In San Jose, Mike Rosenberg in a front-page piece notes construction crews at Levi’s Stadium are “more than halfway done and two weeks ahead of schedule.” The seats, scoreboard and playing field will “start going in during the next few months, and the interior -- from the concession stands to the bathrooms to the locker rooms -- is already taking shape.” Santa Clara officials and the 49ers have spent $556.6M on the $1.3B project, which is “now considered 56 percent complete in terms of time and budget” (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 8/20).
ART CLASS: In K.C., Alice Thorson notes paintings and sculptures which now adorn Arrowhead Stadium “were commissioned under the Chiefs Art Program, which aims to fill the stadium with art from regional artists.” Roughly a year after the program “put out a call for artists, the first nine pieces have been installed on the Scout Investments Club Level; two more will be up by the end of the month.” Sharron Hunt Munson, the daughter of team Founder Lamar Hunt, is in charge of the program and “sets themes and parameters for pieces commissioned for specific locations in the stadium” (K.C. STAR, 8/20).
THE LADYKILLERS: In Baltimore, Ryan Sharrow noted as part of $24M in recently completed upgrades to M&T Bank Stadium, the Ravens have expanded four team stores at the venue "to include more female-centric apparel.” Ravens Retail Dir Chris Inouye said that the renovated stores, now 30% larger in space, will include 50% “more women’s styles than they had in the past.” Inouye: “Youth and women are the fastest-growing (retailing) segments.” The Ravens also have “made a push to grow their female fan base by creating a club called ‘Purple.’” The women’s club “holds annual events exclusively for female Ravens fans such as ‘A Purple Evening’” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/19).
