The 20,000-seat MCI Center in Washington, DC, will open
on December 2, the team announced yesterday. In DC, Thomas
Heath reports that Capitals & NBA Wizards Owner Abe Pollin
"had hoped to open the arena" in time for the start of the
hockey season, but both teams will play the first home games
of their '97-98 schedules at U.S. Airways Arena. As for the
delayed opening, Pollin said that "workers never fully
recovered from a soil contamination problem" that caused a
six month delay. The Caps will play nine games at U.S.
Airways Arena, and the Wizards will play five games there.
Pollin said that people who purchased MCI suites and tickets
"under the belief that they were buying a full season at the
new facility will be compensated for the late start."
Pollin: "We will be working out something with the fans."
Season ticket holders for both teams will receive a 10%
credit on each game played at U.S. Airways Arena, "with the
rebate going toward credit on next year's playoff tickets."
Pollin said that more than 80% of the 110 luxury suites,
which run between $100,000-$175,000, have been sold, and
that about half of the 3,000 club seats, costing $7,500 each
and including both teams, are sold. He added that season
ticket sales were "doing very well" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/23).
