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| Olympic Stadium |
WATER WORLD: In Toronto, James Christie reports Olympic Stadium's floor "will be flooded" during the August 13 Opening Ceremony, "arousing suspicion that the theme will involve ODYSSEUS — and the Games — coming home." Artistic Dir DIMITRIS PAPAIOANNOU noted that the ceremony "will draw from the myths of the ancient Greek god APOLLO" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 7/1).
FINANCE: Seahawks/Trail Blazers Owner PAUL ALLEN has hired former AOL Senior Counsel LANCE CONN to oversee his $20B portfolio, which includes, among other things, a controlling interest in Charter Communications (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/1)....Former Disney President MICHAEL OVITZ asked a judge to dismiss claims that his $140M severance package "was a waste of company assets," saying that shareholders cannot prove he "violated any legal obligations" in accepting the payment (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 7/1).
REAL ESTATE LISTINGS: Former Dolphins QB DAN MARINO made a $1M profit from the sale of a $5M, three-acre property in Jupiter, Florida, to Naples-based Collier Fishing Co. (AP, 6/30)....In St. Paul, Charley Walters writes JACK NICKLAUS reportedly bought a log home on Wisconsin's Long Lake with 40 acres of non-lakeshore property for $3.6M (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 7/1)....In Philadelphia, Michael Klein notes Eagles WR TERRELL OWENS bought a 5,278-square-foot home in Moorestown, New Jersey, for $3.9M. Meanwhile, sources said that Pistons coach and former 76ers coach LARRY BROWN's 5,290-square-foot home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, is under contract for a reported $4M-plus (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 7/1).
TRUMP CARD: DONALD TRUMP appeared on the "Budweiser Hotseat" during ESPN's "SportsCenter" last night. During one segment, Trump said "winner" for Cowboys Owner JERRY JONES and "copycat" for Mavericks Owner MARK CUBAN. Trump said on whether the Yankees are bad for baseball because of their free spending: "No, the Yankees are great for baseball. Baseball would never be the same without the Yankees or without GEORGE STEINBRENNER" (ESPN, 6/30).
