In St. Paul, Frederick Melo reports city officials "received the official go-ahead to situate a professional soccer stadium in the city's Midway area," including spending $18.4M for public infrastructure. The city council last night voted 5-2 to "support a series of agreements related to a privately funded" MLS facility. The city "will fund public sidewalks, plazas and related site improvements throughout the southern half of the 35-acre site" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/3). St. Paul Finance Dir Todd Hurley said that construction of the stadium "would be privately funded" and the MLS team would "pay for maintenance costs" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/3).
BEAR DOWN: In Memphis, Phil Stukenborg noted Mayor Jim Strickland told City Council members Tuesday of his upcoming capital improvements budget, outlining $15M over five years for FedExForum's "continued maintenance and renovation." The Forum "is managed and operated" by the Grizzlies and also "plays host" to concerts and the Univ. of Memphis basketball team. City of Memphis Dir of Finance Brian Collins said that there is "no big, specific thing" the funds would be appropriated for, but rather the money would allow the city to be "good stewards of that building" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 3/2).
EVERYTHING & THE FARM: In Baltimore, Rick Seltzer noted Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's administration is "pursuing the idea of overhauling the existing Royal Farms Arena as a way to bring the aged venue up to date while saving money over the full replacement plans that have been floated in previous years." The administration is considering ways to renovate the 14,000-seat arena "that would allow it to stay open for a limited schedule." Administration officials have "examined work done at similar venues," and recently looked at "renovations made to the Dunkin' Donuts Center" in Providence. Rawlings-Blake's Dir of Strategic Planning & Policy Howard Libit in an email wrote that the city "is currently working with the state of Maryland to assemble funding for a feasibility study" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/2).
