In Louisville, Gregory Hall notes despite one of the "worst Louisville winters in recent memory," improvements at Churchill Downs are "set to be finished in time for Opening Night on April 26." The new $12M video board, which will have a 15,224-square-foot screen, "already towers over the backstretch even though it is a couple of weeks away from completion." Track Owner CDI said that the "so-called 'Big Board,' at 171 feet wide and 90 feet tall, will be the largest in an outdoor stadium or arena capable of displaying '4K' ultra-high-definition technology" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 3/27).
GOTHAM CITY: In S.F., Eric Young noted the MLB Giants "created the Gotham Club in AT&T Park this season to appeal to fans who want an exclusive, high-end experience during games or when games are not being played." For an "annual fee starting at $1,250, members of the Gotham Club get access to three venues: the Game Room, the Bullpen and the Clubhouse." The club’s name is "an homage to the New York Gothams Baseball Club, the first iteration of the team in 1883." The Game Room features "pool tables and two bowling alleys ... and is located on the ballpark’s suite level." It also "features a bar and vintage parlor games." The Clubhouse, which is not yet completed, "will be in the out-of-town scoreboard along the right field wall." The Bullpen, which "runs along the right field warning track, gives members a field-level view of players warming up before games" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/26).
TRAINING GROUNDS: In Orlando, Mary Shanklin noted the USTA is "planning to build a national-scale training facility at Lake Nona in southeast Orlando." USTA Dir of Communications Chris Widmaier said, "It would be a comprehensive facility that would provide court access, coaching and player development for virtually every level of the game." Widmaier "could not provide details on a construction timetable, the number of courts or the cost of the project at the mixed-use development" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/26).
