In Orlando, Schlueb & Pedicini note the city has "offered to compensate a row of small businesses that will be shut out of the action during the NBA All-Star Weekend -- but the offer is a bit less than the $3.5 million the businesses initially sought." City officials have "offered the four largest businesses $3,000 each, and six smaller shops $1,500 each." In exchange, they would "have to agree not to sue the city over an 8-foot fence that will be placed between their businesses and events at the Amway Center during three days of festivities." The 10 businesses "occupy the ground floor of a parking garage across Church Street from the arena, and the city is their landlord." Both city and Magic reps said that the NBA "routinely fences off the All-Star venue for security reasons" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/7).
NORTHWEST PASSAGE? Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn's Assistant Communications Dir Aaron Pickus said that the "possibility of a new arena, which could fuel even more NHL talk, is still in the preliminary stages." Pickus said, "Right now, we're really looking at the information in front of us to see if we're at a place where we can forward a serious proposal to the city council." Pickus added that the city would "not subsidize the cost of an arena unless it could make a profit" (VANCOUVER SUN, 2/7).
JERSEY SURE: UFC co-Chair Lorenzo Feritta confirmed that UFC is "targeting Atlantic City, N.J., for a UFC on FX event that is expected to take place June 22." ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto noted the FX event is the "second UFC card scheduled to take place within the state of New Jersey in 2012." Last month, the promotion "announced the IZOD Center in East Rutherford will house UFC on Fox 3 on May 5" (ESPN.com, 2/6).
GOING YARD: Madonna will perform at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 6. Yankees full- and partial-season ticket licensees, Yankees Universe members, Yankees Group Leader and Yankees.com subscribers will have the opportunity to take part in a special pre-sale (Yankees). Meanwhile, Roger Waters will play Fenway Park on July 1 as part of "The Wall Tour" (JAMBANDS.com, 2/6).
