Facility Notes

Minnesota Governor, Vikings Owner Meet To Discuss Stadium, But No Major Breakthroughs

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty yesterday said that he and Vikings Owner Zygi Wilf "met for an hour of coffee and stadium chat" yesterday morning. Pawlenty indicated that the two "achieved no breakthroughs -- Wilf still wants to bolt from the Metrodome in 2011 and Pawlenty won't raise taxes to build a new stadium" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/16). SI.com's Peter King noted Minnesota "has just overseen the opening this fall" of the 50,000-seat TCF Bank Stadium, and the Twins' Target Field "will open downtown next April." The "combined total" of the two projects is $578M, and the state is "projecting a $1.2[B] budget deficit next year." King: "Add all those factors together, and you understand how tough it's going to be for the Vikings to get a new stadium anytime soon" (SI.com, 12/14).

DANGEROUS DISTRACTION? In Orlando, Mark Schlueb reported the video screen that will "hang on the side" of the Magic's new Amway Center "will be so massive that some city commissioners worry it will cause distracted I-4 commuters to crash as they drive by." The building is "just west of Interstate 4, and the screen's changing images and graphics will face the highway." Orlando Commissioner Daisy Lynum: "My concern is the safety of people on I-4. Some of the signs can be very distracting." But Lynum was "on the losing side of a 4-3 vote on the package to allow the screen; the final vote will be Jan. 11" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 12/15).

GOAL ORIENTED: In Dallas, Jeff Mosier reports Cowboys Stadium "reached its goals for women and minority contracting in one set of categories and narrowly missed the mark in another." The Arlington City Council yesterday received its final Fair Share agreement report, which showed that "companies owned by women and racial or ethnic minorities received contracts worth" $257M for the stadium project, or 28%. But the architecture and engineering category reached 17%, which "was short of the 25[%] goal." The other goals were "met or exceeded" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/16).

NO-GO: The GLOBE & MAIL's David Naylor reports it is "highly unlikely" the CFL Toronto Argonauts "will be playing home games next season at BMO Field." CFL sources said that the idea was "discussed during last week's management council meetings," and that there was "a 'strong consensus' around the table not to allow the Argos to play their games at a facility where CFL field dimensions would have to be altered." The issue "could factor into whether" Argos co-Owners David Cynamon or Howard Sokolowski "decide to remain Argos owners" (GLOBE & MAIL, 12/16).