The Redskins have begun making $15M in improvements to
two-year-old Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, "most of which are
scheduled to be completed for the upcoming season,"
according to Liz Clarke of the WASHINGTON POST. Among the
improvements is an $11M plan to install "two more Jumbotron
screens ... for next season." Also, a $2.5M plan will
replace metal pipes with glass in the upper deck to improve
obstructed views and a "roughly" $1.5M plan will replace the
loge section windows. Waiter service will be provided in
the club level and the stadium's PA system will "no longer"
broadcast ads during games. Team execs have also "met with
Metro and Prince George's County officials to discuss how
the public transportation" to Jack Kent Cooke Stadium "can
be improved" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/28).
OUT OF THE NORV: Also in DC, Clarke & Maske report that
Redskins coach Norv Turner "banned" TV reporters from
Wednesday morning's "walk-through" practice, where players
"go through plays at roughly" 50%-75% speed. Turner: "I
just didn't think it would be of that big interest to have
guys in that session taped." However, Turner said that he
would "reevaluate his decision" following "several"
complaints from local media. NFL VP/Communications Greg
Aiello said the league does "encourage the [teams] to grant
some access to the media, but we still leave it under their
control" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/28).
