USA TODAY's Gordon Forbes notes Saints Owner/League
Finance Committee Chair Tom Benson, "fearful of lower ticket
sales in Tampa and therefore lower visiting shares took" the gag
order issue Tagliabue. Steelers Owner Dan Rooney said of
Tagliabue: "Paul was at the top of his game this week" (USA
TODAY, 5/24).
