In Orlando, Shannon Green noted UCF's East Side Club, a "much buzzed about beach-themed stadium seating area" at Bright House Networks Stadium, has been "renamed the Carl Black and Gold Cabana." Carl Black of Orlando, "an authorized dealer of Chevrolet, Buick and GMC brands, has been a sponsor of the athletic program" since '06. The company "signed a six-figure, multi-year naming rights agreement" with the school (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 8/10).
BUFFED UP: In Boulder, Sarah Kuta reported the $156M price tag on Colorado's football stadium expansion and remodeling effort "could be getting bigger." CU Assistant Vice Chancellor/Strategic Media Relations Bronson Hilliard said that campus officials "could be going before the CU Board of Regents again this fall to ask for additional spending authority." If approved by the regents, the newest budget could be $160M -- a 12% "cost increase since the project was first approved" in December '13 (Boulder DAILY CAMERA, 8/9).
HERDING CATS? In Louisville, Kyle Tucker wrote Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart's message about the ongoing $120M renovation to Commonwealth Stadium, "where between 350 and 400 workers at any given time are in a mad dash to be done by the Sept. 5 season opener, was essentially: Bear with us." Barnhart: "People are walking around worried, but I haven't been a part of a building project that didn't run down to the wire." Barnhart added that the school has poured $170-180M "into the football program between the stadium renovation and a new practice facility that is under construction" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 8/8).
SWAMP THING: In Miami, Jesse Simonton wrote Florida's indoor football practice facility "can't come fast enough," as inclement weather "caused Friday’s practice to get canceled." The football program's Twitter account posted pictures of turf installation with the caption, “Pretty soon these afternoon thunderstorms won’t be a thing.” The $17M project, "initially forecast for completion sometime in late September, is ahead of schedule." UF coach Jim McElwain said, "They’ve been working around the clock. They’ve run three shifts, they’re doing everything they can to get the Gators indoors" (MIAMI HERALD, 8/9).
CORN LIQUOR: In Lincoln, Steven Sipple cites sources as saying that discussions about alcohol being sold at Nebraska basketball games in Pinnacle Bank Arena have "gotten serious quickly." Such sales "could occur as soon as the coming season." This comes despite the fact that NU AD Shawn Eichorst has previously said that he is "against" such a measure (LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR, 8/11).
