In Cincinnati, Wartman & Coolidge note city and Hamilton County leaders "didn't seem any closer" yesterday to giving FC Cincinnati the full $35M they "promised the team for its new stadium's infrastructure needs." Hamilton County Administrator Jeff Aluotto will "meet again with Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley sometime in the next two days." The Hamilton County Convention Facilities Authority will "need to approve" the use of about $17M from the city's portion of the local hotel tax to use toward the $35M in incentives (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 5/29).
CHECK IT OUT: MLS expansion club Austin FC has "started teasing an 'experience center'" that will involve a "physical model" of the teams new stadium. The plan is to have the center open this summer, likely at the team's offices. Visits will be by appointment only, and "won’t require a season ticket deposit beforehand" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 5/29).
ALL NATURAL: Officials at Estadio Azteca said that they will "convert the field back to natural turf after a failed attempt at a hybrid playing surface led to the cancellation" of the scheduled Rams-Chiefs "MNF" game last year. Stadium officials said that they will "use a break in Mexican soccer league play to put back in natural grass" (AP, 5/27).
