Facility Notes

Minnesota Gov. Says New Vikings Stadium Out Of Sequence With State's Priorities

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, in reference to his recent meeting with Vikings Owner Zygi Wilf, on WCCO-AM said a new Vikings stadium, "at this moment is out of sequence in terms of the state's priorities for most people." Pawlenty: "So it was a good clearing of the air kind of meeting, and we left on a positive note. We want to explore reasonable ways to keep the Vikings, but we also have to do it in a time and a circumstance that's reflecting the state's priorities." Pawlenty said Wilf and the Vikings are "frustrated that there isn't progress on the stadium, but at the same time, we wanted to convey to them, the Vikings are an important source of joy and fun, and Minnesota appreciates them. But they also understand the country and the state are facing a historic budget crisis right now" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/2).

RELIANT STAYING PUT: In Houston, Lynn Cook reports NRG Energy will "pay $288[M] for Reliant Energy's retail electric business." The "all-cash deal, which is expected to close by June pending regulatory approval, includes buying Reliant Energy's brand name." NRG President & CEO David Crane said that obtaining the Reliant name "means billing and marketing -- including the name of the Houston Texans' football stadium -- should continue to look the same" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/3).

STEP FORWARD: A SACRAMENTO BEE editorial states it is "encouraging to see the [NBA] and Cal Expo push ahead with plans for re-imagining the state fairgrounds" that include a new arena for the NBA Kings. The editorial: "If the economy were to rebound in a year or two, Cal Expo would be in prime position to transform this underutilized property into a desirable mix of housing, offices and shops, along with a modernized, year-round fairgrounds and entertainment district." But there are "still some questions that surround the project, particularly when it comes to a Kings arena." The editorial: "The major one: To what degree will the Maloof family, the owners of the Kings, contribute to the project? If they refuse to contribute, what happens then?" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 3/3).

DEVILS' DEN: In Phoenix, Craig Harris reported Arizona State Univ. (ASU) is "asking lawmakers for help in restoring Sun Devil Stadium," as a bill was passed last week that "would allow ASU to create a sports stadium district to improve athletic facilities." ASU Assistant VP/University Real Estate Development Steven Nielsen said that ASU was "trying to come up with a creative funding mechanism that wouldn't divert money from academics or existing projects." Nielsen added that if the funding came through, ASU has "identified up to $170[M] in improvements at Sun Devil Stadium, with about $60[M] for structural repairs." The rest "would go toward renovations" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/1).