Cities kick around complex ideas - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, CA)

The soccer complex has become a trend in the region.

'Throughout the Inland Empire, more and more cities areconstructing these complexes with multiple fields,' said Mark Chase,Ontario parks and maintenance director.

'Soccer is a very popular sport, and it can be played all yearround, because of our climate,' he said.

The Rancho Cucamonga AYSO region is one of the largest in thenation, and city officials are looking at two or three properties fora future 4-field soccer complex.

One option is land on the southeast of Napa Avenue, but KevinMcArdle, city community services director, said there arerestrictions because the speedway uses it.

'The majority of the city's lighted fields are on the west sidebecause it developed first,' McArdle said. 'Most future efforts aregoing to be in the east side. It just depends on land availabilityand funding.'

Chino's future soccer stars will be kicking around Ayala Park whentheir new complex comes.

And Pomona just broke ground on its four-field soccer complex inJuly - a facility with a price tag of $6 million.

Center tags top-ranked players to teach strategy at 2-week clinic.(Neighbor) - Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)

Byline: Sena Krieg

Summer brings with it a major influx of news releases outlining a seemingly unending list of activities available to Lombard young people - some free, some for a fee, all fun.

A recent one from Enchanted Castle Restaurant/Entertainment Complex really piqued my interest. It outlined a Q-Zar Laser Tag Sports Clinic designed to interest laser tag fans in the strategies and techniques of the game.

The entertainment center, at the north end of the Lombard Pines Shopping Center, 1103 S. Main St., will bring in coaches of top-ranked laser tag players such as Renee Mich and Ian Wadycki to run the clinic.

The four-week clinic begins the week of June 30 and has two sessions. Session one runs Monday and Wednesdays; session two on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sessions last from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Late-night sessions are also available.

Participation in the clinic costs $80 and includes a one-year membership to Enchanted Castle's laser tag arena, two full games of Q-Zar laser tag plus a game on the day you join and another during your birthday month. Other perks include an annual pizza party and discounts on laser tag garb and daily games.

For additional information, call (630) 953-7860.

Book club

Young film and book aficionados from grades three through nine are in for a treat. The Helen M. Plum Memorial Library is hosting Monday afternoon discussion groups that include games and snacks from July 7 through Aug. 4.

They will tackle such tantalizing titles such as 'Jumanji' and 'Freaky Friday.'

Party With Books sessions are for third- and fourth-graders; Devour A Book sessions are for fifth- through ninth-graders.

To register, students need to show their valid Plum Library cards in young people's services between June 21 and July 7.

WILL LODI EXPAND TROPHY CASE? THE BLUE DEVILS WRESTLING TEAM PLACES A PREMIUM ON EXCELLENCE.(Sports) - The Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI)

Comedian Steven Wright once pondered, ``You can't have everything. If you did, where would you put it?''

Good question. Lodi wrestling, long a winning tradition, has a trophy and awards case near capacity in the school's commons. Given that veteran coach Jack Reinwand has another undefeated squad -- which continues with team sectionals tonight -- more space is probably going to be needed.

Coincidentally, the town of Lodi will usher in a new senior high building next year. In the plans are a larger gymnasium, expanded practice facilities, and, yes, more room for hardware.

``The expectations are such that you know what to prepare for,'' said Reinwand, who has helped the Blue Devils to 15 conference titles since 1980. ``I've been preparing to (win) all the time, and it becomes the focus. You know it's going to happen in the future where you have a really solid team.''

That future is foreseeable, as the second-ranked Blue Devils are fresh off Saturday's dominating performance in the Waunakee regional. Reinwand saw the team place seven individuals -- along with the team -- into sectional competition.

``There's been a lot of new learning this season,'' said 130-pounder Andy Martin, a two-time conference champ. ``Last year's seniors, they showed you how to have fun while you're (wrestling).''

Reinwand, who is always tinkering in his coaching approach, tries to keep things fresh. He said it's healthy since distance running and the regular practice regimen can get predictable.

``They've gotten to such a high level physically, that now it's a matter of keeping their minds sharp and polishing technique,'' said Reinwand, who doubles as the high school's physical education teacher. ``This time of year, we do some fun things.''

Those things include a high-energy and complex game of ``tag'' in the school's hallways once a year.

Tag?

``They love this. The coaches will play. I wish I was a bit younger, so I could catch some of them,'' Reinwand said with a laugh.

``The beauty of it is, is it's a twist on doing the same old thing. I'll bet they run 3 miles, but they probably don't know it. Nor do they feel it, because it doesn't feel like an obligation.''

Reinwand, an NCAA champion at the University of Wisconsin in 1976, learned from one-time mentor and legendary coach Dan Gable that variety is a spice of practice.

``It doesn't matter if they have an Olympic coach. If kids don't stay fresh, the results aren't going to be there,'' said Reinwand, who was headed to the 1980 Moscow Games until President Jimmy Carter ordered a boycott of the Olympics.

The expectations to stay on top are many in this proud community.

``We have a lot of parents that show up to watch, some of whom were wrestlers here or around the area,'' said 140-pound senior Clint Ziegler. ``Some of (the fans) don't even have kids or relatives in the program. There's hardly an empty seat available at most of our meets, and they follow us pretty well on the road.''

A fan of the Blue Devils doesn't have to dig deep in the memory banks to remember a great team in Lodi. The 1997-98 squad, anchored by nine seniors, including Reinwand's son Caleb brought home a state team title.

``There's kind of a celebrity feeling around here,'' Ziegler said. ``People come up to me who know who I am, even though there are times when I don't know them.''

Said Martin, a senior: ``There's a good pressure. Everywhere I go around town, people will congratulate me.''

While the program's strong showings are well-documented annually, these are clearly Lodi's salad days: The first state team title under Reinwand last season has upped the ante.

Todd Seiler's Mount Horeb-Barneveld teams have finished second to the Blue Devils in eight of the past nine seasons.

Is it frustrating?

``Far from it; it's a benefit, because they make our program stronger when we see what we need to work on,'' Seiler said. ``We can't help but respect them, but make no mistake -- we want to beat them.''

Lodi will be looking to beat Nekoosa-Port Edwards tonight in semifinal action. Four years ago, the Papermakers handed them a rare loss in a meet by one point.

FEELING GOOD ABOUT GaREAT; Interest mounts in massive Geneva sports complex.(NEWS) - Crain's Cleveland Business

Byline: JOEL HAMMOND

Ron Clutter has been asked the question so much he now beats people to it.

'People ask me, 'Why Geneva?' Mr. Clutter said last week at the Geneva area Recreational, Educational, Athletic Trust, or GaREAT for short. 'Well, why not Geneva?

Mr. Clutter, an Ashtabula native and serial entrepreneur, is the mastermind and driving financial force behind GaREAT, a sprawling, 40-acre athletic complex just north of Interstate 90 in Ashtabula County.

The site currently features a 215,000-square-foot building split up into soccer and volleyball/basketball fields, and a 250,000-square-foot building with a 300-meter indoor track, full-length football field, state-of-the-art batting cages (including video screens capable of simulating any situation) and a 30,000-square-foot banquet facility.

In the middle with a press box and luxury boxes looking out from the soccer building sits a 5,500-seat football stadium and outdoor track. A 160,000-square-foot aquatics center, for which ground will be broken in the coming days, should be completed by spring.

Oh, and there's about 120 acres the nonprofit owns around those facilities, on which it plans to add hotels and office and retail space. Mr. Clutter, the president of HDT Engineered Technologies of Solon which in February bought Mr. Clutter's Nordic Air, a maker of air conditioning units for extreme environments, such as steel mills and military outposts said last week he and his staff are actively negotiating with developers and expects some commercial development to begin by next summer.

The final price tag of the athletic facilities will approach $60 million, financed all through private donations. Mr. Clutter said he and his wife provided a large seed donation, the amount of which he would not disclose. Others have supported the project as they have learned about it, Mr. Clutter said.

GaREAT's impact already is being felt in the area, said Mark Winchell, the executive director of the Ashtabula County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

'Our typical season is Memorial Day to Labor Day, Mr. Winchell said. 'Now they're bringing indoor events all winter. Parents are coming here as captive audience. They might not be here for recreational opportunity, but our goal is to convert them into future consumers.

The complex currently plays host to, among other things, youth clinics and tournaments, high school team camps and adult basketball, soccer and volleyball leagues. In a few weeks, Geneva High School will begin playing its home football games there. Wine festivals have been held in the aforementioned banquet facility.

But the goal is much bigger: Mr. Clutter & Co. intend to attract higher-profile acts, such as the USA junior men's volleyball team, in town last week and this week to train for an upcoming world championship qualifying tournament in Quebec. Stu Cordell, Mr. Clutter's lawyer from Ashtabula-based Warren and Young PLL, said the group also might target college conferences, such as the Mid-American, Big Ten and Big East.

On the flip side

Mr. Clutter makes no bones about his optimism, both generally and specifically with GaREAT. He says he wanted to show developers something, to have events before asking them to commit.

