Despite a study by Denver-based The Bonham Group saying
that the new Mesa, AZ, spring training home of the Cubs
would garner $250,000-370,000 annually for naming rights,
the city has yet to receive any bids (ARIZONA REPUBLIC,
2/11)....The Tampa Sports Authority's interim chief said the
agency may need up to $20M in city- and county-approved
"bridge loans" to keep construction of a new football
stadium on schedule. A pending lawsuit against the stadium
by former Tampa Mayor Bill Poe has delayed the sale of
construction bonds, without which the authority will run out
of construction money in late April (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 2/11).
...In Cincinnati, a partnership headed by IHL Cyclones Owner
Doug Kirchhofer has purchased Riverfront Coliseum for $21M
in a deal that includes nearly $15M in renovations.
Kirchhofer will move the Cyclones and his NPSL Silverbacks
to the arena next season (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 2/11).
......On prospects of a new baseball stadium in
Philadelphia, the DAILY NEWS' Edward Moran notes "until
there is a solid plan to finance a stadium that would cost
at least $150 million to $250 million to build, any proposal
is just a picture on [Phillies' President Bill] Giles'
bookcase" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 2/11)...."Concerned that
a statewide bill allowing local governments to build sports
facilities may fail," Houston Mayor Bob Lanier is devising
legislation covering only Houston that includes an option to
increase local sales tax to help finance the city's sports
facilities (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/11).
