Facility Notes

Delaware North Cos. Resubmits New Bid For New Casino At Aqueduct Racetrack

In Buffalo, Tom Precious reported Delaware North Cos. "submitted a new bid Friday ... for a sprawling new casino at Aqueduct racetrack." But Delaware North is "facing a formidable group of opponents," including Las Vegas-based developer Steve Wynn, Penn National Gaming and SL Green Realty Corp. Mohegan Sun "did not offer any money, but said it would run the casino if the state built it." Another company called Aqueduct Entertainment Group "also submitted a bid by the Friday night deadline." In a "move that surprised Delaware North," one of its partners -- real estate development company Peebles Corp. -- "also submitted a separate bid to run the casino" (BUFFALO NEWS, 5/9).

LAND COSTS RISE: In Dallas, Jeff Mosier noted the "initial offers to buy land" for the new Cowboys stadium "totaled $60[M], but the actual payments will be at least $80[M]." The projected cost is double what the city of Arlington "first guessed using Tarrant Appraisal District figures." It has "taken the city nearly four years to settle most of the land disputes" for the stadium, and the owners of  17 parcels are "still trying to challenge the condemnation in court." The city's share of the stadium's cost was "capped at $325[M] so higher land costs would affect only the Cowboys" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/10). Meanwhile, in Ft. Worth, Andrea Ahles notes it "takes less than nine minutes for the [Cowboys' new] roof to go from open to closed, or vice versa, with each panel traveling 215 feet before meeting above the 50-yard line" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 5/11).

NOTES: With the final Twins game at the Metrodome on October 4 "being close to a sellout," Twins VP/Marketing Patrick Klinger said that there is "some thought of removing the blinds on the upper-deck seats in the outfield, which would make the capacity of the Dome 56,000, so that they might set an attendance record in the final game in the building" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/11)....In N.Y., Gary Myers reported the NFL Giants are moving from Giants Stadium "to their new training facility across the parking lot in the next two weeks" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/10).