The Reds can expect to "double their current revenue
level" when their new ballpark opens in 2003, according to
John Byczkowski, who quoted Reds Managing Exec John Allen as
saying the team could see $90-$100M in revenue from the park
in the future. The team signed a formal lease with Hamilton
County on Friday for the ballpark which will have 45,000
seats, 3,000 club seats and 51 luxury boxes (CINCINNATI
ENQUIRER, 5/22). Reds co-Owner Carl Lindner, on a new
ballpark: "The way I look at it, it's an entertainment
center, not just a ballpark. And we will promote it that
way." Lindner, who "declined to discuss details of the new
ownership structure," said he will not be directly involved
in "decisions that affect the price of tickets or hot dogs."
Lindner: "I wouldn't get into operations a lot. We've got a
bunch of management people to take care of that" (CINCINNATI
ENQUIRER, 5/22). In Dayton, Chick Ludwig wrote that
outgoing CEO Marge Schott signed the lease in "her last
official duty as controlling partner of the franchise."
Schott: "You've got to do things that baseball wants you to
do. It's a boys club" (DAYTON DAILY NEWS, 5/22). In
Cincinnati, Howard Wilkinson: "You would never have imagined
that this was how she would make her exit. Quietly.
Blending into the background. Looking small, frail and sad"
(CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 5/22). Lindner, on Schott: "I cannot
think of anything except the kind things and the nice things
that she has done for this city" (CINCY ENQUIRER, 5/22).
