Facility Notes

In L.A., Chris Erskine writes he likes the Bleacher Beach section at Dodger Stadium, which is featured during the team's Sunday regular-season home day games, "though I confess that I hate myself a little for it." Erskine: "'Contrived' is too gentle a word. I mean, what's even remotely beachy about Dodger Stadium?" Erskine took his 23-year-old son to Sunday's Phillies-Dodgers game, and he notes Bleacher Bleach is "clearly more his demographic than mine -- though anyone of any age would feel comfortable." Erskine: "It's a very friendly crowd." Erskine writes perhaps the best thing about Bleacher Beach is the "little sense of community created by the bamboo barrier that keeps out other fans," as it makes Bleacher Beach "feel slightly exclusive" (L.A. TIMES, 6/10).

New Designs For Nets' Barclays Center By Architect Ellerbe Becket Receiving Poor Reviews

DESIGN FLAWS: In N.Y., Chapman & Sederstrom note new designs for the Nets' Barclays Center by architect Ellerbe Becket have received "overwhelmingly poor reviews from disappointed Brooklynites." The designs, "described alternately as a airplane hangar and a suburban big-box chain store," are a "far cry from the glitzy glass-enclosed arena envisioned by original architect Frank Gehry, who announced last week that he would no longer be involved in the project" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/10).

READYING FOR DEBUT: Univ. of Akron (UA) Dir of Architectural Design & Construction Frank Horn indicated that UA's $61.5M InfoCision Stadium is "on schedule" for the school's football season-opener on September 12. In Cleveland, Elton Alexander notes the 30,000-seat facility "will have all-aluminum seating," as well as 275 "handicap-accessible seats and room for 900 on the lawn underneath the scoreboard." The stadium also will have 38 "four-person loge boxes; 16 suites for 16-18 people; two party decks for 30-35 people; and a President's Suite for 52 people." Alexander notes so far 3,800 season tickets "have been sold with a projection of 5,500 by Opening Day" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 6/10).