In Minneapolis, Jim Hammerand noted U.S. Bancorp Chair & CEO Richard Davis has made it known that “neither he nor his bank has made any such offer” for a naming-rights deal with a potential new Vikings stadium. Davis said that the opportunity “makes sense for the bank, but that such discussions would be premature since there’s no stadium location or financing plan yet” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/13). Minn. State Rep. Morrie Lanning yesterday said that he is “hoping for details this week about Minneapolis’ plans to finance a stadium.” Lanning also said that there “needs to be an indication from the city council that it will back the stadium plan.” So far, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and city council President Barb Johnson “have been leading the charge, but support from the council is iffy” (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 2/14).
CLOSING THE GAP: Legacy Connections Campaign Dir Andrea Van de Kamp said that a “private fund-raising group aiming to plug the Rose Bowl renovation's $20 million financing gap has received $5.7 million in pledges so far.” Van de Kamp added that about “$3.4 million of those are signed pledges in writing while the rest are verbal” and only $500,000 of that amount “has been delivered.” In Pasadena, Brenda Gazzar noted Legacy officials “hope to raise at least $20 million by the time the $160 million stadium renovation is complete in 2014” (PASADENA STAR NEWS, 2/11).
RECRUITING TOOL: In Knoxville, Andrew Gribble noted Univ. of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley led an “exclusive tour" for the media Thursday through the new practice facility, "which could become the new standard in the SEC recruiting arms race.” The building will “have four areas that Dooley considers to be recruiting showpieces: the weight room, the grand team meeting room, the hydro therapy room and an eating area that Dooley will refer to only as a 'restaurant.'" The weight room leads straight into the “7,000 square foot locker room, which will feature 125 lockers equipped to charge iPods and cellphones” (GOVOLSXTRA.com, 2/10).