'They see grand plans every day that never happen, he said. Mr. Clutter also is a staunch advocate of regionalism, and he cites GaREAT's potential to Ashtabula County and Northeast Ohio as a whole for his work on and financial stake in the project.

'I believe we have a moral obligation to share in our success, Mr. Clutter said. 'Everyone loves regionalism if it's in their town; we wanted to find a way for everyone to play together. A good business or community maximizes its assets.

That's not to say reaching the group's lofty goals will be easy. While land acquisition was relatively cheap $10,000 to $15,000 an acre, according to Mr. Cordell, who said GaREAT had to do some sewer line work on the property and the site is just steps away from an I-90 interchange, it's facing an uphill battle, said Alec Pacella, a senior vice president at commercial real estate broker NAI Daus.

The I-90 corridor in which it sits, from western New York to Detroit, 'isn't the most economically viable, he said.

Plus, one needs only to look 60 miles west, Mr. Pacella said: In Avon, officials are working on a mixed-use development around the $12 million All Pro Freight Stadium, home of the independent Lake Erie Crushers. A $14 million, 66,000-square-foot YMCA is open, but other progress has been slow-moving.

'Ashtabula County isn't growing (like) eastern Lorain County, and it's taken a while (in Avon), Mr. Pacella said. 'I'm not saying (development at GaREAT) can't happen, but the complex would have to be well established. It becomes a chicken-or-egg type thing. Hotels aren't going to build there for two or three events a year.

Meanwhile, major college conference tournaments most often are held on member campuses. The Cleveland-based MAC, for instance, in 2010-11 will hold 17 of 23 championship events on campuses, and three others at professional facilities. Eighteen of 22 Big Ten events are on campus, with three in Indianapolis and another at Huntington Park in Columbus, home of the Indians' Class AAA affiliate, the Clippers. The Big East, meanwhile, holds nine of 15 events on campuses, with two others taking place in pro facilities.

'It gives schools a chance to show off campuses, and from our perspective, it certainly takes a burden off us from a planning and staffing standpoint, said MAC spokesman Ken Mather.

UNSNARLING THE COMPLEX WEB OF LICENSING RULES.(Sports) - Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)

Byline: Ed Dentry

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS

Growing addled and cross-eyed as the April 1 deadline for big-game hunting applications approaches? Are you sprouting a migraine over all that fine print?

Sorry, there is no hope. Over the years, an increasingly complex web of licensing rules with seemingly infinite footnotes and clauses of inclusion, exclusion and confusion has created a licensing tar pit for Colorado hunters, some of whom actually have quit hunting as a result of paperwork burnout.

It's all in the interest of fine-tuned hunting regulations to suit Colorado's diverse wildlife management needs. But it's all very confusing.

In the future, the regulation brochure doubtless will be a bound law book that only gifted lawyers and accountants can decipher.

The Division of Wildlife, which brings us this migraine each year, knows its regulations can be complex and hard to fathom. The agency has conducted workshops - I think of them as group therapy sessions - for befuddled applicants. Its customer service center, (303) 297-1192, answers questions about filling out the forms, if you can get through.

Answers to frequent questions also are posted on the agency's Web site, www.wildlife.state.co.us.

Recognizing the complexity of its license frameworks, the division this year has added something like flow charts to help us navigate the big-game brochure. The charts - for elk, deer, pronghorn, moose and bear - aim to help us sort out the intricacies of multiple licensing.

Gone are the days when one hunter bought one license and was allowed one critter. Now it is possible to bag two elk or deer, or even more. With obscure licenses such as the Leftover Antlerless Private Land Only license or Either-sex Plains Elk license, a resourceful hunter legally could fill boxcars with game.

The charts divide licenses into List A types, which are old-fashioned licenses allowing only one critter; List B types, which allow a second critter; and List C types (the obscure ones), which you could buy and use until the money runs out.

An observant fine-print scholar might notice this year that the B and C lists replace ``additional'' licenses. The division retired ``additional'' just when hunters (and some newspaper editors) were starting to understand its redundant cousin, the ``additional additional'' license (see List C).

Hunters aren't the only ones going cross-eyed trying to make sense of the big-game license jumble. The thicket of rules is so bewildering that the wretches charged with writing the brochure made at least a dozen mistakes.

The errors include forgotten game units, wrong hunt codes, wrong dates and a reference to cow elk as ``does.'' The corrections can be viewed on the division's Web site in a March 11 press release titled 2003 Big Game Application Deadline Approaches.

One mistake (on page 31) omitted the fourth rifle season as one for which hunters may buy over-the-counter antlerless elk licenses for units 25 and 26 north of Dotsero.

For the first time this year, cow elk tags are being sold over the counter for those units and for four units (3, 4, 301 and 441) north of Craig. Two thousand cow licenses are available for Units 25 and 26 for the second, third and fourth rifle seasons.

Another 2,000 cow tags will be sold over the counter for the units north of Craig. They are first-come, while they last.

The rifle hunting seasons for elk will run Oct. 11-15, Oct. 18-26, Nov. 1-7 and Nov. 8-12. The first rifle season is limited to elk. The last three seasons are combined seasons for deer and elk.

Hunters who prefer the second rifle season for its relatively tame weather and first shot at an unlimited number of bull tags will notice that two days have been added to that popular season this year. In response to hunter complaints, wildlife commissioners lengthened the season to offer hunters two weekends instead of one.

Those who wish to hunt deer in a separate rifle season also can extend their hunting time this year. Restrictions confining hunts to deer and elk in the same season have fallen. Under new rules this year, you may hunt elk in one combined rifle season and deer in another.

Junior Tag Rugby Tourney on November 14 - Daily News (New York, NY)

Sri Lanka, Nov. 10 -- A Junior Tag Rugby under 10 ten-a-side tournament will be held on November 14 from 8.30 a.m. onwards at Royal Sports Complex.

This is the first time an open Junior Tag Rugby tournament being organized by the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) in a carnival atmosphere. The draw for the tournament will be held on Wednesday November 11 at 4.30 p.m. at Royal Sports Complex.

Those participants from clubs or schools who are interested should contact N.J. Mudannayaka. (Coordinator on 0771732513)

According to Mudannayaka the WPRFU, hopes to have 40 teams on this day. At present 28 teams have given their consent for this Open Junior Tag Rugby tournament. All participants will be awarded certificates.

Those parents who are present on the day of the game will be able to witness a high standard of tag rugby revealed Mudannayake.

Published by HT Syndication with permission from Daily News Sri Lanka. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com

Nebraska facility gives U glimpse of what it hopes for; The $18.7 million Hendricks Training Complex serves as both a practice arena, a place to relax and a recruiting tool.(SPORTS) - Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)

Byline: AMELIA RAYNO; STAFF WRITER

LINCOLN, NEB. - Some look at a college basketball practice facility and see a necessary part of a successful puzzle. Others see an effective tool for netting the best young players. Still others look at it as a simple ode to excess.

Gophers men's coach Tubby Smith looks at these lavish complexes and wonders why -- in a Big Ten Conference where every school except Minnesota and Northwestern has one -- his team still lags behind. Perhaps Smith wants evidence of the same sentiment Nebraska coach Doc Sadler sees in the Cornhuskers' 80,000-square-foot Hendricks Training Complex, which is new this season.

'Commitment is something everybody talks about, but this shows our commitment,' Sadler said shortly after the October unveiling.

With the Gophers playing at Nebraska on Sunday, Smith and his staff and players were able to tour the facility over the weekend. A separate tour Monday revealed what they saw: The $18.7 million addition to the Bob Devaney Sports Center is at once stunning, functional and over-the-top.

There are separate identical, sound-proofed practice courts -- which stretch full-court on all four sides -- for men's and women's basketball, with off-court auxiliary rooms to treat injuries. A classroom has theater-style seats with swivel-arm tables facing a wall-size video screen.

A 5,000-square-foot weight room connects to an area where players can get supplements and shakes. Locker rooms have hot and cold pools and towel warmers, and iPads are built into every player's locker. Each custom shower stall has built-in speakers and multiple shower heads.

Every bathroom stall contains a television, and flatscreens are peppered throughout nearly every space in the complex. A players lounge contains 400 inches' worth of TVs on one wall, mounted above a wide, custom-built couch. There is a pool table, a kitchen and massage chairs.

'They wanted a place where the players could relax, hang out, be with each other, more or less,' team spokesman Shamus McKnight said.

But of course, it's more than that. McKnight said the Huskers hope the facility -- which was fully funded by alumni donations and fundraising -- will be a major recruiting tool, particularly for a men's team that went 7-9 in the Big 12 last season and currently sits 11th in the 12-team Big Ten.

The same formula could be helpful for the Gophers. Smith reiterated last week that a practice facility is a 'need.' At a proposed price tag of $15 million, such a facility will require major fundraising and be a top agenda item for the next athletic director.

Sports complex plan divides City Council - Pasadena Star-News

SOUTH PASADENA - The way Councilman Mike Ten sees it, $100,000 isa small investment for the right to use South Pasadena High School'snew state-of-the-art track, field and sports complex, whichofficially opened Friday.

