In Tampa, Jay Cridlin notes with the Lightning advancing to the Eastern Conference finals against the Capitals, it "raised the question of what might happen" to Amalie Arena concerts by James Taylor and Justin Timberlake, scheduled for May 12 and 15, respectively. The Lightning will host Games 1 and 2, but the series' schedule "has not yet been set." Amalie Arena Senior Manager of Event Marketing Angela Lanza said that as far as she knew, there has so far "been no talk of canceling or postponing the concerts" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 5/8).
TEXAS TURF: In Boston, Nick Cafardo noted the Rangers' new $1.1B Globe Life Field is "coming along swiftly." The ballpark will have a "retractable roof and seat 40,000." One "downer is that they're leaning toward artificial turf because the playing field is located 50 feet below grade, perhaps too low for grass to grow well enough to survive a season." That is a "tough sell for players, who for years have endured the heat in an open-air stadium and now may have to contend with turf" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/6).
LET'S MAKE A DEAL: In Phoenix, Yihyun Jeong writes people have "stepped up to the plate to offer opinions on a proposed deal Maricopa County has negotiated" with the D-backs over Chase Field. The deal "allows the team to begin looking for another home immediately if it drops a lawsuit arguing the county should pay" for $187M in repairs. Though no one "showed up to voice any thoughts in person" at a public meeting yesterday, submitted comments were read aloud to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, which will vote tomorrow to "approve or strike down the deal" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/8).
