Facility Notes
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Houston, Harris County Close To
Deal For New Dynamo Stadium |
In Houston, Liz Austin Peterson reports Harris County and the city of Houston are "inching closer to a deal" on the MLS Dynamo stadium project this week, as city and Dynamo officials said that they have "no serious problems with the conditions the county has set for its participation." Frank Michel, a spokesperson for Houston Mayor Bill White, said, "I think we're pretty close on almost every point they have, and, certainly, we're not in radical disagreement, but there's just things to work through." Houston Department of Public Works & Engineering Deputy Dir of Planning & Development Andy Icken said that negotiations are "going well enough that he believes the Harris County Commissioners Court could vote on the proposal at its Jan. 27 or Feb. 10 meeting" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/15).
INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH: In California, Bethania Palma Markus reports the L.A. Chamber of Commerce has "come out in support of an NFL stadium proposed" for the City of Industry by Majestic Realty Chair & CEO Ed Roski. L.A. Chamber of Commerce Marketing & Communications Dir Gwen Oldham said that the chamber's board voted to "support the project Jan. 8, largely due to the thousands of jobs the project would bring to the area." Oldham: "Our board voted to support the project because it will be such a great stimulus to our economy" (SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE, 1/15).
DRIVING OFF COURSE: In Milwaukee, Don Walker wrote it is becoming increasingly clear that commercial real estate execs and former Milwaukee Mile promoters Dominic and Frank Giuffre, who have "expressed interest in getting back into" the business of managing the racetrack, "don't like what the state is offering." Frank Giuffre this week said that his group "wouldn't be able to make any money under the current agreement." That is "putting pressure on the State Fair to do something, or risk seeing the racetrack go to seed." One "possible interested party" is Camping World Chair & CEO Marcus Lemonis, who "already has strong ties to motor sports." Sources said that Lemonis "might be interested in taking over the racetrack," but Lemonis declined to comment (JSONLINE.com, 1/13).
HITTING THE SLOPES: In N.Y., Ken Moran reports for the past two years, snowboarders have competed in Manhattan at the Union Square Street Sessions, but now they are "moving across town for an all-new pro competition called the Red Bull Snowscrapers, which will be the largest snowboarding contest held in an urban setting in North America." Snowboarders, including Olympic Gold Medalist Shaun White, "will compete for $100,000." The event will be held on February 5 from 3:00-9:00pm ET at East River Park and the "giant 90-foot ramp is already being built" (N.Y. POST, 1/15).
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