Ten has suggested the city pay that amount to the South PasadenaUnified School District, which spent nearly $3 million renovatingthe school's track and field.

The funding would be contingent upon whether the city and theschool district can work out an agreement that would allow the cityto use the facility during non-school hours, Ten said.

The idea, however, has not gone over well with some councilmembers. And school district officials have been thus far 'hesitantto put anything to paper,' Ten said.

Ten said the contribution would give the city a valid claim tothe state-of-the-art facility, which it could then use for programslike jogging classes and events like the fourth of July fireworksshow and the annual Relay for Life cancer walk.

He cited other groups around the San Gabriel Valley that havecontributed to the district in exchange for use the new facilities,including the Polytechnic School in Pasadena, which provided$10,000.

'Pasadena Poly could have more of a claim to the track than wewould,' Ten said. 'Why shouldn't the city participate?'

But Mayor Michael Cacciotti said Ten's suggestion doesn't makesense, given that South Pasadena is facing about $100 million inoverdue repairs to its deteriorating infrastructure.

Others, including former Mayor Harry Knapp, say spending $100,000for use of the track sends a wrong message to voters, who will beasked on Nov. 6 to approve a 3 percent utility tax.

The tax would raise about $1.3million a year, with at least65percent going toward infrastructure repairs. Knapp, who wrote theargument in favor of the tax in the city's voter guide, said hecould not justify it if officials turn around and spend thousands ona nonessential item.

Unlike the city, the school district has a foundation that hasraised millions of dollars on its behalf, he said.

'It would be great if the city had that kind of volunteerorganization that could raise that kind of coin for the city,' Knappsaid.

Councilman Richard Schneider said he was 'unalterably opposed' toTen's idea. But the other four members appear to support it.

'We forget how much value we have in this town because of theschools,' said Councilman David Sifuentes, adding the council should'set aside 'our team versus their team' - the school board versusthe City Council.'

Councilman Philip Putnam said he might consider contributing - ifthe city can secure a long-term agreement with the districtguaranteeing it the right to use the track.

'That would be worth something we can pay for,' he said.

The school district's initial cost- estimate for the trackfacility was $1.9 million. But additional costs, particularly forthe track's turf, have pushed the price tag to $2.6million. That'snot counting another $300,000 needed to complete the project'ssecond phase - construction of permanent visitors bleachers and arenovated baseball field.

School board member Don Eggleston noted that other districts keeptheir fields and facilities closed after school hours. The district,however, spent millions, in part so that the community also couldenjoy South Pasadena High's new amenities.

City staff is now working on a formal joint-use agreement for thetrack. The matter is expected to come back to the council inDecember.

cortney.fielding@sgvn.com

Cost plays into feasibility of Monroeville sports complex - Tribune-Review/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

With an array of existing amenities that includes a largecommunity park, walking trails and a swimming pool, Monroeville ispoised to add another recreational resource -- a sports complex.

A group of council members is working with the municipality'sparks and recreation department to determine the feasibility ofleasing or buying the former Monroeville Sports Center off MacBethDrive.

Monroeville's recreation programs need more space, according toThird Ward Councilman Ron Harvey, a member of the parks andrecreation committee.

'We get residents calling us saying they lost a facility becauseschool programs need practice,' Harvey said. 'I'm not trying to slamthe school district, but their facilities must go to them first.'

A new building likely would be out of the question because of thecost, Harvey said.

Giving people somewhere to play sports such as dek hockey,basketball and volleyball in an existing facility, he said, wouldhinge on making it self-sufficient.

It could give municipal employees a place to exercise, makingthem healthier and perhaps giving the municipality a break on health-insurance costs.

'It may, in the long run, pay for itself,' Harvey said.

Uses could expand to include arts and crafts, dance classes, fineart programs and painting, said John Balicki, parks and recreationdirector for Monroeville.

'There are so many adult programs we can't address,' he said. 'Ona personal level, I feel bad because the No. 1 health epidemic inour country is inactivity. Obesity is a result of inactivity.'

Council discussed an indoor pool inside a recreational facilitywhen it planned the community park, according to Second WardCouncilman Dave Kucherer, but the price tag got in the way.

Montgomery OKs plans for Stuart Sports Complex - The Beacon News - Aurora (IL)

MONTGOMERY — Plans for the Stuart Sports Complex are closer to reality after a unanimous vote by the Village Board.

The Fox Valley Park District has been in the planning stages for the Stuart complex expansion for the past few years. Recently revised plans for the facility sport a price tag of $8.6 million, and call for soccer fields, lighted baseball and softball fields, a dog park, playgrounds, walking trails and other amenities.

"What about areas that won't require a fee for the public?" asked Stan Bond.

He said the public would like to have access to open areas for general recreation. "Is there gong to be a place to fly a kite?" he asked.

"We will have those open spaces and are working on plans for general use," said Jeff Palmquist, director of planning, development and grants with the Park District.

Palmquist said in the winter those spaces may be used for cross-country skiing.

In other action this week, trustees raised several questions about village zoning requirements in relation to the new Gray's Mill restaurant at 211 N. River St.

Gray's Mill was seeking a special use ordinance that allows the establishment to serve alcohol during outside events.

The restaurant along the Fox River will have a bar that overlooks the water as well as a special outdoor tent for wedding and banquet receptions.

Under a recent village ordinance, the owners would have to install a bike rack outside the restaurant. The owner of Gray's Mill, Tim Ivers, told trustees he would do whatever they want him to do.

Trustees questioned the current requirement for bike racks at new businesses.

"All new developments in the village require bicycle racks to comply with zoning," said Michael Brown, village planner.

The requirement has been in place since January 2007. Jamie Belongia, assistant to the village manager, said the issue was raised when the village made the decision to be greener and promote pedestrian friendly areas.

"Do we want to look at this policy?" Mayor Marilyn Michelini asked. "This community has a history of supporting bicycles."

Brown said the ordinance requires bicycle racks but doesn't specify how large or how many spaces are needed to comply. He said bike racks for one to two bicycles can be purchased for as little as $24 to $100.

Volunteers Bring Naches Sports Complex to Life - Yakima Herald-Republic

If you want to get something done, do it yourself.

That's just what a group of volunteers did in the town of Naches,population 715. They proposed a regional park to be called theClemans View Park and Sports Complex, and then built two baseballfields relying almost entirely on donated labor and equipment in twoyears.

'Here's a project that is working, it isn't falling flat. We'regoing to have kids playing there this spring,' said Joe Holman,treasurer for Upper Valley Sports and Recreation Association basedin Naches. The nonprofit group formed in early 1999.

Two more baseball fields should be completed by this spring,possibly in time for Little League baseball opening day.

The association has already remodeled the former Boot and SpurClubhouse, adding a stage, a fireplace and wraparound deck. At timesthe volunteers, headed by Jeff Ranger, a seasonal worker for theNaches ranger district, worked by the light of their automobileheadlights.

The association has estimated that its ambitious project willhave a $500,000 price tag, but Holman said the group thinks it canget the job done with volunteers and donations.

This summer, the fearless volunteers will begin work on:

-- two tennis courts;

-- an adult soccer field and two youth soccer fields, which couldalso be used for football;

-- a concession stand with restrooms;

-- a parking lot;

-- a small paved trail similar to the Yakima Greenway's paths,following the course of the Naches River;

-- picnic tables.

The trail and picnic tables may not be typical ball parkfeatures, but Holman said they will be important to this park.

'This is the gateway to the Yakima Valley if you are coming fromthe west side. This shows what the Yakima Valley is all about,' hesaid.

During the summer, the association will develop the tennis courtsand soccer fields on The Boot and Spur Club, which disbanded in 1999and donated the 18-acre plot of land, the former rodeo grounds justsouth of Naches off Highway 12.

Donors, such as Superior Asphalt & Concrete Co. of Yakima, havealready offered to donate materials and equipment for a parking lot.Coca Cola of Yakima donated scoreboards.

The association will raise money through clubhouse rentals andoffer the ball fields for regional sports events, as well as UpperValley Youth, the local Little League.

Much has been accomplished, but much remains to be done,association members say. Holman cautioned the project still needsvolunteers and donations. Work on the project resumes in February,and the target date to finish is next fall.

Dean Patterson, a county planner, said that the baseball fields,which are set on a 13-acre parcel, were approved in late 1999.Although the planning department attached a dozen conditions, that'sa good sign, Patterson said.

Sports Complex In Boston Has It All - Except Name - Chicago Sun-Times

BOSTON The new arena that will replace the storied Boston Gardenis almost done. Its roof arches across the city skyline, and itsinterior is being fitted with all the amenities of a modern sportscomplex.

Only one thing's missing: a name.

It was supposed to be called Shawmut Center; 15,000 seat numbertags already were emblazoned with the name and the profile of aShawmut Indian leader, Chief Obbatinewat, at a cost of $18,000.

That's now unlikely. Fleet Financial Group announced last weekthat it will buy the arena's owner, Shawmut National Bank. Includedin the $3.7 billion price tag were the rights to name the building.

