Facility Notes

Cardinals President Says Team Still Moving Forward With Ballpark Village Development

MLB Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III said that the club's Ballpark Village is "still moving forward" despite the current economic situation. DeWitt, speaking to the St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers Thursday, said, "We're moving down the path. We're committed to the project." DeWitt "acknowledged that the volatile credit market had raised some questions" about the project. However, he said that he "was confident that bond markets will improve by March," when a $100M tax increment financing bond is to be issued pending approval (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/24).

GIDDY UP: CNET Founder Halsey Minor last week made public a proposal he submitted to the BOD of MI Developments (MID), the parent company of Magna Entertainment Corp., which owns Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course. Minor is seeking to "acquire the more than $220[M] in loans Magna owes MID, relieving the parent company of 'the balance sheet risk of continually extending loans to a faltering business'" (Baltimore SUN, 10/22).

MOUNTAIN MEN: The Mountain West Conference announced the five finalist venues to host the MWC Basketball Championships from 2011-2013: the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, The Pit in Albuquerque, Pepsi Center in Denver, Cox Arena in San Diego and Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City. A final decision is expected in June (LASVEGASSUN.com, 10/22).