Facility Notes

The Sprint Center on September 22 will host a Blues-Kings preseason game, the first hockey game played in the arena. Tickets will range from $10 for a section in the north end zone to $150 for two sections of rink-side, center-ice seats. But Sprint Center Senior VP & GM Brenda Tinnen said, "In terms of a litmus test, I think that's all determined by the NHL and respective owners and their timeline for expansion of if there is a relocation" (K.C. STAR, 5/30).

Augusta National Raising Practice Round Tickets By $5

AROUND THE GREEN: Augusta National has raised ticket prices $5 for '09 practice rounds of The Masters, the first increase in five years. Monday and Tuesday events will cost $36, while Wednesday events, which includes admission to the Par-3 Tournament, will cost $41. An Augusta National spokesperson said that tournament officials also are "debating an increase for tournament badges, but have yet to reach a decision" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 5/30).

NEW HOME FOR THE DOME: Pontiac, Michigan, city officials Thursday approved "key terms of a pending purchase agreement" to sell the Silverdome to Silver Stallion Development Group LLC President H. Wallace Parker. In Detroit, Jun & Hicks report a "windfall of $20[M] from the sale of the Dome could save the city from a possible state takeover." Officials in the next two weeks before another public hearing and council meeting are "expected to finalize a term sheet" (DETROIT NEWS, 5/30).

JUST CRACKER JACKS, PLEASE: In a front-page piece for the K.C. STAR, Kevin Murphy notes the Royals are considering offering "peanut-free seats" at Kauffman Stadium for certain games. Royals VP/Sales & Marketing Mark Tilson said that the team has not yet "designated seats as peanut-free but are considering that possibility." Tilson added that in the last two seasons, groups or families that requested peanut-free seats "were placed in enclosed, thoroughly-cleaned suites" (K.C. STAR, 5/30).