Michigan State Univ. Deputy AD Greg Ianni yesterday said that upcoming Spartan Stadium renovations "will cut capacity to about 70,000 -- but the long-term future of the stadium could bring it back up to 90,000." He added that there is a "plan in place ... to put more premium seating on the east side of the stadium to 'mirror' the club seats and suites on the west side." In Detroit, Joe Rexrode notes the plan "would include another deck of seats in the south end zone." The stadium currently seats 75,005. Ianni said that the emphasis for now is on a $24.5M renovation to the north end of the stadium that is "slightly ahead of schedule" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 11/7).
RACING TO THE FINISH: In Daytona Beach, Godwin Kelly reports the primary focus of Daytona Int'l Speedway's $400M Daytona Rising construction project has "shifted from creating the foundation to assembling the steel structure." DIS President Joie Chitwood III said, "In the last two weeks, you can now see the steel structure that goes to the top of the new grandstand." Construction company Barton Malow Project Dir Len Moser, whose company is the general contractor for the project, said that construction is "running just ahead of schedule" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 11/7).
ANGELS AMONG US: In California, Art Marroquin reports a city appraisal of Angel Stadium "will be completed by January." But Anaheim City Manager Marcie Edwards said that the results of the appraisal "will not be immediately made public because that would undercut the city’s ability to negotiate a new stadium lease." Edwards said that the appraisal "likely would be released just before the City Council votes on the lease" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 11/7).
TENNIS TASTES: In California, Leighton Ginn reports the Kaiser Restaurant Group's Chop House "will join Nobu on the concourse of the new Stadium 2" at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The restaurants "will be open for the two weeks of the tournament, and the parties will explore possibly keeping them open longer." The 8,000-seat Stadium 2 is under construction and expected to be completed on Feb. 3, 2014 (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 11/7).
