The life story of late boxer ROCKY MARCIANO is "coming to the big screen," and some of the movie will be filmed in his hometown of Brockton, Mass. Several movies about Marciano "have been done for cable networks," but this will be his "first tribute on the silver screen." Marciano's family "has signed on with Tennessee-based City of Peace Films and director DUSTIN MARCELLINO." Production is "slated to begin next year with a projected completion date" in '16. City of Peace Films, which is owned by the Marcellino family, "approached the Marciano family about four months ago to produce a film about Rocky" (Brockton ENTERPRISE, 9/2).
BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL: Pacers C ROY HIBBERT yesterday donated $1M to Georgetown Univ. to go toward the John R. Thompson Jr. Intercollegiate Athletics Center "in honor of the school's hall of fame basketball coach" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/3)....Gifts of nearly $4M "will cross the table" at the Univ. of Kentucky's BOT meeting this week, with "much of it earmarked to pay for the new football practice facility and practice fields." OSI Restaurant Partners Founder and UK alum CHRIS SULLIVAN has "pledged the largest gift" of $1M to go "specifically toward the new facility" (KENTUCKY.com, 9/2).
FROM THE LADIES' TEES: ESPN analyst and former pro golfer JUDY RANKIN said of how the LPGA compared to the PGA early in her career in terms of equal treatment, "They were completely different and separate organizations. The money has never been close to being the same. They’re closer today than ever, but I personally don’t expect them to ever be the same because a lot of it depends on what you generate. But we’ve all learned lessons from each other. The LPGA is really prospering. They’ve done a magnificent job of survival. Right now is a great time. There are more great players than ever" (PORTLAND BUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/29 issue).
NAMES: Stars Owner TOM GAGLARDI said that he "intends to bring his Canadian hotel business stateside," with plans for Plano, Texas, to be the first U.S. location for the Sandman Hotels, Inns & Suites (DALLAS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/29 issue)....ESPN Exec VP/Sales & Marketing SEAN BRATCHES will be inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable HOF on Oct. 20 (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 9/1 issue)....Packers QB AARON RODGERS received the '14 Community Service Award during the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce's annual Welcome Back Packers luncheon (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 9/3)....Former NFLer GARY BRACKETT yesterday opened a soul food restaurant in Indianapolis called Georgia Reese’s (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/3)....Heat F LUOL DENG purchased a $4.6M house in Miami’s Morningside neighborhood (BIZJOURNALS.com, 9/2)....Former MLBer PETE ROSE sold his longtime residence in Sherman Oaks, Calif., for $1.96M. He and his wife CAROL paid $913,500 for the home in ’99 (LATIMES.com, 8/29)....Swimmer RYAN LOCHTE celebrated his 30th birthday last weekend at Andiamo Italian Steakhouse at The D Las Vegas. His birthday-celebration weekend “started at Tao in the Venetian on Saturday night with fellow swimmers and Olympic medalists CULLEN JONES and ED MOSES” (LAS VEGAS SUN, 9/3)....Single-A South Atlantic League Delmarva Shorebirds Business Development Executive ALYSSA DOOYEMA has been named the SAL Female Exec of the Year (Shorebirds).
