In Buffalo, James Fink noted as the HARBORcenter project rises, it is becoming harder to "see the First Niagara Center name across the northern face of the downtown Buffalo sports and entertainment venue." That fact "has been noticed" by both the Sabres and First Niagara Financial Group, which holds the naming rights for the building. The Sabres and First Niagara "are working on a plan [that] will make sure the bank’s name is visible" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/16).
NO WALK IN THE BALLPARK: In N.Y., Bill Madden wrote both the Yankees and Mets "might have to seriously start considering major alterations to their respective ballparks." Yankee Stadium "continues to be a joke of a ballpark, but one that it is now starting to hurt the Yankees as much or more than it helped them in recent years." On the other hand, Citi Field "continues to be one of the worst hitters’ parks in baseball while, with the proliferation of strikeouts in today’s baseball, rendering all too many games deathly boring." Whoever designed Yankee Stadium "ought to be arrested and prosecuted for criminal neglect" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/18).
COOPERATION IN ORLANDO: Disney Vacation Club & Adventures by Disney Senior VP & GM Ken Potrock on Friday said that Disney "talked to the USTA" about building its new training and tournament center at the ESPN Wide World of Sports, but in the end "decided not to pursue the facility," which will instead be located at Lake Nona, Fla. In Orlando, Paul Brinkmann noted Potrock revealed the story "as an illustration of how the Orlando area is working together with a common message now, and that Disney is on board with that" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 5/17).
HICKS' DIGS: In Ft. Worth, Sandra Baker noted Ballpark Parking Partners, controlled by the owners of the MLB Rangers, "have bought another piece of land" near the ballpark from former team Owner Tom Hicks. The 17.6-acre Stonegate Pines mobile home park south of Globe Life Park "was sold by Hicks on April 21." Records show that Ballpark Parking Partners "financed the acquisition of the Stonegate Pines property" with a $5.1M note with Comerica (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 5/18).