GIULIANI WANTS CITY SPORTS COMPLEX.(SPORTS) - Albany Times Union (Albany, NY)

Byline: Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Mayor Rudolph Giuliani on Thursday proposed the city develop a sprawling sports, convention and entertainment complex that would bring into the same neighborhood a domed football stadium, a new Madison Square Garden and the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

The mayor described the proposal as an economic engine that would bring new vitality to the largely underdeveloped area on Manhattan's West Side, as well as an opportunity to lure back the New York Jets, the football team that left for the Meadowlands in New Jersey years ago.

Details were sketchy. The mayor didn't put a price tag on the project or set a date when it might be built, and provided only a vague outline on how the development would be funded, apparently through a combination of public and private dollars.

He also alluded only generally to how the land could be acquired.

If completed, he boasted it would become a stage for huge concerts, major sporting events and conventions, lucrative business that New York now often loses to cities with domed stadiums and big convention centers.

``What you would see in development in this whole area would pay for this many, many times over,'' the mayor said in his annual address to the City Council. ``This would become the most famous sports facility in the world.''

The proposal comes at a time when the city has been negotiating new stadiums with baseball's New York Yankees and Mets. The Mets plan to stay in Queens, but Giuliani has faced some of his toughest criticism over his openness to the possibility of moving the Yankees out of the Bronx.

DEMOGRAPHICS LURE GIANT SPORTS COMPLEX TO GREENBRIER AREA.(CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

Byline: Staff reports

When Chesapeake residents want to dine, shop, watch a movie or playminiature golf and video games, all they have to do is cruise the Greenbrier area.

Merchants, lured by thousands of young families choosing Greenbrier homes, offer a variety of ways for entertainment-seekers to while away time.

Bowling, ice skating, billiards and laser games soon will join the list.

Allan B. Harvie Jr., a Richmond businessman, announced this week that he plans to build a sports complex that will include two ice-skating rinks and a 32-lane bowling alley.

One of the ice rinks will be Olympic size, 200 feet by 100 feet, the other will be National Hockey League size, 200 feet by 85 feet.

Fun-seekers will be able to play tag with high-tech lasers, or play pool on one of 12 billiard tables. There will be a lounge, a 4,000-square-foot arcade center, a soft-play area for kids, a nursery, a fitness center, meeting rooms and party rooms.

There will be a professional team locker room, because Harvie hopes to entice the Hampton Roads Admirals hockey team to use his complex for practices.

All told, the complex will be 96,000 square feet and will cost $6.5 million.

The project is to be constructed in two phases. The first phase, which includes one of the ice rinks, will get underway within two months. It's scheduled to be finished in late August.

Construction on phase two, which includes the second ice rink and the bowling alleys, will begin early next year and be finished by the summer of 1997.

In a news release, Harvie said he chose Greenbrier for the same reason other merchants have.

``This area of Chesapeake is rapidly becoming a major shopping and entertainment center for the Tidewater resident,'' he said.

Other recent additions to the fast-growing Greenbrier section include Circuit City and Regal Cinemas Funscape, also an entertainment complex. Several shopping centers are under construction now.

Harvie estimates that his center will employ more than 180 full- and part-time workers.

SPORTS COMPLEX HEADS TO NOV. 1 OPENING - The Buffalo News (Buffalo, NY)

The price tag has risen by more than $1 million, but plans for anindoor sports complex in the Town of Hamburg are progressing, with aNov. 1 opening date now projected.

The $6.5 million, 90,000-square-foot facility will feature adriving range and baseball, soccer and lacrosse fields on a 16-acresite on Commerce Place, off Camp Road.

No objections were voiced during a public hearing Tuesdayconducted by the Hamburg Industrial Development Agency, which isconsidering tax incentives that could total close to $500,000 over15 years.

The IDA won't vote on the incentives until after the townPlanning Board rules on whether a full environmental impactstatement will be required. That decision -- expected to be that afull impact statement is not required -- is expected May 19.

Philip Christ is president and Jeffrey Walker vice president ofSouth Towns Sports Complex, LLC. Four other partners have been linedup who prefer to remain unnamed, Walker said. They include a currentNational Hockey League player who lives in the area.

Plans call for indoor miniature golf, a putting green and a 50-station, two-tier driving range, with seven devices thatautomatically place the ball on the tee.

The baseball field will be 225 feet down the first and third baselines and 300 feet to center field. At it highest point, the roofwill be 85 feet high.

Plans also call for a restaurant, pro shop, conference room andbanquet room.

Outdoors there will be miniature golf, a putting green and adriving range with 30 to 35 stalls.

Walker emphasized after the hearing that the structure 'is not adome,' which is air-supported, but rather a steel frame with afabric cover.

The company is in the process of selling the naming rights andhas run into what he termed a small problem with the ThruwayAuthority, which restricts the size of signs near the highway.Walker said the company is working to resolve the issue.

The project carried a $5 million cost estimate when firstannounced in September.

IDA members indicated support for the project.

'I'm very excited about it and believe there is a demand for it,'Kathleen C. Hochul, a Hamburg Town Board member, said.

Michael Bartlett, IDA executive director, said the tax incentiveswould involve property tax abatements, an exemption from sales taxand, if there is a mortgage, an exemption from the 1 percentmortgage transfer tax.

The land currently is vacant and not providing significant taxrevenue, he said.

ROCKETDYNE PROPERTY SOUGHT FOR VALLEY SPORTS COMPLEX - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

In a scenario that mirrors the seismic economic forces at workin Southern California, a proposal has been floated to convert a16-acre portion of aerospace contractor Rocketdyne's Canoga Parkplant to build a 9,000-seat sports and entertainment complex.

The proposed $60 million project will be unveiled tonight at 7before the Woodland Hills/West Hills Neighborhood Planning AdvisoryCouncil in a public hearing at the Fallbrook Mall, the first step inan approval process that would end with the Los Angeles City Council.

The ambitious plan by self-described entertainment executiveMark Steele of Tarzana includes a bus and rail 'transit center,' afeature designed to alleviate any community concerns about increasedtraffic resulting from the project.

The arena would feature attractions such as a minor-leaguehockey team, professional men and women's volleyball teams, aminor-league indoor soccer team, concerts and 'family-oriented'events such as circuses, ice shows and team tennis.

The complex also would include a general-use recreation centerfor volleyball, two major theme-oriented restaurants andapproximately 20,000 square feet for sports-oriented retail space.

'We think this is the type of development that the (SanFernando) Valley has been crying out for,' said Steele, 32. 'Thedemographics and other factors are perfect. . . . We want to createan atmosphere that simply doesn't exist right now in the Valley.'

The proposal also is a microcosmic reflection of a Los Angeleseconomy that has seen a decline in defense industry jobs and theincreasing dominance of entertainment- and tourism-relatedemployment.

'I think it (the sports arena) sounds like a great idea,' saidBill Huber, president of the Woodland Hills Homeowners Association.'Anything that brings jobs to the Valley, especially something likethis, would be welcome.'

Rocketdyne - a division of Rockwell International - buildsreplacement space shuttle engines, the electrical power system for aspace station and engines for the Atlas and Delta commercial rockets.The contractor also will build engines for the experimental X-33spacecraft project announced recently.

About 3,000 people work on Rocketdyne's Canoga Park campus.Rocketdyne hit a peak of 9,300 jobs in 1989 but now has a work forceof about 5,200 at three facilities, two in Canoga Park and one in thehills northwest of Chatsworth.

The property coveted by Steele is a parcel of land at thenortheast corner of the intersection of Canoga Avenue and VictoryBoulevard, now the site of two Rocketdyne production buildings and alarge parking lot.

Steele said he has been in negotiations with Rocketdyneofficials for about three weeks, since it was suggested by LosAngeles City Councilwoman Laura Chick's office that he pursue thesite. He said he hoped to submit a final bid for the property asearly as next week.

Rocketdyne spokesman Paul Sewell was less forthcoming, sayingonly that Steele had 'approached' Rocketdyne about the property, 'buthe hasn't quantified anything yet . . . it's wait-and-see.'

One source close to the negotiations said the price tag for theproperty is in the $20 million range.

Steele's track record is spotty. He was one of four finalistsfor a proposed redevelopment of Cal State Northridge's DevonshireDowns, but the contract was awarded to another bidder.

He said he currently is involved in a number ofentertainment-related projects, including Triumph Music, a group ofsmall record labels for which he is seeking a distribution deal.

ROCKETDYNE PROPERTY SOUGHT FOR VALLEY SPORTS COMPLEX.(News)(Statistical Data Included) - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Byline: Dennis Love Daily News Staff Writer

In a scenario that mirrors the seismic economic forces at work in Southern California, a proposal has been floated to convert a 16-acre portion of aerospace contractor Rocketdyne's Canoga Park plant to build a 9,000-seat sports and entertainment complex.

The proposed $60 million project will be unveiled tonight at 7 before the Woodland Hills/West Hills Neighborhood Planning Advisory Council in a public hearing at the Fallbrook Mall, the first step in an approval process that would end with the Los Angeles City Council.

