In Milwaukee, Don Walker noted Bradley Center officials have been "signaling for several years that the building has a limited shelf life, and it's time to start the discussion on a new arena." But in the "current political climate nationally ... that discussion isn't getting any traction." Bradley Center President & CEO Steve Costello said, "The Bradley Center is smaller than most buildings of its type and has limited revenue generating options. It is difficult to find more ways to generate new revenue to address mounting needs. ... The continued success of the Bradley Center needs attention now." Walker noted the average NBA arena "has 2,200 club seats," while the Bradley Center has none. Costello: "We need more premium areas" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 1/22).
UNIQUE CAMP: In Cincinnati, Joe Reedy notes when Bengals training camp opens at Paul Brown Stadium in July, it "should be a unique scene," as no other NFL team holds "regular practices inside their stadium." The only place "that could mirror that is New England, which has the Patriots Place development adjacent to Gillette Stadium and the practice fields." The one thing that is "certain is that no other team holds their camp downtown." Reedy asks, "How do you replicate the access that fans enjoyed at Georgetown and in many cases how do you improve it? And what are the special events and attractions going to be that the team touted in its release?" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 1/23).
OLYMPIC CONVERSION: In Atlanta, David Wickert notes local developers "want to turn the former Olympic tennis venue near Stone Mountain into a mammoth sports, commercial and residential complex that would host young athletes from across the country." Plans submitted to Gwinnett County indicate that the 207-acre complex would "include a 7,000-seat arena, 33 sports fields, 700 hotel rooms, 915 town homes and 180,000 square feet of commercial space." David Stedman, a partner in the proposed Stone Mountain Athletic & Recreational Training Center, "cautioned that the project is in its early stages and would take a decade to fully develop" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 1/23).
