Facility Notes

An “already delayed financing plan for a new $500[M] arena for the Sonics won’t be ready for lawmakers this week as initially promised.” Jim Kneeland, a local PR liaison for the Sonics ownership group, said that “last-minute adjustments with cost figures on infrastructure, access and parking were delaying the plan” (AP, 1/31)....The Univ. of Louisville has hired Louisville-based Luckett & Farley and Atlanta-based Rosser Int’l to run the $65M renovation of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Both firms were involved in the original construction of the stadium (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 1/31)....FEMA has approved $2.27M to help repair flood damage to the Univ. of New Orleans’ (UNO) Lakefront Arena. UNO Vice Chancellor Sharon White Gruber said that there is “no indication when the arena will reopen” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 1/31)....The Twins’ new 40,000-seat ballpark, the design of which is scheduled to be unveiled on February 15, will have 57 private suites, 3,000 club seats and 450 “Diamond Club” seats directly behind home plate (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 1/29).