Southwest Sports Group COO Mike Cramer unveiled early
plans for development around The Ballpark At Arlington and
said, "It's going to take the better part of the next 12
months to masterplan [development of the 270 acres around
The Ballpark]." Cramer: "We hope to start construction by
the end of 2001." A development partner "is being sought"
to join in the project (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/26). In
Dallas, Bob Schober writes that the development will include
multi-story buildings that house apartments, restaurants,
retail shops and professional offices intended to attract
"upscale" commercial and retail clients to Arlington.
Cramer noted that Dallas-based HKS Architects "will soon
begin designing" the site (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/26).
NOTES: Nashville Superspeedway GM Cliff Hawks said that
the track has leased all 18 available luxury suites and a
waiting list "already has 15 names on it." The 30-seat
suites lease for $40,000 per year (Nashville TENNESSEAN,
7/26)....In Detroit, Lynn Henning writes that Tigers RF Juan
Gonzalez wants Comerica Park's "distant fences" in left
field (345') and left-center (398') to be "brought closer"
before he agrees to re-sign with the Tigers. He "suggested"
that the topic is not "a subject for debate." Gonzalez:
"It's necessary" (DETROIT NEWS, 7/26)....In Baltimore,
Suzanne Loudermilk writes that Aberdeen, MD's, $25.7M,
6,000-seat Cal Ripken Stadium and baseball complex "remains
a field of dreams," as ground has not been broken on the
planned home of the Atlantic League's Aberdeen Arsenal and a
Ripken Youth Baseball Academy. The "setbacks are all about
seats." Skybox and luxury suite sales at the ballpark "have
struck out, for the most part" (Baltimore SUN, 7/26).
