Facility Notes
The Louisiana State Bond Commission approved a plan to give the Hornets $14.5M for a new training facility. The state-financed facility "is seen as critical to keeping the Hornets at the New Orleans Arena beyond its 2012 lease agreement" (AP, 9/20)....In Seattle, Greg Johns reports local activist Chris Van Dyk and Save Our Sonics Dir Brian Robinson are forming a proposal for a revitalized Seattle Center that will feature a new Memorial Stadium built on an underground parking garage near a new Sonics arena. Van Dyk estimated that the project could be completed for “something in the $1[B] range.” Under the plan, the Washington state Legislature would contribute the $250M "in tax extension the Sonics were pursing for a Renton arena,” and Van Dyk would like Sonics ownership to contribute another $150M (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 9/21).
BEARS: The middle of the Soldier Field turf was resodded earlier this month. Soldier Field GM Tim LeFevour said that the center of the field "typically needs to [be] resodded twice a year, and the sidelines redone annually.” He noted that resodding the center of the field with Kentucky bluegrass and rye runs $60,000-70,000, which is paid by the Chicago Park District. LeFevour: “It’s a good playing field. It just doesn’t have the color people expect” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/21).
ROYALS: Jackson County (MO) Sports Complex Authority officials said that a new video board "twice the size" of the currently in Kauffman Stadium "should be in place for the start of the 2008 season." Two smaller boards above each bullpen and a ribbon scoreboard at the perimeter of the stands will also be added (K.C. STAR, 9/19).
|
