The Braves will release the name and logo of their new
ballpark today, which is expected to refer to team Owner Ted
Turner. The ballpark's red, blue and yellow logo was
designed by David Ashton & Co. Ltd., the same firm that
designed signs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION)....The Pirates will take a "first step"
towards a new, baseball-only stadium today as the city's
Urban Redevelopment Authority is expected to approve the
$3.6M purchase of a vacant building on the proposed ballpark
site (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 12/12)....In Minneapolis, Jay
Weiner profiled four sites proposed for a new Twins ballpark
(Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/12). Also in Minneapolis,
State legislators said they do not want stadium financing
linked to unrelated legislation. House Speaker-designate
Phil Carruthers: "We will recommend any bill for a new Twins
stadium rise or fall on its own merits. This issue is too
important to be part of any backroom deal tying the stadium
to unrelated legislation" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/11).
...Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer voiced his opposition to the
proposed 30,000-seat racetrack to be built by Palace
Entertainment on the State Fairgrounds. Archer said he was
never consulted on the project by MI Gov. John Engler or
Palace Entertainment Owner Bill Davidson. He told residents
near the track site: "Don't force racing on a city that
doesn't want it" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 12/12)....The IRL is
talking to New Mexico investors about building a 55,000-seat
track near Albuquerque (INDY STAR-NEWS, 12/12). ...An L.A.
TIMES editorial notes that the City Council is expected to
begin reviewing a possible agreement for a new $200M
downtown sports arena: "There are still many chance for this
project to fall apart. ... That would be a missed
opportunity of monumental proportions" (L.A. TIMES, 12/12).