The ambitious plan by self-described entertainment executive Mark Steele of Tarzana includes a bus and rail ``transit center,'' a feature designed to alleviate any community concerns about increased traffic resulting from the project.

The arena would feature attractions such as a minor-league hockey team, professional men and women's volleyball teams, a minor-league indoor soccer team, concerts and ``family-oriented'' events such as circuses, ice shows and team tennis.

The complex also would include a general-use recreation center for volleyball, two major theme-oriented restaurants and approximately 20,000 square feet for sports-oriented retail space.

``We think this is the type of development that the (San Fernando) Valley has been crying out for,'' said Steele, 32. ``The demographics and other factors are perfect. . . . We want to create an atmosphere that simply doesn't exist right now in the Valley.''

The proposal also is a microcosmic reflection of a Los Angeles economy that has seen a decline in defense industry jobs and the increasing dominance of entertainment- and tourism-related employment.

``I think it (the sports arena) sounds like a great idea,'' said Bill Huber, president of the Woodland Hills Homeowners Association. ``Anything that brings jobs to the Valley, especially something like this, would be welcome.''

Rocketdyne - a division of Rockwell International - builds replacement space shuttle engines, the electrical power system for a space station and engines for the Atlas and Delta commercial rockets. The contractor also will build engines for the experimental X-33 spacecraft project announced recently.

About 3,000 people work on Rocketdyne's Canoga Park campus. Rocketdyne hit a peak of 9,300 jobs in 1989 but now has a work force of about 5,200 at three facilities, two in Canoga Park and one in the hills northwest of Chatsworth.

The property coveted by Steele is a parcel of land at the northeast corner of the intersection of Canoga Avenue and Victory Boulevard, now the site of two Rocketdyne production buildings and a large parking lot.

Steele said he has been in negotiations with Rocketdyne officials for about three weeks, since it was suggested by Los Angeles City Councilwoman Laura Chick's office that he pursue the site. He said he hoped to submit a final bid for the property as early as next week.

Rocketdyne spokesman Paul Sewell was less forthcoming, saying only that Steele had ``approached'' Rocketdyne about the property, ``but he hasn't quantified anything yet . . . it's wait-and-see.''

One source close to the negotiations said the price tag for the property is in the $20 million range.

Steele's track record is spotty. He was one of four finalists for a proposed redevelopment of Cal State Northridge's Devonshire Downs, but the contract was awarded to another bidder.

He said he currently is involved in a number of entertainment-related projects, including Triumph Music, a group of small record labels for which he is seeking a distribution deal.

Steele said his financing will come from Mariani Financial Co., a Los Altos-based investment company. David Mariani, general partner, said Tuesday that his firm has talked with Steele and is researching the project. ``We haven't made a commitment yet,'' Mariani said.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, map

PHOTO Mark Steele hopes to develop a Valley sports com plex.

Myung J. Chun/Daily News

Football: Shock pounds 21m tag slapped on Mourinho; EURO 2008 QUALIFIERS.(Sport) - Sunday Mirror (London, England)

Byline: By MARK McINTOSH

THE ENGLISH FA will have to pay a mind-blowing pounds 21million to make Jose Mourinho the next England boss.

The Portuguese coach has been tipped to be targeted as the FA draw up a short-list of candidates in preparation for the probable departure of Steve McClaren.

But Mourinho's complex Chelsea payoff has almost ruled him out of the running.

Chelsea were astute enough to prevent Mourinho returning to the English game for 12 months - if he does he will forfeit 40 per cent of his pounds 14.4m pay-off. Finding that sum of nearly pounds 6m, together with wages in line with Sven Goran Eriksson's pounds 5m-plus salary, would cost the FA pounds 21m to bag Mourinho on a three-year contract.

Arsene Wenger is emerging as the No.1 target. David Dein, who blocked previous approaches, is no longer in the picture but Wenger recently signed a new contract at Arsenal.

Also in the frame are Martin O'Neill, Fabio Capello, Jurgen Klinsmann and Guus Hiddink.

CAPTION(S):

Kennewick, Wash., council postpones sports complex. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By Nathan Isaacs, Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, Wash. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Oct. 20--The Kennewick City Council on Tuesday reluctantly agreed to wait on building a top-tier sports complex in the Southridge neighborhood until better financial times or a great opportunity comes along.

In the meantime, the council agreed to spend about $2.8 million for preparing the 60-acre site for when that day does come.

The proposed location is west of Highway 395 and south of West 27th Avenue. Southridge High School is to the southwest and Wal-Mart to the northeast.

The city wants to build a sports complex big enough to draw local, regional and even national sporting events to the city.

Not only would such a complex improve the city's quality of life, it also would be an economic engine for tourism dollars, officials have said.

However, the price tag for a premium project -- complete with multiple tournament-quality softball and baseball fields, year-round sports pavilions, a soccer field, amphitheater and more -- would cost an estimated $16 million.

That's a hard pill to swallow given the city is trying to fill a $5 million shortfall in its two-year operating budget and has made budget cuts that included employee layoffs or leaving vacant positions unfilled.

Councilman Paul Parish said the council and others in the city would like to see the premium project realized, but there isn't the money for it at this time.

By spending the money for the infrastructure improvements -- grading the land and adding or relocating some sewer and water lines -- the city should be ready to take advantage of any positive economic changes or other opportunities, said Russ Burtner, Kennewick's municipal services director.

'Those kind of things happen, especially in athletics,' he said, referring to past projects in the city helped along with some money from the Seattle Mariners and the Seattle Seahawks.

In other council action:

The council agreed to spend $10,000 a month, plus expenses, for a federal lobbying firm. The investment is expected to result in millions of dollars in federal grants and other money for city projects. Richland has a similar contract with a federal lobbyist that has been successful.

The city is expected to bring online Friday its new-look Web site that will be better organized and easier to use than the current one. The city's Web site address is www.ci.kennewick.wa.us.

To see more of the Tri-City Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tri-cityherald.com.

Woodland Rotary Club has high hopes for sports complex at park - The Columbian (Vancouver, WA)

This field overlay image shows how the Scott Hill Park and SportsComplex in Woodland might look once development is complete.

What today is a vacant field at the end of Scott Hill Road inWoodland will one day become a multiuse sports complex for areayouth and adults.

Organizers envision half a dozen baseball and softball fields, aconcessions stand and announcer booth, three soccer fields that canalso be used for peewee football, a walking trail with workoutstations, a covered area for community gatherings, a playground forlittle ones and plenty of open greenspace.

In order to make the dream of a 39-acre Scott Hill Park andSports Complex a reality, the city of Woodland is teaming up withthe Rotary Club of Woodland.

While it may be several years before the first pitch is thrown inthe new park, the community is already rallying around the project.

'The community is very supportive of this project,' said SandyLarson, Rotary fundraising chair. 'Our community is hungry for it.'

In January 2011, the city of Woodland purchased the land, oncedestined to become an upscale housing development, for $500,000. Thecity used money from two different parks funds designated for parkdevelopment and acquisition, City Clerk Mari Ripp said.

After purchasing the land, however, the city didn't have anymoney to devote to development, Ripp said.

About that time, the Lewis River Little League approached theWoodland Rotary, seeking help to build new ball fields, Larson said.The Rotary was looking for potential park sites when the citypurchased the Scott Hill Road land. From there, the partnership wasborn.

In December, the Woodland City Council approved an agreementbetween the city and the Rotary. According to the agreement, thecity will retain ownership of the park and will be responsible formaintenance. The Rotary Club will raise money and develop the park.The two sides are making adjustments to the contract, which shouldbe finalized soon, Larson said.

Rotary has already held a few small fundraisers -- raffles,concerts and events at local restaurants -- and received donationsfrom local businesses. Those efforts netted more than $33,000,Larson said.

Rotary is anticipating a total price tag of about $6 million to$7 million. A local physician, Dr. Ellis Johnson, paid for apreliminary park design. But until a final design is completed, theactual cost of the project is unknown, Larson said.

Already, though, local contractors are lining up to contribute in-kind services. Area business owners are also expressing interest inmaking donations in exchange for naming rights. And the Rotary grantwriter is getting to work on applications, Larson said.

The current Little League fields aren't far from the Scott HillRoad site, which is adjacent to the city's water treatment plant.But the current complex is small and raises safety concerns withnearby traffic. The city is void of adult ball fields, and youthsoccer leagues use school facilities, said Al Swindell, WoodlandCity Council member and chairman of the council's parks committee.

Organizers hope the new complex will not only draw adults backinto local sports leagues but also attract regional softball,baseball and soccer tournaments.

'There's nothing in Woodland that you could have any kind oftournament where you get a thousand people,' Swindell said. 'Thiswould be a real game-changer.'

Bringing tournaments to Woodland would mean more business forlocal eateries, gas stations, hotels and stores, he said.

But before the games and tournaments can begin, Rotary has quitea bit of fundraising to do.

