Facility Notes
Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg said that a new stadium project is "in 'a holding pattern' awaiting proposals from developers that would be a framework for the financing." However, he added that he "didn't equate the team's wins on the field with votes for the project." Sternberg: "We can help control the wins a little bit, but quite frankly is there a lot we can do to help this team win a ton more games? If you win three or five more games, is that going to make a difference at the voting booth? I doubt it. I would hope and I think that people see past that a little bit" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 2/27).
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Hennepin County Approves Revised
Budget For New Twins Ballpark |
SAFE AT FIRST: In Minneapolis, Mary Jane Smetanka reports the Hennepin County (MN) Board yesterday "approved a revised budget for the new Twins ballpark." The stadium construction budget will increase from $390M to $412.4M, a "gap covered by additional money from the Twins." The county is "shifting about $12[M] that was to go toward improving the neighborhood around the ballpark to infrastructure" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 2/27).
NAME GAME: Univ. of Oregon (UO) AD Pat Kilkenny said that the school "hasn't decided if naming rights will be sold" for its new basketball arena and court. However, he did indicate that Nike Chair Phil and Penny Knight's names would be "strongly considered." Meanwhile, Kilkenny said that the cost of a new parking garage is "not part of the $200[M] price tag for the arena." One possibility is a "500-car underground parking structure," but it is "uncertain if the athletic department or [UO] would pay for the basement garage, which could cost at least $15[M]" (Portland OREGONIAN, 2/27).
STADIUM SUPPORT: In Omaha, C. David Kotok reports the NCAA yesterday "put its stamp of approval" on continuing negotiations on a plan that would put a new 24,000-seat ballpark in downtown Omaha and would compete to host the College World Series. NCAA Exec VP Tom Jernstedt put two "critical conditions on finalizing the deal" for the ballpark: "'broad-based support' in Omaha [and] a workable financing plan for the up to $140[M] stadium" (Omaha WORLD-HERALD, 2/27).
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