Facility Notes

Cowboys COO Stephen Jones yesterday said that the team is "shopping around the naming rights for its new stadium to 'a few people.'" Jones said that the team is "looking at a 20- to 30-year deal," and that he "does not expect the economic downturn to affect negotiations with potential naming-rights buyers" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 3/11). Meanwhile, Texas A&M and the Univ. of Arkansas have signed a 10-year deal, with options to extend it 20 more years, to play each other at the stadium beginning in '09. A&M AD Bill Byrne said that each school will earn a base of $5M annually from the game, a number that "could grow with future sponsorships." The Cowboys will charge the home team "just $100 rent each year" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/11).

MISSING THE TARGET: The MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL's John Vomhof Jr. reports the new Twins ballpark project is "lagging behind its goals for workforce diversity." Through January, about nine months into the project, minorities had worked "about 14[%] of the total labor hours on the project, well short of the goal of 25[%]." Female participation was at 7%, ahead of the 5% goal. Only around 10% of the ballpark project has "been completed thus far, leaving plenty of time to add minority workers and meet the project goals." Meanwhile, the Univ. of Minnesota (UM) football stadium project, is "tracking well ahead of its workforce-diversity goals." Through January, minorities had worked 33% of the labor hours on the project, and women had worked 6%. The goal "calls for a combined 30[%]" (MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL BUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/7 issue).

RAISE THE ROOF: A VANCOUVER SUN editorial states VANOC has done a "great job of getting venues ready for the [2010] Games, largely on time and on budget," but a new roof at BC Place before the Opening Ceremony "falls into the category of nice, but not necessary." The potential cost could become too high due to the rising construction costs and the "ironclad end date." The editorial: "Everyone involved will understand it is a rush job and stiff premiums will have to be paid" (VANCOUVER SUN, 3/11).