Facility Notes

New Jersey state officials said that Xanadu developer Mills Corp. is “trying to sell a substantial stake” in the complex in order to finish construction. NJSEA Chair Carl Goldberg “demanded Mills explain how it would keep the $1.5[B] project afloat.” While NJSEA officials “expected Mills to secure a loan,” the leasing process has “proceeded more slowly than expected, leading Mills to seek alternative sources of cash” (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 7/14).

PARK IT: DC officials have “identified nearly 9,000 potential parking spaces near the site” of a new Nationals ballpark, “more than enough to handle sellout crowds” when it opens in ’08. But “not all of the land for parking is under the city’s control, and some of the spaces would be as far as 10 blocks away.” DC’s presentation to reporters was “partially motivated” by criticism from the Nationals over the parking plan. Incoming Nationals President Stan Kasten still believes the parking spots are “too dispersed” (WASHINGTON POST, 7/14).

NOTES: Rowan Univ. (RU) has missed an MLS deadline to submit a plan for a 20,000-seat stadium in Harrison (PA) Township. But Rowan Dir of University Relations Joe Cardona said, “We knew that if negotiations were going well, the deadline was flexible. Within the next several weeks, we’ll know where the project stands” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 7/14)....The Louisville Metro Council voted 18-5 to spend about $200M in tax money and fees to build an arena in downtown Louisville, but included a provision that “gives labor unions a seat at the table when determining how the arena would be built.” Republicans on the council said that that would “give them too much power and could cause the project to falter after millions are invested.” The Republicans “asked Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson to veto the measure” (COURIER-JOURNAL, 7/14).