After the first day of megaplex hearings in Boston
yesterday, House Ways and Means Chair Thomas Finneran said Gov.
William Weld has "set up an impossible equation" by vowing to
veto a statewide tax hike to help finance a megaplex (BOSTON
HERALD, 9/28)....In San Jose, the City Council met Tuesday to
hash out details of an estimated $25M offer to attract the
Warriors. Sources say the city is planning to finance the offer
through bond sales, a loan from a workers compensation fund, and
possibly an increase in the city's hotel/motel tax. Meanwhile,
Oakland officials are plotting how to keep the team, with the
sale of PSL's under consideration (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 9/28).
....A poll in today's DETROIT FREE PRESS shows that 52% of
Detroit voters believe the City Council should not approve a
proposal to spend $35M in development funds to help build a new
Tiger stadium. 41% favor the proposal. On the issue of A
plurality opposed MI Gov. John Engler's plan to use $55M from the
state's Strategic Fund for land, road, and environmental cleanup
for the stadium (AP/Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 9/28)....In St.
Louis, FANS Inc. has sold approximately 52,000 PSLs, 5,300 club
seats and 90 luxury suites. The group needs to sell about 780
more club seats and five more luxury suites by the Super Bowl to
meet guarantees made to the Rams (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 9/27).
....Archaeological Consulting Services, Ltd. (ACS) has begun a
survey of the 23-acre Bank One Ballpark site in downtown Phoenix
(ARIZONA BUSINESS GAZETTE, 9/21 issue).