In Knoxville, Blake Toppmeyer reported renovations to Neyland Stadium are in a "holding pattern" as Tennessee "continues to evaluate the project's design and scope." UT AD Phillip Fulmer said that he is "hopeful construction could begin 'within the next year or so, no more than two.'" He said that the holdup "doesn't pertain to finances." Fulmer: "We’re still looking at all the design, all the scope, and just what do we really want to do?” (KNOXNEWS.com, 11/1).
EYE OPENER: A new “center-hung video scoreboard underwritten by Boyd Gaming has been installed at UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center," which will be a “vital upgrade" to the arena. A Boyd Gaming gift to UNLV Athletics of $5M this year is “covering the cost of the new arena scoreboard.” The new Boyd Gaming scoreboard will “not only serve the UNLV basketball games but also be a big addition for Thomas & Mack Center’s two signature multi-day events" -- the National Finals Rodeo and the NBA Summer League (LVSPORTSBIZ.com, 11/1).
YOU NEVER KNOW: Pitt AD Heather Lyke recently was asked whether there has been any conversation about future construction of an on-campus football stadium. She said, “We just embarked on a pretty extensive university master-planning process. Athletics was a big part of that." Lyke added, “It (a stadium) is something we will always evaluate. You never know what can happen. With the right finances, there are a lot of things that can happen” (TRIBLIVE.com, 11/1).
