In Louisiana, Tim Buckley reported the Univ. of Louisiana at Lafayette’s facilities master plan “calls for multiple-phase Cajun Field expansion and the creation of an open-air, green-space quad behind the southern end zone.” First-phase plans call for “the addition of 1,200 club seats and 40 private boxes for Cajun Field, with other seating capacity gains coming in stages.” Other planned changes include “the tearing down of the current Cox Communications Athletic Center that houses athletic administration and football staff offices, and the construction of a new athletic administration facility on the west, press box-side face of Cajun Field that will allow for the creation of stadium luxury seats and boxes” (Lafayette DAILY ADVERTISER, 10/23).
BACK-UP PLAN: In Orlando, Richard Bilbao reports the Univ. of Central Florida’s Bright House Networks Stadium is “being eyed as a possible temporary venue" for the Capital One and Russell Athletics Bowls in '14 while the Florida Citrus Bowl stadium gets a $189M overhaul. Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan said, “This is just as a precaution if something like this was ever needed.” Bilbao notes a timeline for the Citrus Bowl upgrade has “yet to be determined, but it’s slated to get under way in 2014 with the goal of improving the seating and adding new club seats” (ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/19 issue).
BROOKLYN BOXING: Golden Boy Promotions Managing Partner Bernard Hopkins said that he “sees no reason why Brooklyn ... cannot be built into a home for top-caliber African-American fighters” with the opening of the Barclays Center. In Philadelphia, John Smallwood notes fighters of Mexican heritage are “big draws in California and Texas,” while N.Y. "has traditionally had big crowds at Madison Square Garden for fighters of Puerto Rican heritage" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 10/24).
JACKPOT: In N.Y., Charles Bagli notes the Resorts World Casino New York City that “opened a year ago at the fading Aqueduct horse racing track in Queens has emerged as the country’s highest-grossing slot parlor, helping to reshape the gambling landscape in the Northeast.” The casino generated “nearly $630 million in revenue over the last 12 months from electronic slot machines, more than the slots at any of the 12 casinos in Atlantic City or at Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun in Connecticut” (N.Y. TIMES, 10/24).
