In West Palm Beach, Tom D’Angelo wrote FAU’s failed agreement with GEO Group for stadium naming-rights “was costly considering the time lost defending itself over taking the GEO Group’s money and having to dig out from a barrage of negative publicity.” Meanwhile, the school “still is saddled with the debt on the $70 million stadium (more than $2 million a year) and the fee it will be paying to leave the Sun Belt Conference ($750,000) and join Conference USA ($2 million).” FAU AD Pat Chun has “a difficult job ahead” with less than five months to the start of the football season (PALMBEACHPOST.com, 4/2).
MUSIC CITY MUSCLE: In Nashville, Jaquetta White reports the Nashville Convention Center Authority yesterday signed an agreement to “manage the construction of a new south entrance to Bridgestone Arena.” The CCA under the deal will "share responsibility for the project with Metro and the Sports Authority.” The CCA's duties will “include preparing and submitting construction drawings and time lines, managing the budget and coordinating with various architects, engineers, contractors and consultants.” The Sports Authority will “review and approve all plans, while Metro will fund the project” (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 4/3).
MINOR DETAILS: The Double-A Southern League Birmingham Barons acknowledged that “not everything will be operating immediately” when the newly constructed Regions Field opens next week. In Birmingham, Jon Solomon noted, "Not every seat is installed yet and the club is withholding selling tickets for those seats until they're in place.” But Barons’ co-Owner Jeff Logan yesterday said that the “ongoing construction site won't detract from fans' first impression" of the $64M ballpark (AL.com, 4/2).
