In Dallas, Ezra Siegel notes Texas on Thursday "announced a variety of upgrades to both the Frank Erwin Center," the school's basketball arena, and the team's practice facilities. The renovations "will cost" $4.25M. An upgraded display system "highlights the changes, with a new center-hung video board and 360-degree wraparound screen set to improve" the Erwin Center's in-game presentation. The arena floor will also "receive a new paint job." All renovations are "scheduled to be completed" before the '17-18 season (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/22).
SAYING GOODBYE: In Las Vegas, Alan Snel wrote with so much talk about the new $1.8B Raiders stadium being built in time for the '20 NFL season, the fate of UNLV's Sam Boyd Stadium has "hardly been discussed." Asked what will happen to the facility, Sam Boyd Stadium Exec Dir Mike Newcomb said, "Sam Boyd Stadium will be closed." Snel noted the 40,000-seat stadium is a "workman-like, all-purpose venue that also hosts international rugby matches, motorcycle races and monster truck jams" (LVSPORTSBIZ.com, 9/20).
GETTING CLOSE: In Norfolk, Harry Minium reports K.C.-based Populous "appears almost certain to receive the contract to design the new Foreman Field for Old Dominion." ODU "filed an 'intent to award' notice recently that indicates the school will hire Populous and Moseley Architects of Virginia Beach to design the renovated stadium." However, ODU Dir of Design & Construction Dale Feltes and Procurement Dir Etta Henry said that no contract has been "signed nor a fee agreed upon" (Norfolk VIRGINIAN-PILOT, 9/22).
LEFT IN THE DARK: In San Diego, Kirk Kenney noted a 22-minute blackout during Stanford-San Diego State on Saturday at Jack Murphy Stadium was "attributed by some to an aging, decaying stadium that marked its 50th anniversary last month." However, a city official said that it was "due to human error." Supervising Public Information Officer for the City of San Diego Arian Collins said, "The lights should have been switched into manual mode. However, they were put into auto mode instead, which has a nine-hour cycle" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 9/20).