In L.A., Vincent Bonsignore writes while a report yesterday had AEG's Farmers Field project as "dead" to the NFL, the "reality is nothing much has changed since last March when league sources expressed similar concerns about AEG's deal structure." AEG President & CEO Tim Leiweke "fully understood AEG might have to make some adjustments to facilitate a deal and that his company had the flexibility to accommodate those tweaks." Bonsignore: "What has changed since then? Absolutely nothing." Until AEG has a new owner in place, "everything is in a holding pattern." A source said that "talk is ongoing between AEG and league officials, and as recently as last month a prominent owner was briefed about Farmers Field by the AEG team" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 3/6). CBS Sports Network’s Doug Gottlieb said of why a stadium needs to be built in L.A., “If you build it, you get a Super Bowl. If you build it, and you have any sort of retractable roof, you can also get a Final Four. You can get any sort of event” (“Lead Off,” CBSSN, 3/5).
LEAVING THE NEST: In Phoenix, Paul Giblin reports the NFL and the city of Glendale are "close to finalizing a 15-year deal that would uproot the Cardinals' training camp" from Flagstaff. The city would "spend $325,900 annually on the deal but expect to get more than $500,000 in tax revenue each year." The Cardinals would "invest about" $4M as part of the deal. Glendale Assistant Economic Development Dir Dave McAlindin said that the decision "now largely rests with the Cardinals, who also are considering a three-year bid" from Northern Arizona Univ., where the team has held training camp since '88 (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/6).
A DAY AT THE RACES: Suffolk Downs officials said that they will "dramatically shrink the 'sea of asphalt'" around the East Boston horse racing facility and "increase plantings and gardens, as a key selling point of its bid for casino development rights." In Boston, Mark Arsenault reports the "revamped development plans are the first major update to the Suffolk Downs casino design since the track initially rolled out plans" for a $1B "urban oasis" in June (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/6).
BUILDING THE ISLAND: On Long Island, Nicole Fuller reports the Islip Town Board yesterday "voted unanimously" to enter into a $3.5M sales contract with "a developer who wants to build" a $45M sports complex in Central Islip, which would eventually be home to the MLL N.Y. Lizards. The Ultimate Game Indoor/Outdoor Sports complex "would include outdoor turf fields, a 200,000-square-foot indoor facility and a 6,000-seat stadium." City officials "hope the site ... would become an epicenter of athletics on Long Island" (NEWSDAY, 3/6).
