In Sacramento, Kasler & Lillis noted the NBA Kings on Tuesday "released plans for a 170-unit apartment building and mixed-use commercial complex" for a downtown block near Golden 1 Center. The Kings "unveiled their plans" after completing the $5.9M purchase of the downtown block. The deal was "made possible by the development agreement the team signed" in '14 with the city on its new arena. The block is "just a few hundred feet east of Golden 1 Center" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 2/1).
WOW FACTOR: Univ. of Texas football coach Tom Herman yesterday announced "several renovations" to the program's football facilities. Herman said, "(Renovations include) a brand new locker room, which we just met on today with the administrators and the architects. We're going to have a renovation of the weight room and a renovation basically of the entire first floor of the (Moncrief Athletic Fieldhouse) in terms of graphics and branding." He added, "There does need to be a wow factor" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/2).
ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER: In Newark, Ryan Dunleavy reports former Rutgers football player Marco Battaglia "will have his name attached" to the school's new football practice complex. Rutgers boosters Jeff and Amy Towers, who announced the news yesterday, financed the complex' remodeling with the "largest private donation in Rutgers athletics history, securing naming rights in the process." It is "scheduled to be complete by Aug. 1, in time for use in training camp." Battaglia currently serves as Rutgers R Fund Dir of Development & Major Gifts (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 2/2).
