The Hornets pursuit of a new arena is examined along with
the "building boom" of arenas across the U.S., in an extensive
piece in the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. A study conducted by Wright
State Univ. notes 90% of construction costs of new arenas in the
'70s were borne by the taxpayers, while from '80-95 that figure
has dropped to 60% (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/21)....Today's
SACRAMENTO BEE looks at the financial impact of Arco Arena, which
held 207 events that attracted 1.9 million people from July '94
to June '95. Rick Benner, President of Capital Sports &
Entertainment, which owns the Kings and Arco, noted Arco is
"privately financed and privately run" (SACRAMENTO BEE,
4/22)....Scott Olster writes on the Oakland Coliseum renovation,
adding the A's task "is to learn to love their new ballpark, the
entire outfield horizon of which is dominated by a gigantic
structure that looks like the set for 'Water World II: The
Condo'" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/20)....David Kahn, Asst to Pacers
President Donnie Walsh, told the Indianapolis Capital Improvement
Board that renovating Market Square Arena would cost so much that
building a new arena is "almost a no-brainer" (INDIANAPOLIS
STAR/NEWS, 4/19)...The FL Senate Community Affairs Committee is
scheduled to vote today on the bill that would approve a rental
car tax referendum to help finance a new Bucs stadium (ST. PETE
TIMES, 4/22).
