In Oakland, Matthew Artz noted with the Warriors moving to S.F., the nearly 20,000-seat Oracle Arena "isn't just losing its anchor tenant, it's gaining a glitzy competitor that will need to be filled night after night if its owners are to recoup the hundreds of millions of dollars it will take to build it." Innovative Sports & Entertainment Advisor and BOD member Bob Gutkowski said, "It's going to be difficult for Oakland on the entertainment side to compete and have the same schedule that they've had in the past" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 4/27). Meanwhile, former S.F. Mayor Willie Brown wrote, "Now that we've nailed down the Warriors, it's time to bring the Oakland Raiders to San Francisco." Brown: "If we can resurrect the $100 million in stadium bond money that voters approved, plus funding from the NFL and a few corporate sponsors, we'd have a deal" (SFGATE.com, 4/26).
HOLDING PATTERN: In Winston-Salem, Wesley Young notes the city "still holds the title to Bowman Gray Stadium almost a year after city leaders voted to sell it, with no firm word on when or if the state will give the go-ahead" for Winston-Salem State Univ. to acquire it. The city has "entered into a short-term deal with WSSU for the university to carry out stadium operations such as parking, security, cleanup and other similar tasks" (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 4/28).
ON TRACK: In Buffalo, James Fink notes HARBORCenter officials said that the project is more than 60% complete and "on track for its fall opening." The project has "more than 180 construction workers on site and double shifts lasting deep into the night" (BUFFALO BUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/25 issue).
