In Atlanta, Leslie & Wickert report Fulton County Commission Chair John Eaves "has asked to be included in any future negotiations" over the fate of Turner Field after the Braves depart for their new SunTrust Park in '17. Eaves also wants "an update on 'all outstanding issues related to Turner Field' and proposes a joint committee to oversee the stadium site's future." Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed's office, "which has taken the lead in discussions with potential buyers, has not yet responded" to Eaves' request. Reed yesterday said that he is "willing to sit down" with Eaves to discuss the fate of the ballpark. But Reed "noted decisions surrounding Turner Field are ultimately made by the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority," of which the city "controls the majority of seats" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 11/5).
THE LIONS' NEW DEN: In Orlando, Paul Tenorio reports Orlando City FC's new stadium "is not facing any issues that will change the construction timeline." A report from Orlando-based WFTV-ABC "cited concerns from an advisory board about the design of the stadium and the materials." But Orlando City FC COO Brett Lashbrook said, "We don't anticipate any change to our construction schedule." The advisory board "called the designs 'underwhelming,' and compared the stadium to the quality of the Dr. Phillips Center and Citrus Bowl." But Lashbrook insisted that Orlando City's $110M stadium "will be one of the best in the country" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 11/5).
PERSISTENCE PAYS? In Sacramento, Dale Kasler noted ground "has been broken" on the NBA Kings' new downtown arena, but opponents of the project "nonetheless filed a new court appeal Tuesday in what has been a fruitless effort so far to stop" the $477M arena. Kelly Smith, an attorney for the group opposing the project, said that a notice of appeal "was filed Tuesday in an effort to overturn an Oct. 17 decision by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley." The judge "dismissed" a pair of California Environmental Quality Act suits against the project, one from the group Smith reps and another by a group calling itself the Sacramento Coalition for Shared Prosperity. Coalition attorney Donald Mooney yesterday said that it "doesn’t plan to appeal" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 11/5).
