In San Diego, Matthew Hall wrote with “little progress in the Chargers’ bid to build support for a new home in East Village, a team of local architects is throwing out another idea: renovate the 44-year-old Qualcomm Stadium.” They said that “a major remodel -- to modernize locker rooms and the press box, widen concourses, improve technology and add restaurants, lounges, premium seats and bathrooms -- would cost” about $250M, a "fourth of the cost of a new stadium." But Chargers Special Counsel Mark Fabiani “likens a remodel to putting lipstick on a pigskin.” San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders last month said that “he wouldn’t ‘spin our wheels’ talking about a renovation” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 9/16).
BROOKLYN'S BRIDGE: Forest City Ratner Chair & CEO Bruce Ratner appeared on Bloomberg TV Thursday, and he was aked by Betty Liu whether it is "true that perhaps you might bring a hockey team" to Barclays Center, specifically mentioning the Islanders. Ratner said, “I would hope that’s possible. It depends upon a lot of things. It depends on whether the Islanders want to come, it depends on whether they have different choices. I think it’s not that likely that there will be a new arena built in Nassau County with the current state of the economy. I think there’s certainly a chance” ("In The Loop," Bloomberg TV, 9/15).
WASHED AWAY: In Indiana, Tom Moor reported College Football HOF officials Tuesday night told police that the “theft of a brass sprinkler fitting outside the Hall of Fame over the weekend caused a backflow of water into the pipe, causing water to seep into the building and flood the basement.” About two inches of water “covered the entire basement when employees entered on Monday morning.” The basement “houses the museum portion of the Hall of Fame, containing some of college football’s most cherished memorabilia.” Police said that total damage “is estimated at $100,000” (SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE, 9/15).
COVERAGE CHANGE: In Louisville, Gregory Hall reports Churchill Downs Inc. will “stop paying” The Jockeys’ Guild, a trade association that “represents jockeys to fund riders’ off-track needs such as benefits or health insurance coverage that isn’t related to racing.” The current agreement between the two entities “expires at the end of the year and provides per-starter and per-race-day fees to the guild.” CDI VP/Corporate Communications Julie Koenig Loignon said that the company’s four tracks “will continue to pay for an insurance policy that covers jockeys for up to $1 million in medical expenses for on-track injuries” (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 9/16).