Beach council wary of proposed indoor sports complex. - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

Byline: Richard Quinn

Apr. 19--VIRGINIA BEACH -- The latest proposal to turn the outdoors around the Virginia Beach Sportsplex into an athletic village is an indoor sports venue complete with a six-court gymnasium, therapy pool and jogging track. The grand vision also comes with an estimated price tag of $32 million, leading City Council members to balk at the plan before it's even presented to them. A report on the concept is scheduled for Tuesday's council meeting. Council members interviewed Wednesday said budget season -- rife with citizen complaints about city spending -- is no time to consider major projects. Plus, the city is already debating whether to help fund a hotel to support the Convention Center. 'Here we are trying to make more efficient use of our assets... and we're proposing to build a brand new sports center?' Councilman Ron Villanueva said. 'It should not be a high priority.' The proposed complex is in Princess Anne Commons, a 1,500-acre swath near the municipal complex that includes the Sportsplex, the USA Field Hockey National Training Center and the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater.

City Manager Jim Spore said the plan for that corridor envisions it as an amateur athletic destination that can partner with the nearby campuses of Old Dominion University, Tidewater Community College and Norfolk State University. Cindy Curtis, the city's parks and recreation director, said the city does not intend to build the facility on its own. The city would prefer to partner with a developer, possibly by contributing land. The report by Brailsford & Dunlavey, a Washington firm, suggests South Hampton Roads can support a 100,000-square-foot center that melds recreation center activities with scholastic sports. The report 'clearly identified a need to develop an indoor venue.'

Curtis said it's up to council members to decide that. If they're interested, the city could next solicit ideas from private investors willing to pay for construction. 'There's obviously interest,' Curtis said. 'The question is will this work.' The query is framed by recent struggles at the Sports-plex, where the main tenant moved out last month. The city is struggling to fill the stadium with events and has no long-term plan for it. Spore said if the city moves toward an indoor facility, he's not worried it may struggle like the Sportsplex has. 'The hope would be it would generate some activity,' Spore said. Curtis said several developers and nonprofit groups have expressed interest in an indoor center in recent years. One investor said Wednesday that he's in talks to build a three-rink ice skating facility near the Commons. Patrick Cavanagh hasn't submitted any plans, but he said he would talk to the city about building a larger venue.

'That corridor has a lot of potential,' said Cavanagh, who owns Chilled Ponds Ice Sports Complex in Chesapeake. -- Reach Richard Quinn at (757) 222-5119 or richard.quinn@pilotonline.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business

News.

Council wary of proposed indoor sports complex.(Local) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

Byline: RICHARD QUINN

VIRGINIA BEACH -- BY RICHARD QUINN

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

VIRGINIA BEACH - The latest proposal to turn the outdoors around the Virginia Beach Sportsplex into an athletic village is an indoor sports venue complete with a six-court gymnasium, therapy pool and jogging track.

The grand vision also comes with an estimated price tag of $32 million, leading City Council members to balk at the plan before it's even presented to them. A report on the concept is scheduled for Tuesday's council meeting.

Council members interviewed Wednesday said budget season - rife with citizen complaints about city spending - is no time to consider major projects. Plus, the city is already debating whether to help fund a hotel to support the Convention Center.

'Here we are trying to make more efficient use of our assets and we're proposing to build a brand new sports center?' Councilman Ron Villanueva said. 'It should not be a high priority.'

The proposed complex is in Princess Anne Commons, a 1,500-acre swath near the municipal complex that includes the Sportsplex, the USA Field Hockey National Training Center and the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater.

City Manager Jim Spore said the plan for that corridor envisions it as an amateur athletic destination that can partner with the nearby campuses of Old Dominion University, Tidewater Community College and Norfolk State University.

Cindy Curtis, the city's parks and recreation director, said the city does not intend to build the facility on its own. The city would prefer to partner with a developer, possibly by contributing land.

The report by Brailsford & Dunlavey, a Washington firm, suggests South Hampton Roads can support a 100,000-square-foot center that melds recreation center activities with scholastic sports. The report 'clearly identified a need to develop an indoor venue.'

Curtis said it's up to council members to decide that. If they're interested, the city could next solicit ideas from private investors willing to pay for construction.

'There's obviously interest,' Curtis said. 'The question is will this work.'

The query is framed by recent struggles at the Sports plex, where the main tenant moved out last month. The city is struggling to fill the stadium with events and has no long-term plan for it.

Spore said if the city moves toward an indoor facility, he's not worried it may struggle like the Sportsplex has.

'The hope would be it would generate some activity,' Spore said.

Curtis said several developers and nonprofit groups have expressed interest in an indoor center in recent years. One investor said Wednesday that he's in talks to build a three-rink ice skating facility near the Commons. Patrick Cavanagh hasn't submitted any plans, but he said he would talk to the city about building a larger venue.

'That corridor has a lot of potential,' said Cavanagh, who owns Chilled Ponds Ice Sports Complex in Chesapeake.

CITY OF FOLSOM ASSUMES OWNERSHIP OF FOLSOM SPORTS COMPLEX - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

The city of Folsom issued the following news release:

The City of Folsom is now the owner of the Folsom Sports Complex. Escrow closed today on the 61,000-square-foot gymnasium and recreation center located on Clarksville Road.

The facility, which opened in January 2004, was constructed by JRC Development and features basketball and volleyball courts, an indoor soccer field, batting cages and a pitching training mound, an arcade, classrooms, kitchen facilities and a snack bar. The 4.3 acre landscaped site has 175 parking spaces and is adjacent to John Kemp Community Park.

'Acquiring this outstanding facility meets the City's current and future indoor recreation needs and provides a tremendous benefit for the community, especially our youth,' says Parks and Recreation Director Robert Goss.

The arcade area will be converted into a teen center oriented to high school-age teenagers. The teen center will feature day-time, evening and weekend activities intended to appeal to a range of interests. Local teens are helping to design the teen center.

An indoor community sports facility and gymnasium has been part of the City's Parks and Recreation master plan since 1988. Acquisition of the City's first gymnasium and community recreation center has been the highest priority of the Parks and Recreation Commission. The facility was also ranked as a high priority project during the City Council's 2005 strategic planning sessions.

'The $6.5 million price tag and terms of the sale made the purchase very attractive,' said Goss. 'The owner of JRC Development, local resident Jim Carlsen, agreed to a sales price of $6.5 million. That's $2 million less than the appraised value, which is a huge savings.'

The terms of the purchase include $3 million down and $3.5 million to be paid to Carlsen over seven years with no interest. Funds to purchase the facility come from the recent sale of the City's Willow Springs property, unanticipated park funds realized after several development properties were rezoned from commercial to residential, cash on hand and current fiscal year appropriations.

Goss also pointed out that several local organizations are providing financial support. The Folsom Youth Basketball League committed $20,000 toward the development of a sponsorship trust account. The Folsom Athletic Association (FAA) also received $10,000 from Kaiser Permanente for this purpose, bringing the total to $30,000. The funds will be used for renovations, maintenance activities or facility upgrades. The FAA also committed $5,000 to help cover the cost of converting the arcade area into a teen center room, including items such as furniture, entertainment/media equipment and interior graphics.

'Building and operating the Folsom Sports Complex has been a fun and rewarding adventure for my wife Beth and me,' said Carlsen. 'It has been great to see so many people enjoy the facility. We are confident that the City will do a great job running the complex and it will be nice to know the City will now have one of the best recreation centers in the area to complement our awesome parks and bike trails. We are all very fortunate to live in this fine community.'

Since opening three years ago, the gymnasium has been a popular, well-used facility, said Goss. To increase the facility's value to the community, Parks and Recreation Department staff will add many new recreation programs and classes at the facility each year with a goal of attracting a substantial number of residents who have not used the facility in the past. New programs will include fitness and special interest classes, as well as summer vacation camps. The City will also use the site for a second Fun Factory Pre-School beginning in September.

Jeff Morrow will be the day-to-day program manager. Nearly all of the Sport Complex staff members will be retained to ensure a seamless transition. For additional information, call Morrow at 355-8346. Contact: Sue Ryan, 916/351-3360, sryan@folsom.ca.us.

Wheeling board excited by indoor sports complex.(Neighbor) - Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)

Byline: Shamus Toomey Daily Herald Staff Writer

A private group's proposal to build a massive indoor sports complex near Lake-Cook Road in Wheeling drew rave reviews from a village board seeing the plan for the first time this week.

The 130,000-square-foot complex, proposed for 14 acres in an industrial area near the southwest corner of Northgate Parkway and Lake-Cook Road, would feature an in-line hockey rink, two soccer fields and three basketball courts that would double as volleyball courts.

In addition, the building would offer indoor pitching and batting, a video arcade, two golf simulators, a pro shop, laser tag arena, food court and a sports bar and grill.

'We believe this facility is really important to the area, not just Wheeling. There's nothing like it around,' said Jeff Braiman, attorney for the joint development venture named The Fieldhouse Sport and Entertainment Center.

After seeing the proposal on paper Monday night, Wheeling's village board dished out glowing reviews before sending the project to the village plan commission for further review.

Of the six village trustees, four said the project was 'great,' one called it 'very good' and the sixth liked the concept.

But Village President Greg Klatecki heaped the most praise.

