FACILITY NOTES

          JAYS TO STAY IN GARDEN OF DUNEDIN: In Toronto, Mike
     Rutsey reported that the Blue Jays "reached an economic
     agreement to remain" at their spring training site in
     Dunedin, FL, for at least an additional 15 years pending a
     $12M renovation of their facilities "expected to be ready
     on" March 1, 2002.  In the deal, Blue Jays GM Gord Ash said
     that the state of FL will pay $6M, Pinellas County $3M and
     the team and city "paying out the rest" (TORONTO SUN, 9/9). 
     In St. Petersburg, Leon Tucker wrote that in each of the 15
     years of the contract, the city of Dunedin would pay
     $150,000 toward the $3M to keep the team in the city, while
     the team would pay $125,000 (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 9/9).    
          IS RED SOX PLAN IN PERIL? In Boston, Scott Van Voorhis
     writes that with a "showdown looming" between the Red Sox
     and the City Council over approval for a new ballpark, "some
     top business and political sources don't see the team
     capitalizing on the momentum provided by the key" State
     House vote in July.  Sources say that after "pushing hard"
     for a legislative deal, the team and their "hired guns
     appear to have fallen silent on a number of fronts."  One
     source: "It's not likely they are without tools, but the
     question is what are these people doing.  You add all that
     (inaction) up and the only conclusion I can draw is [Red Sox
     CEO John Harrington] has taken the team off the field"
     (BOSTON HERALD, 9/11).  A BOSTON HERALD editorial states:
     "The Red Sox plans for a new Fenway have literally
     disappeared off the radar screen.  That surely isn't good
     marketing strategy, and it raises the question of whether
     there is any strategy at all" (BOSTON HERALD, 9/11).
          NOTES: Columbus officials officially opened the $150M
     Nationwide Arena Thursday with a "ticket-cutting ceremony."
     The expansion Blue Jackets held its first home practice at
     the facility (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 9/8)....In Rochester, Jeff
     DiVeronica wrote that the A-League Rhinos have sold all 31
     luxury suites at its proposed $48M, 20,000-seat PaeTec Park,
     "except five set aside for potential major sponsors."  The
     suites, which have leases for four, six and ten years, cost
     $20,000-35,000 annually (DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 9/8).