Facility Notes

Pepsi Globe Ferris Wheel At Xanadu  Development Not Opening Until August '10

NJSEA officials yesterday said that the 286-foot Pepsi Globe ferris wheel at the Xanadu development "won't become part of the New Jersey skyline for at least another year." NJSEA Chair Carl Goldberg: "We determined that the construction of the wheel either needed to be started and completed prior to the start of the next NBA season, or suspended until the next basketball season has been completed. The wheel won’t reasonably be open until August 2010." A Pepsi spokesperson yesterday said the company "remains committed to Xanadu" (Bergen RECORD, 4/30).

INJURY SETBACK: Atlantic Health officials yesterday said the company is "shelving plans for a sports rehabilitation center adjacent" to the Jets' Atlantic Health Training Center in Florham Park, New Jersey. Atlantic Health President & CEO Joseph Trunfio attributed the decision "to the sluggish economy." The 100,000-square-foot facility was estimated to cost between $30-40M. Jets Senior Dir of Media Relations Bruce Speight said that Atlantic Health's decision "has no impact on the team." Speight: "Our plans were not predicated on the building" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/30).

EXTRA CREDIT: In Omaha, Maggie O'Brien reported Omaha-based Donors Trust, a group of the city's "widely known philanthropists," has raised the $43M in private donations "needed to build the city's new baseball stadium for the College World Series." The group raised about $31M in private money for the ballpark's construction, plus an additional $12M to pay off debt at Rosenblatt Stadium. Also, Omaha City Finance Dir Carol Edbon said that the city's debt on the new stadium, including interest, is "expected to be about $18.5[M] less than had been anticipated" (Omaha WORLD-HERALD, 4/28).