Facility Notes

The Louisville Arena Authority (LAA) wants to change an arena financing agreement that “could lead to the city paying for some of the project’s operating expenses.” That would mark a “reversal of a deal struck last summer” in which the city pledged to cover “debt on bonds that will be issued to pay” for the $252M arena. The city has agreed to pay about $6.8M annually over 30 years for construction and $3.5M yearly “if other revenue falls short.” Chad Carlton, a spokesperson for Mayor Jerry Abramson, said that Abramson “wants to ensure that the city payments are limited to paying off the construction debt while meeting requirements that will satisfy bond lawyers” (COURIER-JOURNAL, 4/27).

SALT IN THE WOUNDS: Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson indicated that MLS Real Salt Lake “has ‘deceived’ the public by issuing a set of conditions for its $7.5[M] ‘gift’ toward a youth sports complex.” RSL wants revenue from parking and concessions at the fields, management of naming rights and land for a soccer academy. RSL spokesperson Eric Gelfand said the list has been part of talks “from the start” and “is not a demand or surprise.” But Anderson said, “I’m losing any faith in the integrity of some of these people.” Utah state House Minority Leader Ralph Becker said he “never had an inkling” that the pledge was more than “a direct, straight payment” (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 4/27).

TURF BUILDERS: Ohio State Univ. and West Virginia Univ. are installing FieldTurf at their respective football stadiums. OSU has played on natural grass at Ohio Stadium since ’90, and WVU’s Mountaineer Field has had an AstroPlay surface since in ’02. Ohio Stadium featured artificial turf from ’70-89 (THE DAILY).