REDS NEW PARK FEATURES SHORT PORCH: HOK unveiled a
preliminary report on the new Reds ballpark and the "most
distinctive feature" will be a 316-foot distance from home
plate down the right field line. Among other features: 300
premium seats on the field level behind home plate about 10
feet closer "to the field than the closest seats in Cinergy
Filed now." Another 800-1,000 premium seats will be
"immediately above those seats" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 6/22).
SHOT TO THE BODY: A Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE editorial
criticizes MN Gov. Jesse Ventura's proposal to have MN
donate their tax rebates to a stadium fund: "One thing
Ventura forgets is that he owes his fame and fortune to
thousands of taxpayers from around the country who helped
finance the public sports arenas in which he so skillfully
entertained" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/22).
LIONS STADIUM UP TO $300M: Lions CEO Chuck Schmidt is
interviewed in the DETROIT NEWS and is asked about progress
on a new stadium: "It may look like we're behind schedule,
but we're not. We're close to finalizing the design and
coming up with cost numbers." On the cost: "The whole
project is going to be near [$300M]. The actual
construction will be north of [$240M]" (DETROIT NEWS, 6/22).
HEAD COUNT: Safeco Field will have 314 women's toilets,
more than the combined total of 285 for men and women in the
Kingdome. Overall, there are 29% more toilets at Safeco
than in the Kingdome, "representing a ratio of one water
closet per 73 people at a sold-out game." Studies show that
women in sports-arena restrooms "take almost" three minutes,
whereas men take 83.6 seconds (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/21).
