Bruins officials on Thursday said that the team's new practice facility at Boston Landing in Brighton "will be an intimate venue dedicated solely to hockey." In Boston, Jessica Geller reports Warrior Ice Arena "will seat just 650 fans, 450 seats less than Ristuccia Memorial Arena in Wilmington, where the Bruins have practiced" since '87. The 175,000-square-foot facility "also will be host to youth hockey and public skating sessions." NB Development Group Project Manager Jay Rourke, whose company is managing the effort, "envisions Division III college hockey also using the ice rink." But he said that no "concerts, fairs, or events that do not take place on ice will be held" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/23).
SIDE PROJECTS: Jaguars Owner Shahid Khan on Thursday addressed the south end zone project at EverBank Field, saying the team has been "talking to the city and we've got the plans pretty much (fleshed) out." Khan: "The important thing is, we're talking to the city. We need them to sprinkle the holy water and then we'll be able to start." Meanwhile, Khan last month said that he would "primarily" pay for the team's new practice facility. Asked Thursday if he remains intent on kicking in at least $20M to help the project, Khan said, “When it’s all said and done, our contribution will be significantly higher than that" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 10/23).
PUT IT IN PARK: The Dolphins have "begun construction of the open-air canopy that will cover Sun Life Stadium next year, and that work will result in some free parking for fans this season." The steel trussing that supports the canopy is "being assembled in the stadium’s West parking lot." As a result of those spaces "becoming unavailable, the team announced Thursday that it will offer free parking at five offsite lots" for the remainder of the '15 season. There are "approximately 2,200 parking spots in those lots" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 10/23).
CHANGE OF PLANS: Phase 2 of the BMO Field renovation was "supposed to start earlier this week." But with Toronto FC making the MLS playoffs, those plans "have shifted." MLSE President & CEO Tim Leiweke said, "We're going to have interruptions. That's going to cost us money" (TORONTO SUN, 10/23).
