Facility Notes
In Baltimore, Murray & Hensley report the NFLPA last week "signed off on a league waiver that will allow the Ravens to make $9[M] in capital improvements to M&T Bank Stadium over a three-year period." Ravens President Dick Cass said that the improvements "began a year ago with work on the suite level and south side of the club level." The waiver will allow the team to "recoup $3[M] of the $9[M] budgeted cost." NFLPA Exec Dir Gene Upshaw said that the union also approved waivers for the Falcons' and Panthers' stadiums (Baltimore SUN, 5/22).
MAKING ITS PITCH: DC Mayor Adrian Fenty said plans for a new MLS United stadium are "going very well" and the city is "in support of it." Fenty: "We’re working to put together a deal that we can get seven members of the council to support. I expect some movement and hopefully, they’ll be more news on it soon." He added it "is a priority and we’re going to try and get it done. It’s got to be a good deal, though” (“Washington Post Live,” CSN, 5/21). For more on the United stadium efforts, see United co-Owner Victor MacFarlane's interview from Street & Smith’s Conference Group’s 8th Annual Sports Facilities & Franchises conference.
CROSSING THE LINE: In Houston, Jose De Jesus Ortiz reported the Astros Tuesday removed from the left-center field wall the "yellow line that ran vertically on a 45-degree angle facing home plate ... to make it easier for umpires to judge when a ball is a traditional home run." The entire side of the wall now is green, meaning "any ball hit over the yellow line above the center-field wall from left-center through the batter's eye is a home run" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/21).
RENOVATION PLAN: In Nashville, Maurice Patton reported Vanderbilt Univ. is spending "nearly $60[M] to dress up athletic facilities and convince student-athletes that [Vanderbilt] is serious about excelling on the playing field." The improvement plan "may not be completed for another five years" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/21).
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