In San Antonio, Tom Orsborn reported Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones on Saturday "expressed a strong desire to continue the Cowboys' training camp relationship with San Antonio," but he "left questions unanswered about whether the team will return to the Alamodome in 2012." The Cowboys' "five-year, rent-free contract with the dome expired when the team broke camp last week." Jones said, "The ideal plan would be that we are and do get to spend, as I look ahead over the next few years, some good time in San Antonio for training camp. That's my plan. Now, how we do it, when we do it, how we break it down, that's something we've got to work out." Orsborn noted Jones' comments "could be interpreted as a hint that a split camp between San Antonio; Oxnard, Calif.; and possibly even Arlington could be in the works" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 8/14).
HOME IMPROVEMENTS: In New Orleans, Nakia Hogan noted fans were “raving about the upgrades” as they “walked about the reconfigured lower bowl” of the Superdome during Friday's 49ers-Saints preseason game. Dome officials said that the renovations have “transformed the stadium into one of the top 10 in the National Football League.” The lower bowl was “moved closer to the field, allowing for better sight lines and 3,400 seats to be added.” The new seats brought capacity to just over 73,000 for Saints games. The plaza concourse was also widened, which enabled “extra restrooms and more concession areas to be added.” Two “bunker club lounges were installed, allowing for VIP parking and access to the stadium and the plaza-level club seats.” A new LED lighting system “will illuminate the stadium at night,” but won’t be installed and turned on “until the regular-season home opener” against the Bears on Sept. 18 (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 8/13).
MILE MARKER: With Sports Authority in talks to secure naming rights to the Broncos' stadium, in Denver, Woody Paige wrote, "I applaud Sports Authority's chief marketing officer Jeff Schumacher's idea to at least make the name more palatable." The "bad news is that the Broncos' home will not rightfully be called Mile High Stadium." But the "entire complex name doesn't have to be stated." A "shortened nickname is acceptable," and the "People's Choice at 5,280 feet forever will be Mile High" (DENVER POST, 8/14).
UNDER REVIEW: In St. Paul, Megan Boldt reported the Metropolitan Council and Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission are "starting their evaluation of a proposal to build a $1.1 billion Minnesota Vikings stadium on contaminated land in Arden Hills." The agencies "hope to finish the analysis by mid-October" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 8/13).
