Facility Notes

In Detroit, Tim Twentyman reports Ford Field officials are "looking to break the attendance record" for the NCAA Frozen Four on April 8 and 10 next year. Ford Field and Lions President Tom Lewand: "I think with the pricing we've got -- the variable pricing throughout the building -- 70,000 fans is a very achievable goal. ... It's a way to bring the championship to many more people than it did before. ... Three times as many people will be able to see the Frozen Four." Twentyman notes the ice surface will be placed "directly at the center of the stadium floor and the new seating configuration will take capacity to more than 70,000." NHL Facilities Operations Manager Dan Craig "will oversee the installation and maintenance of the rink" (DETROIT NEWS, 4/14). Lewand said that the "lowest-priced ticket would cost $40 and include admission to all three games," and about 15,000 seats "will be priced at that level." Tickets for the '10 Frozen Four go on sale Saturday (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/14).

OFF TRACK: NASCAR SCENE's Bob Pockrass wrote the "likelihood that Kentucky Speedway will be awarded a 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup race has become even more remote," as the antitrust lawsuit by track founders against NASCAR and ISC "now likely won't be resolved until July at the earliest." The case, which will be heard in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, has not been included in the "hearing calendar finalized Monday for a two-week session beginning April 20." The next two-week session begins June 8. NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France has said that NASCAR "will not consider a realignment request for a Sprint Cup date from current owner [SMI] until the case is resolved." Pockrass noted NASCAR "typically begins the sanctioning process in April or May," and France has said that the track is "running out of time to begin the realignment process" (SCENEDAILY.com, 4/13).

Fabiani Says Roski Stadium Needs Team First

CHARGING AHEAD: Chargers Special Counsel Mark Fabiani said Majestic Realty Chair & CEO Ed Roski "clearly has a very interesting project" with his planned NFL stadium in City of Industry, California. Fabiani: "He's clearly made a lot of progress on it, but the bottom line is that he still needs a team. No one anywhere is going to build a stadium without a team. I don't know that he's any closer to getting one than he was when he started." Chargers President & CEO Dean Spanos: "I know Ed Roski, and I can go on his Web site like everyone else and read all about the proposed stadium. But I haven't had any specific dealings with him, nor have I spoken with him in a long time. Our focus right now is on Chula Vista. That's where we're looking." Fabiani said Spanos "didn't want to move seven years ago and he doesn't today." Fabiani: "He's shown a tremendous amount of patience, but having said that, you can't do this forever" (NORTH COUNTY TIMES, 4/14).