NBA Commissioner David Stern indicated that if the first two weeks of the season are canceled, "rescheduling lost games would be difficult." USA TODAY's J. Michael Falgoust notes most teams share arenas "with hockey or college basketball teams, presenting a logistical headache if the two weeks of games had to be made up." Stern added that he was "receiving pressure from venues on whether they can book replacement events, such as concerts, for currently scheduled NBA games" (USA TODAY, 10/7).
GETTING DOWN TO BRASS TACKS: In Edmonton, Kent & Cummins in a front-page piece report Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel and Oilers Owner Daryl Katz will meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman next week in N.Y. "as a deadline looms to reach an arena deal." Mandel and Edmonton City Manager Simon Farbrother "will give Bettman the city's point of view Tuesday afternoon, then get together with the commissioner and the Katz Group the next day." The Katz Group has "imposed an Oct. 31 deadline for reaching an agreement with the city to build the [C]$450-million facility, saying construction costs are rising and that's when options to buy the downtown land expire" (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 10/7).
DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME: In St. Paul, Belden & Melo noted while efforts to build a Vikings stadium in Arden Hills “have grabbed the most attention, a group pushing the Minneapolis Farmers' Market site has been quietly busy.” The group has “come up with a concept it says would bring sanity to the ‘broken and dysfunctional’ stadium process in Minnesota, and it has been shopping it to city, regional and statewide leaders.” Its idea is “to create an agency, modeled after the Metropolitan Airports Commission, that would manage the major Minneapolis and St. Paul sports, convention and entertainment facilities.” State Rep. Morrie Lannie said that “such a concept is too much to tackle in the Legislature's 2012 session, when the focus will be on getting a Vikings deal approved” (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 10/6).
MIXED REVIEWS: On Long Island, Brodsky & Marshall noted a proposal to build a new Nassau Coliseum at Belmont Park “drew support and some skepticism Wednesday from a variety of Nassau officials and civic leaders with a stake in the development plans.” State legislator John Ciotti said that “pairing an arena with the racetrack and a proposed casino would create a wealth of new jobs." Nassau owns the Coliseum land and “collects annual revenue from the New York Islanders, whose lease at the Coliseum expires in 2015.” State legislator Kevan Abrahams said that “it's unclear if that arrangement would continue at Belmont” (NEWSDAY, 10/6).
