In Minneapolis, Sid Hartman reports that among the
proposals the Vikings have presented to the Metropolitan
Sports Facilities Commission "to increase their local
revenue is ... to sell" naming rights to the Metrodome Plaza
(Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/22)....FL Gov. Jeb Bush signed
a bill yesterday "creating" a nine-member ballpark authority
"charged with planning how to pay for a new" Marlins
ballpark. Team Owner John Henry: "I have to believe it's a
positive step" (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 6/22)....In
Milwaukee, Dale Hofmann feels the Packers should not sell
naming rights to a renovated Lambeau Field. Hofmann: "The
Packers belong legally and emotionally to their supporters,
and what other franchise in the country can say that? So
does their stadium, and so should its name" (MILWAUKEE
JOURNAL SENTINEL, 6/22)....In Louisville, Chris Poynter
reports that Univ. of Louisville (UL) AD Tom Jurich and KY
State Fair Board (KSFB) officials "are discussing the
possibility of building a new basketball arena at the
fairgrounds, raising more questions about the feasibility"
of a downtown NBA arena (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 6/22).
...In Charlotte, Jon Talton faults the city's business
community for the current impasse on a new arena: "Rather
than finding an exit strategy for [Hornets co-Owner George
Shinn], as Cincinnati leaders did for the embarrassing Reds
owner Marge Schott, Charlotte's business and political
leaders froze or walked away. Worse, no one stepped forward
to make a compelling case of why this team is important to
Charlotte" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/22).
