In D.C., Brian Straus reports that a "chunk of concrete
fell from the underside" of RFK Stadium's upper deck during
last night's United MLS game, "hitting an empty seat 20 feet
below and scattering about a dozen spectators." Stadium
officials "sealed off the area" and spectators from the
section were moved elsewhere. Stadium manager Tony Burnett
said that the concrete was "about" 10 inches in diameter.
Burnett: "It's really nothing. It could have put someone
out, I suppose, but it wasn't a big piece. The building is
structurally sound" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/26).
A LETTER SEEKING AGREEMENT: In San Antonio, Tom Bower
reports that Bexar County Judge Cyndi Krier "personally
delivered a letter Wednesday" to San Antonio Mayor Howard
Peak that "again urges the city to join the county in
creating a body to co-manage the proposed Spurs arena." The
10-page letter also "details the county responses to city
concerns voice by the mayor" (EXPRESS-NEWS, 8/26).
TAKING TASK FORCE TO TASK: In Boston, Cosmo Macero
writes that Fenway community leaders "reached consensus last
night on about half the members who will sit on a special
neighborhood planning task force" that will help with the
development of a new Red Sox ballpark, but "bitter debate
raged on over a dozen other slots that may ultimately be
hand-picked" by Mayor Thomas Menino (BOSTON HERALD, 8/26).
MORE NOTES: An editorial in today's CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
examines the Charlotte City Council's decision to debate on
a referendum that would allow the use of public money for a
new Hornets arena and states: "A referendum debate at this
juncture can't help being all noise and no substance. Why
do it?" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/26)....In Philadelphia, Rich
Hofmann reports that "dozens of people were prevented for
entering the meeting room" last night regarding a proposed
Broad and Spring Garden site for a new Phillies ballpark
because "several hundred were already packed inside."
Phillies President Dave Montgomery, who received "polite
applause": "Any site you pick, there are going to be people
who say nay and people who say yea. What you have to do is
sort through the emotions" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 8/26).
