The Tigers have announced a partnership with Pure Michigan to showcase the official state travel and tourism initiative throughout Comerica Park, highlighted by a logo about 150 feet up on the right field light tower. Pure Michigan marks also will appear on the bench backs and railings for both the home and away dugouts, as well as behind home plate as part of the diamond view rotation. The light tower sign and dugout presence will remain in the venue for the next three years. Pure Michigan in January signed a deal to become title sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan Int'l Speedway in August (THE DAILY).
CLEAN ENERGY: NRDC.org's Alice Henly noted the Indians Wednesday unveiled "their revolutionary wind turbine, the first of its kind to sit atop a ballpark." The 3,000-pound turbine was "strategically assembled in the players’ parking lot at Progressive Field to cut down on transportation emissions and costs." Fans will be able to "pedal away on stationary bikes installed around the ballpark to try and generate as much power as the turbine." Indians Dir of Ballpark Operations Brad Mohr said, "This is a great opportunity to teach fans about the importance of clean energy technologies" (NRDC.org, 3/28).
THE END OF THE LINE? In Milwaukee, Don Walker noted the latest forecast from Public Financial Management, a consultant hired by the Miller Park Stadium district, indicated that the Miller Park sales tax "could end in 2017." The tax has been collected since '96, and last year approximately "was collected, a 7.81% increase over the previous year." However, sales-tax collections "were down 10%" in both '09 and '10 (JSONLINE.com, 3/28).
BRIGHT, SHINY DEAL: The Phillies and Bright House Networks agreed to a five-year renewal of the naming rights to the team's Spring Training home in Clearwater, Fla., through '18. Bright House Networks has been the naming-rights partner of the Phillies and the city of Clearwater since Bright House Field opened in '04. The original deal would have expired in Oct. '13. Financial terms of the deal were not released (Phillies).
NEW DOG IN TOWN: In S.F., Matier & Ross reported the Giants after 18 years are dumping hot dog supplier Alpine Meats of Stockton "in favor of a Chicago import." The $6.50 "big dog" that will be sold at AT&T Park this season will come from Eisenberg Sausage Co., which also supplies wieners for the Cubs. Alpine will "still sell smaller Giants Dogs at the ballpark." An Alpine exec said that the company "couldn't stomach the 'low six-figure' fee the team was demanding to stay on as a Giants' official hot dog sponsor" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/28).
