THE ROOF IS LEAKING: A section of the roof at Olympic
Stadium in Montreal came "crashing down yesterday," slightly
injuring two workers. Officials blamed "heavy snow, weighed
down by unseasonable rain." But the C$37M roof is "brand
new" and the work of U.S.-based engineering company Birdair
(GLOBE & MAIL, 1/19). Former Canadiens GM Serge Savard, on
possibly replacing outgoing Expos President Claude Brochu:
"I don't pretend to be a baseball guy. I like the sport as
a simple fan. If the Expos need help in any project to keep
baseball in Montreal, I'll help" (Montreal GAZETTE, 1/19).
MINNESOTA FACTS: Vikings President Gary Woods said for
the "first time publicly" on Monday that the team would
prefer a new stadium to a renovated Metrodome. Woods: "As
long as the Twins are playing in the Dome, it really can't
be renovated because there's no down time." Woods is
looking to resolve the issue this year. In related news,
Charley Walters reports that the Vikings grossed $2.5M in
merchandise and souvenir sales for their 12-game Metrodome
schedule this year. In Sunday's loss alone, they grossed
$325,000. During the '97 regular-season schedule, the
Vikings earned $875,000 in merchandise sales (PIONEER PRESS,
1/19). Walters added that talks "continue" between the NHL
Wild and US West on a naming rights deal expected to be
worth at least $2M a year (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 1/17).
OTHER NOTES: Hillsborough County and the Tampa Sports
Authority have sued the Bucs after the team "refused to hand
over copies of leases" for the 168 skyboxes at Raymond James
Stadium. The county wants the leases to see whether the
Bucs or suite holders should pay real estate taxes (TAMPA
TRIBUNE, 1/16)....The Dallas-based Arena Group said that
4,000 residents took part in a arena survey for the Mavs'
and Stars' proposed new facility. Of the participants, 40%
were from Dallas, 11% from Arlington, Grand Prairie and Fort
Worth and 38% from the Dallas suburbs. The remaining 11%
were from other areas (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/16).
