SETTING THE PACE FOR OTHER ARENAS? During the opening
of last night's Lakers-Pacers Game Four, NBC's Bob Costas
said Conseco Fieldhouse "is winning raves all around the
league, many think it's the best building in the NBA."
NBC's Jim Gray added: "[Conseco Fieldhouse has] a retro type
of feel in here, ... designed to look a bit like a train
station. ... It's been called by many the best in the NBA.
The Fieldhouse was designed with five other arenas in mind.
However, the one that had the biggest influence was Butler
University where 'Hoosiers' was filmed. It's just a great
place to be" ("NBA on NBC," NBC, 6/14). In Winston-Salem,
John Delong: "It is hard for any basketball fan not to be
awed by Conseco" (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 6/15).
HEARD ON THE STREET: In Philadelphia, Clea Benson
reports that Mayor John Street "met yesterday with
representatives" of the Phillies and Eagles and laid out the
city's proposal for financing new stadiums. Sources said
that Street's plan "envisions that sports fans would end up
shouldering a big piece of the cost by paying surcharges on
everything from tickets to concessions. Those people also
said there was concern that the deals outlined by the mayor
would effectively call on the Eagles to help subsidize a
portion of the cost of the Phillies' ballpark" (PHILADELPHIA
INQUIRER, 6/15). Street proposed some funding ideas that
the team "don't like and probably will never buy into."
Davies: "He is, in short, in a fix." Sources add the
estimated cost of acquiring and building on the 12th and
Vine site for the Phillies new ballpark "has ballooned even
above" the $685M estimate offered by State Senator Vincent
Fumo (Dave Davies, PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/15).
UNDETERRED: In K.C., Steve Rock reports that the
shooting incident at Kauffman Stadium last Friday has not
impacted the Royals' attendance. The average attendance for
the five games since the incident is 24,250. The season
average is 21,810. And Wednesday's total of 27,028 was the
"largest of the weekday afternoon games this season, other
than the home opener" (K.C. STAR, 6/15).
