In Michigan, Kyle Austin noted the new north end zone project at Michigan State's Spartan Stadium “won’t be opening in July as originally scheduled, but the school is still confident it can have the addition finished in time for the start of the football season.” The $24.5M project, which includes new locker rooms, a media room and a recruiting lounge, is “currently scheduled for completion Aug. 15.” MSU AD Mark Hollis on Monday said, “We ran into a few glitches, we had to reinforce some of the platform on the concourse, which delayed us a few weeks. But come the end of August, we’ll be ready to go” (MILIVE.com, 4/29).
SKYLINE SEATING: In Ohio, Ellen Hadley noted the Univ. of Cincinnati is trying to determine if moving basketball games to the downtown U.S. Bank Arena is “a better choice than renovating” Fifth Third Arena on UC's campus. U.S. Bank Arena offers “nearly 4,000 more seats than Fifth Third Arena, and although there are no concrete plans yet to renovate Fifth Third, there is a possibility of removing 3,000 seats, adding all-permanent seating instead of electronic bleachers and improving the upper-deck views.” A $1.2M renovation of the men and women’s locker rooms in Fifth Third Arena is “already on track.” Meanwhile, plans are “still in the early stages for arranging transportation” between UC’s campus and Paul Brown Stadium for football games while Nippert Stadium undergoes a $86M renovation (NEWSRECORD.org, 4/27).
RAINY DAY FUND: In Winnipeg, Tom Brodbeck notes water damage to Investors Group Field is “expected to be covered by insurance.” Manitoba Tourism, Culture & Sport Minister Ron Lemieux yesterday said that the “cost to repair the damage caused by a spring snowmelt at the football stadium was pegged” at C$100,000-500,000. Lemieux later said that the damages are “likely on the higher end of that scale” (WINNIPEG SUN, 4/30).
