In Las Vegas, Alan Snel reports the consultant for the UNLV stadium board on Thursday "offered a three-pronged funding approach to help build a 50,000-seat campus stadium." CSL Principal Bill Rhoda "identified three 'buckets' of money as a buffet approach to help build the stadium -- a sales tax zone that could potentially be a resort corridor; the stadium’s net income; and UNLV philanthropy." MGM Resorts Int'l Senior VP & Corporate Controller Rick Arpin said that the next step is to "attach financial numbers to those three concepts" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 6/20).
MIZZOU KEEPERS: In K.C., Tod Palmer reports Missouri "unanimously approved" its '14 Campus Master Plan at a meeting of the Board of Curators on Thursday. Mizzou's plan "includes a new softball stadium," as well as a "new full-length indoor training facility for football." Mizzou still will "need approval for each project from the Board of Curators at a later meeting" (K.C. STAR, 6/20).
CORNER OF GREY STREET: In Detroit, Chris McCosky reports Eastern Michigan has "chosen a unique way to stamp itself a new identity." The school beginning next season will "play their home football games on a concrete-gray surface at Rynearson Stadium." EMU will "call the new field The Factory -- paying homage to the blue-collar ethic of the region." Work on the new turf "will begin in July and it is expected to be in place for the season opener, Aug. 30" (DETROIT NEWS, 6/20).
BACK AT SQUARE ONE? In Cincinnati, Josh Pichler writes there are "limited options" for the 39-year-old, downtown U.S. Bank Arena, which "hasn't had a major renovation" since '97. The "most recent window of opportunity closed in May, when Cincinnati withdrew its bid" to host the '16 Republican National Convention. The Univ. of Cincinnati "remains the best option to become a second tenant at U.S. Bank Arena, and a group of Downtown leaders and influential donors is still pushing the university to relocate its games from Fifth Third Arena, which is also in need of renovations." But UC so far has "launched a study to renovate the on-campus Fifth Third Arena." UC said that this "would cost significantly less" than a $107M plan it "has had on the shelf for several years that would completely gut Fifth Third Arena, including rotating the court" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 6/20).
