In Philadelphia, Ray Parrillo notes the Phillies last night unveiled their new HD video board at Citizens Bank Park. The board is “76 feet high and 97 feet wide, with 7,372 square feet of digital space.” It is the “largest by square footage” in the NL and the second largest in MLB behind Kauffman Stadium. The $10M upgrade “almost tripled the size of the video display at the park.” Phillies Dir of Broadcasting & Video Services Mark DiNardo said, "Everybody says the same thing. 'Wow.' I think they're in awe of the sheer size of the display.” In addition, “all 800 TVs in the suites and public areas were upgraded to HD” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 3/30).
TAKING A BACK SEAT: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's Press Secretary Cullen Werwie said that “because the state is facing a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit, the state can't commit to a proposal for a $10 million bonding plan for the Bradley Center.” In Milwaukee, Don Walker noted the proposal “had been put forth by Bradley Center officials, but Walker turned it down.” Bradley Center officials said that Walker's decision “means the Bradley Center board will have to go back to the drawing board.” Bradley Center President & CEO Steve Costello said that “bringing in retail partners or restaurant partners are not viable options right now.” In addition, the possibility of naming rights is "off the table because the family of Jane Pettit, who donated the money to build the arena in memory of her father, Harry Lynde Bradley, is opposed" (JSONLINE.com, 3/28).
RIDDLE ME THIS: In L.A., Steve Lopez notes L.A. City Council member Bill Rosendahl has “come up with 38 questions so far” on AEG’s proposal to build a football stadium in downtown L.A. and “fuse it to the Convention Center.” City Council President Eric Garcetti called Rosendahl "the leading skeptic" of the project. Garcetti said that he would be “using a new team of outside economic experts to scrutinize the stadium proposal.” He also “named a council committee to do the same," and tabbed Rosendahl to participate (L.A. TIMES, 3/30).
COMPLEX DESIGN: In Utah, Dirk Facer reported the Univ. of Utah, which will move to the Pac-12 in July, has plans for a new $16M football facility. The 57,640-square-foot complex will replace the Dee Glen Smith Center. Construction is “expected to begin in December and take 12-16 months to complete.” The new facility, which “will be attached to the Alex Smith Strength and Conditioning Room, is going to house state-of-the-art sports medicine and athletic training space, a multipurpose dining hall, a team locker room, offices for the coaches and support staff, equipment storage, a player lounge, a Hall of Fame, a team auditorium with space for 150 athletes and coaches, plus meeting rooms for each position group with enhanced video capabilities” (DESERET NEWS, 3/29).
