The south end of the new Steelers stadium "will be
marked" by two tall "vertical circulation" towers, "for
which private sponsorships may be sought to help pay the
construction costs of the stadium," according to Tom Barnes
of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. The towers "are expected"
to be around 150 feet tall and will be built in a "prominent
location." They will "house" circular ramps and escalators
leading to the upper deck of the stadium. Steelers VP Art
Rooney II said that both private and corporate sponsorships
"might be sought" to generate revenue for the stadium
construction, but noted "the details (of the financing) are
still being worked out." Construction on the $233M stadium
is scheduled to begin on July 1 (POST-GAZETTE, 3/10).
PLAN B OPPOSITION: A challenge to the Plan B stadium
funding bill reached the PA Supreme Court Tuesday on
emergency appeal. Various groups "are challenging the
allocation" of $13.4M in sales taxes to build stadiums in
Pittsburgh for the Steelers and Pirates and renovate the
convention center. They claim that a special tax board
"violated" its statutes and "has no authority to spend the
money." The case went straight from County Court to the
State Supreme Court "following a request from stadium
builders who say bond funding is jeopardized by the
challenge." The justices "gave no indication as to when
they would make a decision" (POST-GAZETTE, 3/10).
