Facility Notes

Rangers Managing General Partner & CEO Chuck Greenberg on Saturday at the team's Fan Fest addressed a possible roof for Rangers Ballpark, saying, "When it comes to a roof, the reality is that there just isn't the technology to do a roof or a shading system or a cooling system on that ballpark right now that would make sense. The way we look at it is that we need to make that part of our home field advantage. We believe it's an advantage for our guys over our competitors because it's like playing football in Green Bay in December." Greenberg added, "There's been a lot of myths over the years. One of them was that because of the heat the pitchers would wear down, the players would wear down, that the whole team would wear down and the fans wouldn't come to the ball game when it got real warm. ... The reality is that after the all-star break we averaged over 38,000 fans per game. It's the highest attendance in any period of time in the history of the franchise" (DALLASNEWS.com, 1/22).

SIGNED, SEALED, DEPARTED? In San Diego, Tim Sullivan noted California Gov. Jerry Brown is "trying to eliminate redevelopment agencies as a source of public financing." If Brown "gets his way, he might detonate the Chargers’ proposed downtown stadium before it gets off the drawing board." Chargers Special Counsel Mark Fabiani on Friday said, "We’re done, finished (if Brown’s proposal becomes policy). Redevelopment money is an essential part of the downtown concept and without it, the project is dead." Darren Pudgil, a spokesperson for San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, said, "We will look at every other possible option if the redevelopment dollars go away. But that certainly doesn't bode well for a new stadium" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/22).

FINDING IT ON THE MAP: Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents Chair James Dean Leavitt said that a "proposed new 40,000-seat domed football stadium at UNLV would sit between the Thomas & Mack Center on campus and Paradise Road." Leavitt said that if the facility is "ever built, the stadium complex would include a hotel, campus housing, restaurants and retail space." Developer Craig Cavileer said that he was "not ready to release more details yet," adding that he "expected to hold a formal news briefing" this week. The plan is "scheduled to be presented to the Board of Regents at a special meeting set for Feb. 11" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/22).

WHAT'S DONE IS DONE: The U.K. Government will "waive its right to overturn the decision this week to hand over the Olympic stadium" to either West Ham United or Tottenham Hotspur after the '12 London Games. West Ham is the favorite to "win the dispute over the future of the 80,000-seat venue when the board of the Olympic Park Legacy Company meets on Friday." After Friday's vote, "with a simple majority winning," the OPLC is "expected to recommend a preferred bidder." A final decision is expected by March 31 (LONDON TIMES, 1/23).