'When my (adult) kids see this, they're going to be upset because we always had to travel to Palatine or Hoffman Estates to play indoor soccer,' Klatecki said. 'This is beautiful. I love it. I'm a pinballer, so I'll be in the arcade.'

The developers said admission to the complex would be free and flat rates would be charged for use. For example, a person wanting to play basketball would be charged no more than $5 for a day, said Alan Gelfand, a partner in the project.

The facility operators hope to start leagues in basketball, soccer and in-line hockey. If approved by the board, they said they hope to open by Nov. 1.

Clinic kicks off search for sports health center site; Complex to offer access to training as well as treatment.(News) - Crain's Cleveland Business

Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND

Dr. Anthony Miniaci calls it his field of dreams.

The executive director of sports health at the Cleveland Clinic is creating a sports medicine institute that would bring under one roof various facets of sports medicine, including surgery, rehabilitation, research and training. Dr. Miniaci said the center would occupy at least 50,000 square feet and would consist of all the sports health services now scattered throughout the Clinic's main and suburban campuses. It is expected to open within a year, though its location still is unknown.

Dr. Miniaci said he wants the institute to be at the level of the Sports Performance Complex at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The center at Pitt includes sports fitness, training, injury treatment and rehabilitation at one site on the Monongahela River. However, Dr. Miniaci said the Clinic's center would not be a copycat.

'We don't want to be the same as somebody else down the road,'' he said.

To Dr. Miniaci, that difference means offering 'alternative-type'' therapies alongside more traditional treatments, as well as boosting research within the department so that the Clinic's sports health physicians can better understand how injuries occur and can build new training programs around those discoveries.

'This will be a place where people come who want to train and get better at their sport,'' Dr. Miniaci said, adding that most existing training centers across the United States and Canada aren't affiliated with hospitals.

The cost of the institute has not yet been determined because some of the details haven't been ironed out. Dr. Miniaci said the price tag will hinge largely on whether the Clinic retrofits existing space or builds new, and whether the institute ends up on the Clinic's main campus downtown or at at one of its suburban locations.

'We have a few places in mind, but I'm leaning heavily toward one site,'' Dr. Miniaci said.

Though he wouldn't disclose the main campus locations he's considering, Dr. Miniaci didn't shy away from the positive reasons to build the institute along the Interstate 77 and 480 corridors. He's eyeing the Clinic's campus near Rockside Road in Independence or Marymount Hospital at 12300 McCracken Road in Garfield Heights.

Dr. Miniaci said the locations along the two interstate highways 'give us access and ease to the airport if we have international patients or athletes flying in.''

Serving school kids to pros

Since Dr. Miniaci came to the Clinic two years ago from the University of Toronto, where he headed the sports medicine program, the Clinic has become more attractive to pro athletes, especially hockey players. Dr. Miniaci brought with him a patient roster that included nearly every player in the National Hockey League.

He also has cared for the Toronto Blue Jays and still treats many downhill skiers and Olympic athletes. He's now the team doctor for the Browns and has two colleagues who serve as the team doctors for the Cavaliers and the Barons.

The number of pro athletes seeking treatment at the Clinic this year is projected to be 15% higher than in 2004, said Jim Zalar, administrator for the Clinic's sports health department. Overall, the department expects its patient roster to reach 28,000 this year, up 7% over 2004, Mr. Zalar said.

The pro athlete recognition is nice, Mr. Zalar said. But, he noted, 'Our bread and butter is still our local weekend warrior who goes out and twists an ankle.''

The Clinic next year expects to treat 35,000 athletes, which would be a 25% jump over 2005, Mr. Zalar said. Clinic officials cited a handful of reasons for the anticipated boost.

By January, the sports health department will add four more physicians to the current nine, Mr. Zalar said. Dr. Miniaci also is designing new programs to train athletes how to play sports without getting hurt. Some existing programs include the Throw Right and Jump Right courses, which teach athletes how to use their bodies more safely.

In addition, Dr. Miniaci said he is creating more programs for the big four sports: baseball, basketball, football and hockey. The programs would be modified for the skill level of the player, from middle school to the pros, he said.

'We're actually looking to get people in before their injury. So, when they do get hurt, it's not a question of where they go to get treatment; it's a question of which Cleveland Clinic doctor they go see,'' Mr. Zalar said.

The Clinic already has a good head start with local athletes. It has 92 physical therapists and athletic trainers who care for student athletes at 45 local high schools, as well as at Baldwin-Wallace College, Cleveland State University, John Carroll University and Oberlin College.

Gary Calabrese, a physical therapist and director of sports health and orthopedic rehabilitation at the Clinic, said he thinks a central location for all medical services and training programs will make the Clinic more attractive for athletes.

SPORTS-COMPLEX PLAN GETS MIXED RECEPTION AT ADVISORY MEETING.(News) - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Byline: Mary Beth Alexander Daily News Staff Writer

A proposal to build a $60 million sports arena in Canoga Park received mixed reviews from community members, who met Wednesday night to hear the developer's plan and grill him about potential benefits and drawbacks - especially traffic and parking.

Mark Steele, a self-described entertainment executive, promised that his 9,000-seat arena would be a boon to the community, a sports and family entertainment hub with plenty of parking and minimal traffic impacts.

``We'll do what we have to to make the community happy,'' said Steele.

The project was discussed during a meeting of the Woodland Hills/West Hills Neighborhood Planning Advisory Council at the Fallbrook Mall, attended by about 40 people.

Steele has proposed building the sports complex on land at Rocketdyne's Canoga Park plant, on 16 acres at the northeast corner of the Canoga Avenue and Victory Boulevard intersection.

Steele plans the arena to feature a minor-league hockey team, professional men and women's volleyball teams, a minor-league indoor soccer team, concerts and events such as circuses, ice shows and team tennis.

The complex also would have a recreation center for volleyball, two theme-oriented restaurants and about 20,000 square feet for sports retail.

The project received some support from the committee and audience.

``I think this end of the Valley could use something like this,'' said Al Rosenberg of West Hills. ``Maybe something similar to what the (Great Western) Forum is like.''

But it prompted many questions, mostly about the ability to accommodate the traffic the arena would generate.

``The traffic control problem would be worse than it is at Christmas time with Candy Cane Lane,'' said Steve Witkin of Woodland Hills, who estimated that with each big event, 5,000 cars would converge on the arena. ``To put 5,000 cars on Victory and Canoga . . . is beyond the realm of belief.''

Steele said he had been promised by the Department of Transportation that if he builds the complex, a bus transfer center would be built next to it to cut down on traffic. Also, he said most of the events would be held at night or on weekends, and not during peak traffic hours.

As for parking, he acknowledged that on-site space was scant, but said he is hoping to hammer out a deal with the owner of a garage across Victory, to allow arena parking at night.

Steele also faced questions about lighting and security, which he vowed would be adequate during all sporting events. He also was asked about financing.

Steele said he will be financing the arena with the help of Mariani Financial Co., a Los Altos investment company. But the company said this week that it has made no commitment to the project. He said he hopes to make a bid for the property next week. Sources have placed the price tag at $20 million.

PARK BOARD BACKS GROUNDWORK FOR LAKEFRONT SPORTS COMPLEX - The News Sun - Waukegan (IL)

WAUKEGAN -- The park district has received mainly positive feedback on its proposal to build a sports complex at the Johns Manville lakefront site.On Tuesday, the Park Board voted to move ahead with environmental and health assessments of the property, proposals for architectural, engineering and planning, and a proposal for program development and financial analysis.

'We're getting the names of people with experience in those areas,' said Executive Director Greg Petry.

The program development and financial analysis will tell the board how much it will cost to maintain the complex, run a concession stand and operate fields, courts and rinks for baseball, softball, roller hockey, ice skating and basketball.

'Basically, it tells us what it will cost to build and run it,' he said.

Petry said community reaction has been positive for the plan.

The sports complex would take up 100 acres now occupied by the Johns Manville plant. Park commissioners liked the site because it is far away from densely populated neighborhoods and has enough room for parking.

'It will be a beautiful thing,' said board President Bill Biang.

The City Council and the mayor voiced their support of the plan last week. But 6th Ward Ald. Larry TenPas and 2nd Ward Ald. John Balen expressed reservations.

'That land is going to go off the tax rolls,' TenPas lamented.

Balen also said he couldn't jump on the bandwagon because he still believes the city should be fighting the Lake County Forest Preserve District for land near Orchard Hills Golf Course, the previous target site for the sports complex.

The city wanted to swap land to get that site.

Balen said the city gives too much money to the forest preserve and gets little in return.

'We should go back and do what we intended to do,' said Balen.

He had recommended that the city red-tag some forest preserve land that is being leased for farming to the Grinnell family because the land is not zoned for agriculture.

'We need to go to war with the forest preserve,' he said.

'There's no excuse for what they are doing.'

Seventh Ward Ald. Patrick Needham said he thought the sports complex was a good idea.

'I understand there are concerns over health and safety issues, but every inch of ground is going to be tested.

There will be no purchase unless it gets a clean bill of health,' he said.

Third Ward Ald. John Rickerd also supported the sports plan.

