Facility Notes

NJSEA Chair Carl Goldberg said that the Xanadu complex at the Meadowlands “probably won’t open until mid-2008, about six months behind schedule.” Mills Corp. is “redesigning portions of the $1.2[B] project at the request of two likely tenants” (Bergen RECORD, 4/20).

CUT BLOCK: S.F. Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, with the backing of S.F. Mayor Gavin Newsom, has introduced a measure to prevent the 49ers “from receiving public financing for its building plans that draws on new tax revenue generated by redevelopment in Bayview-Hunters Point.” The team has said that it “will not attempt to use the $100[M] in city bonds that voters approved for the original 49ers stadium-mall in 1997,” which “led to speculation that the team would look to the Redevelopment Agency to subsidize the project with tax-increment financing” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/20).

FIT TO PRINT: U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) in a letter to Mets Owner Fred Wilpon said that Jackie Robinson’s name “should grace the Mets’ new stadium.” Schumer indicated that he “understood the ‘financial considerations’ that a ‘lucrative naming rights’ deal for the new stadium would bring, but said naming it after Robinson would be a grand way to honor him and the game” (N.Y. POST, 4/20).

KEENE IDEA: The Keeneland Association BOD voted unanimously to install the Polytrack synthetic racing surface at Keeneland Race Course “and make other changes.” Keeneland is the third North American track to “commit to Polytrack as its main racing surface,” joining Turfway Park and Woodbine. Work on the surface, which is expected to cost $7-10M, “and other renovations will begin next month and be completed by August” (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 4/20).