Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton yesterday said the new stadium plan presented this year by the Vikings and Ramsey County was "incomplete and unsatisfactory," added that the bill "was not ready to be brought forward." He noted that he is "concerned about the state being paid back for bonds it could issue to help pay for the stadium." Dayton said he will "seriously consider" calling another special legislative session later this year if he sees a stadium plan that is a "good deal for Minnesota" (AP, 7/20).
SIT DOWN, MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE: The Edmonton City Council yesterday approved a roughly C$770,000 expenditure for Northlands "to go ahead and replace more than 8,000 seats" at Rexall Place. Northlands President & CEO Richard Andersen said that the "aging seats need to be replaced due to safety reasons." Andersen: “I’d love to spend $700,000 on something else, but at the end of the day, this is a safety issue." The money for the project "will come through Northlands' operating budget" (EDMONTON SUN, 7/21).
SWING & A MISS: In Orlando, David Damron reports the "latest bid to build an Orlando stadium" for the Single-A Florida State League Tampa Yankees "struck out" yesterday with Orange County (Fl.) Mayor Teresa Jacobs. The mayor's staff "studied various issues related to the $47 million proposed project," and Jacobs concluded that "offering county land for a long-term deal relocating the Tampa Yankees to Orlando would give the business group behind the project an advantage over other businesses in the International Drive tourism zone" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 7/21).
ONE MAN'S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Daniel Barbarisi writes despite the recent criticism of Tropicana Field, a venue like the Rays' ballpark "can be the best friend of a home team." Despite the "bullpens along the outfield lines, the baseball-colored roof, the hanging lights, and the Fieldturf grass -- or, perhaps, because of all that -- the Rays have an advantage to be exploited, in that they can understand and prepare for those quirks better than an opponent." Rays CF B.J. Upton acknowledged that "when it comes to defense, they've learned to use their ballpark to maximum effect" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/21).
