Facility Notes

Heinz Field Playing Surface Less Of An Issue For Sunday's Bengals-Steelers Game

The playing surface at Heinz Field “held up fine in the face of persistent rain” last night for the Bengals-Steelers game. An NFL operations official had been in Pittsburgh “all week to monitor the field” after it was in poor condition during last Monday night's game against the Dolphins (Pittsburgh POST-GAZETTE, 12/3)  Prior to kickoff last night, NBC's Andrea Kremer reported the condition of the field was "clearly better than it was last week." Kremer: "Maintenance crews started working on the field on Tuesday, and by Friday they were repairing the damaged areas here at midfield, as well as both 30-yard lines, putting in new sod. On Saturday, they put on two tarps which came off at 4:30 this afternoon and it’s been raining heavily since 7:00 tonight” (NBC, 12/2). 

NOTES: A Lowe's Motor Speedway spokesperson confirmed that as part of the $200M in track upgrades, an "open-air infield" will be added.  The infield will be similar to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in that "fans who pay an extra fee [will receive] access to NASCAR drivers and their crews." Both tracks are owned by SMI (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/3).... SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL’s Don Muret reports Soccer United Marketing and the Gridiron Stadium Network, which consists of 11 NFL stadiums and two MLS facilities, are in the “early stages of organizing a 2008 international soccer tour that could include six teams from Europe and South America playing matches in pro stadiums across the country.” Lone Star Sports & Entertainment is also “principally involved” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/3 issue)....Donald Trump and Charles Sarkis, owner of Wonderland Greyhound Park in Massachusetts, have "started talks about teaming up on a resort casino proposal" at the track, "setting the stage for a potential battle" with Suffolk Downs in East Boston.  Richard Fields, a “business foe of Trump’s who also seeks to build a casino,” runs Suffolk Downs (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/3).