College Facility Notes: Bill Proposes Financing District For UNLV Now Project

In Las Vegas, Paul Takahashi reported a Nevada Assembly bill introduced on Monday would "create a tax increment financing district for the proposed 60,000-seat UNLV Now stadium project.” The special tax district “would encompass any property owned or leased by the Nevada System of Higher Education and UNLV within an area bounded by Maryland Parkway, Tropicana Avenue, Swenson Street and Flamingo Avenue -- essentially UNLV's Maryland Parkway campus.” If the bill is approved, any taxes “collected from the TIF district over the next 20 years would be reinvested back into the area for its redevelopment” (LAS VEGAS SUN, 3/19).

NO HOLDS BARRED: In Chicago, Teddy Greenstein wrote under the header, “Venue Holding Northwestern Back?” Welsh-Ryan Arena was “last renovated in 1983,” and its scoreboard has “no video replay.” The “vast majority of its 8,117 seats are benches,” while the concourses and concessions are “drab and the restrooms are akin to those at your local YMCA.” Those factors contribute to "lousy crowds,” and a game-day atmosphere that can "turn off recruits.” But Northwestern AD Jim Phillips said that he “believes the facilities complaints are overblown.” Phillips on Saturday said, "What we fail to realize are all the other things that Northwestern has to offer -- the degree, the conference, being in Chicago. We'll continue to address (facilities), but I think (the discussion) has gotten carried away" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/19).

SELLERS' MARKET? Winston Salem State Univ. Chancellor Donald Reaves on Monday said that the school is "still interested in buying” Bowman Gray Stadium. In Winston-Salem, Bertrand Gutierrez writes the city “wants to sell the stadium -- and Joel Coliseum to Wake Forest University -- to unload debt and operating costs.” Wake Forest AD Ron Wellman also “made a presentation" to the city council's finance committee (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 3/20).

ALL THOSE OPPOSED: In West Palm Beach, John Lantigua notes students opposed to Florida Atlantic Univ.'s $6M naming-rights deal with GEO Group "expressed their continuing opposition before the university’s board of trustees at its meeting Tuesday at the Fort Pierce campus” (PALM BEACH POST, 3/20).