In Charlotte, Jonathan Jones noted Bank of America Stadium this offseason is "getting its regularly scheduled facelift." Panthers Exec Dir of Stadium Operations Scott Paul said that the Panthers' grounds crew has "taken the sod off the field and is laser-grading the field." Paul added that the field "will be ready by July 30, when the stadium hosts a soccer match" between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 5/24).
I SAW THE LIGHT: In New York, Chris Carlson noted Syracuse Univ. "hasn't announced all the amenities involved" in an approximately $205M makeover of the Carrier Dome, but the school "revealed a couple specifics last week that promise fans a vastly upgraded game experience." Perhaps "overshadowed by the traditional subjects of seatbacks and bathroom troughs, was the announcement that the school will install LED lighting in the arena." Ephesus Lighting President Mike Lorenz "couldn't give an exact estimate for how much a Carrier Dome installation would cost," but the system being used in the new U.S. Bank Stadium cost $1.3M (Syracuse POST-STANDARD, 5/24).
ART CLASS: In Milwaukee, Rich Kirchen reports Bucks owners "plan to affix public art to the new arena to create an iconic tourist attraction" that team President Peter Feigin "compared with the Michael Jordan statue at Chicago’s United Center and the historic marquee at Wrigley Field." Feigin "predicted the art will signal the arena is 'a place to go.'" He said that he "anticipates fans and visitors will want to take selfies with the arena art in the background." Feigin: “We think this is going to be one of the (Milwaukee) landmarks” (MILWAUKEE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/20 issue).
