Facility Notes

Staples One Of 10 Sponsors To Pay AEG Annual Fee For Naming Rights

Staples' lifetime naming-rights deal for AEG-owned Staples Center is not new in pro sports. The Rockies signed a deal with Coors Brewing Co. in the early '90s that gave the beer maker naming rights in perpetuity for Coors Field, confirmed Rockies Senior VP/Business Operations Greg Feasel. The MLB stadium opened in '95. Coors also has an ownership stake in the Rockies (Don Muret, SportsBusiness Journal). Meanwhile, AEG Global Partnerships President Todd Goldstein said that Staples is one of 10 sponsors that pay the company "substantial annual fees for naming rights" at its venues across the globe. Other large sponsors include American Express, Nokia and British mobile phone provider O2. Goldstein said that AEG "expects to gross more than" $250M from selling naming rights this year (L.A. TIMES, 10/20). 

BLANK SLATE: In Atlanta, Kyle Wingfield noted Falcons Owner Arthur Blank "raised the subject" of finding a new stadium for the team "yet again this month." The "dream is a billion-dollar stadium with a retractable roof, built downtown or perhaps in Doraville by the end of the 2010s, and funded with public and private money." But there "could be no worse time to talk about spending any tax dollars to replace a functioning stadium, especially in financially flailing Atlanta." The city's fiscal situation "will probably get worse before it gets better" (AJC.com, 10/16).

TAX REFUND: In Louisville, Gregory Hall reported Churchill Downs and Keeneland Race Course "have both received tax refunds because a drop in their daily average on-track betting on their races." Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) received a $1.7M refund for the FY ended June 30, and CDI VP/Racing Communications John Asher said that under the track's agreement with horsemen, "about $900,000 of that money will go to purses for the upcoming fall meet that begins Nov. 1." Keeneland Association Communications Dir Jim Williams said that the Keeneland "received refunds totaling $516,411 for its fall 2008 and spring 2009 race meetings" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 10/17).

TURN ON THE LIGHTS: Town of Hempstead (NY) officials yesterday said that Islanders Owner Charles Wang has "accepted Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray's offer to have both sides meet to discuss modifying" Wang's proposed Lighthouse Project (NEWSDAY, 10/20).