The cost of adding luxury suites to Dodger Stadium "is
much higher than the Dodgers expected and could put the
project in jeopardy or eventually cause the club to weigh
renovating" its ballpark against building a new one,
according to Kuwada & Kingsley of the ORANGE COUNTY
REGISTER. The team "thought" luxury suites and other
enhancements could be completed before next season, helping
offset a player payroll that has gone from $47M to $61M this
season, but development and construction costs "could run as
high as" $200M. As a result, Dodgers President Bob Graziano
said that the team will not add 60-75 planned luxury suites
before next season. He added that, "For next year, we're
going to have to take a look at an increase in sponsorship,
an increase in media income. ... We don't have luxury
suites, we don't have much signage inside our stadium and
relatively low ticket prices, yet we have the sixth-highest
payroll in baseball." Graziano, asked if the team could do
without luxury suites: "It's possible, but unlikely I'd
say." Asked about replacing Dodger Stadium, he said, "We
have not started evaluating that yet" (O.C. REGISTER, 8/18).