'Johns Manville is going to give them a perpetual insurance policy for the park district and the city.

'It should be a favorable price once they demolish the building and dispose of it,' he said.

Pr. George's Links Stadium Proposal To Sports Complex; Officials Want Cooke to Help Build Youth Center in Landover - The Washington Post

Washington Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke's proposal to build a78,600-seat stadium in Landover hinges in part on his willingness toappease a handful of county politicians who want a multipurposesports complex for inner-Beltway youths as part of the package.

Several Prince George's County Council members have made it clearthat construction of a facility on a par with Laurel's FairlandAthletic Center is crucial to their support of the project. Cooke haspromised to help build such a facility near his proposed stadium on a300-acre site known as the Wilson Farm.

The Fairland complex, one of the finest public sports centers inthe Washington area, features an indoor Olympic-size pool, tennis andracquetball courts, a diving area and other facilities. Officialsfrom the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission saidit would cost about $10 million to build a complex similar toFairland, most of which was built three years ago.

Cooke representatives and county officials have declined topublicly discuss how much Cooke would contribute, saying it's undernegotiation. Sources involved in the negotiations said countyofficials are talking about a facility in the $13 million to $15million range, although Cooke has indicated he does not want to paythat much. Cooke has said he will fund the entire stadium, which hasa price tag of $180 million to $200 million.

The council will vote next month on three measures that wouldallow Cooke to build a stadium.

'I'm looking for something on that land similar to Fairland,' saidcouncil member Dorothy Bailey (D-7th District), who representsseveral communities around the Wilson Farm. 'We've got to look notjust at how much it cost to build it but how much it costs tomaintain it. We've got a lot to think about.'

Eugene L. Singleton, an aide to council member Marvin F. Wilson (D-5th District), who also represents communities near the farm, saidWilson envisions 'a similar facility to Fairland, but also withindoor and outdoor basketball facilities, a hiker-biker trail andfootball and soccer fields.'

Before Cooke builds anything, he must negotiate with CountyExecutive Wayne K. Curry (D) over a deal to lease or sell the WilsonFarm, which the county and state own.

Those who live inside the Capital Beltway in Prince George's havelong complained that there are few recreational outlets for youths.So residents were thrilled when the county and state purchased thefarm for $6.4 million this year.

County officials promised that the land would be used for aregional park. But the county's shaky financial position was becomingmore apparent, and officials realized that Prince George's would haveno money for a major project any time soon.

When Cooke made it clear that the Wilson Farm was his choice for astadium site, some council members said they wanted him to chip inmillions of dollars to build the recreational complex. Cooke wasreceptive.

'We feel we could help create one of the most attractive athleticcenters on the East Coast,' said Gerard E. Evans, one of Cooke'slawyers. 'To have such a facility joined on the same site as one ofthe premier organizations in the NFL has got to be a plus for thecommunity.'

Not everyone sees it that way. Cooke has angered many residents bypushing legislation that would help him chop months off the normalland-use planning process. Many have accused Cooke of trying to speedthrough the project to avoid the kind of public opposition thatkilled similar stadium plans in Laurel and Alexandria.

'We don't want to talk about no stadium or no sports facility,'said Timothy McIntosh, president of the Forestville Knolls CivicAssociation. 'We want to stay focused on the issue of these bills.We're not going to let them ram this thing through.'

McIntosh is one of the vocal civic activists from middle- andworking-class neighborhoods inside the Beltway who have successfullyopposed projects in recent years that they feel would hurt theirneighborhoods. Some of McIntosh's like-minded friends, includingactivists Abraham Lincoln and Freddie Dawkins, caution that thecounty shouldn't rush the deal through just to get a sports complex.

Other residents, however, are excited by the prospect.

North New Jersey Officials Seek Rail Extension to Meadowlands Sports Complex. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By John Brennan, The Record, Hackensack, N.J. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Jun. 5--OCEANPORT, N.J.--North Jersey officials will push for an extension of NJ Transit's Bergen Line to bring mass transit to the Meadowlands Sports Complex, the complex's chief said Wednesday.

'We have the total commitment of all the people involved,' George Zoffinger, president of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, said during a meeting of his board of directors at Monmouth Park.

'The county is on board, the [New Jersey Meadowlands Commission] is on board, we're on board, New Jersey Transit is on board, the governor is on board. We have a consensus on where we want to do it. Next up is getting a consensus on how to pay for it.'

Zoffinger said the extension would feature a joint train station with the $1 billion Encap office and hotel project in southern Bergen County.

'We're trying to see if we can run trains directly from the Secaucus Transfer [Station],' Zoffinger said.

The transfer station, which is being built just a few miles from the sports complex, is intended as a nexus for New Jersey rail lines to New York.

The price tag for the 2- to 3-mile heavy rail extension is likely to surpass $100 million, but the $1.3 billion Mills/Mack-Cali mixed-use development on the Continental Arena site has produced bipartisan agreement that mass transit is crucial if the region is to avoid gridlock. The Bergen-Hudson Light Rail and Pascack Valley lines had been considered possible Meadowlands solutions, and interested parties had debated for years about which choice would be best.

Rep. Steve Rothman, D-Fair Lawn, who Zoffinger said is also 'on board' with the Bergen Line extension, will be asked to help find federal dollars for the project. State Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge, said he is working on 'alternate funding sources' beyond any federal money. Mills/Mack-Cali has committed to pay $65 million toward a combination of mass transit and road projects inside the complex and on nearby roads, such as Route 3.

'The most cost-effective and efficient way of getting rail to the Meadowlands immediately is the extension off the Bergen Line,' Sarlo said. 'I think it was everybody's dream to do an extension of the light rail, but, unfortunately, we're just not going to see that in the short term.'

Zoffinger will meet with Meadowlands-area mayors and other North Jersey elected officials Tuesday to lay out the plans in greater detail.

The rail spur probably would cross Berry's Creek at the southwestern corner of the sports complex near Route 3, veer east to run south of Giants Stadium, and then extend to the Continental Arena site, where the Mills/Mack-Cali project would be located.

Sarlo would like the line to be extended even further, heading west along the Paterson Plank corridor back toward Route 17 -- almost turning it into a complete loop. But he conceded that such an addition also could double the price of the project.

Zoffinger has put Xanadu -- the name Mills/Mack-Cali has given its office, entertainment, and retail project -- on the fast track. He hopes to sign a developer's agreement within a few weeks and have the companies break ground on the project by September.

The first components of the Xanadu plan could open as soon as 2006, and Meadowlands-area elected officials would like to see progress on the rail link mirror Xanadu's construction schedule.

A forum to lay out details of the 4.8 million-square-foot project to the public will be held within two weeks, probably on June 17 or 18. Mills/Mack-Cali officials say that Xanadu would include a minor-league baseball park, an indoor ski mountain, a giant bass-fishing store, an extreme sports park, and numerous restaurants.

The two losing bidders, Hartz Mountain Industries and Westfield, have not yet given up the fight.

Both are scheduled for one-day administrative hearings next week, when they will present Arthur Winkler, the sports authority's vice president of legal affairs, with their reasons for protesting the choice of Mills/Mack-Cali in March.

Hartz also is suing the sports authority, and it has appealed a ruling by Superior Court Judge Sybil Moses in May which denied Hartz's effort to enjoin the sports authority from continuing negotiations with Mills/Mack-Cali. In the suit, Hartz also said that the administrative hearing would be 'futile,' and a favorable decision on appeal could produce a cancellation of their hearing on Tuesday. Westfield, which has not filed a legal challenge, will be heard on Wednesday.

To see more of The Record, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.NorthJersey.com.

Youth sports complex advances - Oakland Tribune

TRACY -- The City Council approved the purchase of 50 acres ofland from the federal government Tuesday night in the first stepstoward building a youth sports complex.

The property, known as the antenna farm because of the dozens ofantennas that dot the landscape, has been the subject of somecontroversy in recent months.

The purchase was unanimously approved, with Councilwoman IreneSundberg absent.

The land -- with a $950,000 price tag -- would be used foreconomic development use, while the General Services Agency conveysto the city an adjacent 150 acres for education and recreational use.

The proposed complex would feature dozens of soccer fields,baseball and softball diamonds and parking and seating.

Last owned by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the parcel was theproposed site for an Immigration and Naturalization Servicesdetention facility that local officials were able to quash.

Andrew Malik, Tracys director of economic development, said thecity was hedging its bets against whats been proposed in the past andwhat could have come in the future.

(The youth sports complex) has a number of better uses and(protects) against a number of things the community doesnt want,Malik said.

Last month, a San Francisco-based environmental consulting firmreleased a report finding the proposed area for Tracys youth sportsfacility well below the state standard for cancer risk.

But the report also found the southeast corner of the propertyexceeded ahazard index threshold for ammonia emissions. The ammoniawas found to come from the Owen's Brockway glass plant located about1,500 feet away.

The same report also examined an alternative site at the corner ofChrisman Road and 11th Street and found no health hazards.

In April, the Tracy City Council directed city staff to negotiateagreements calling for contributions totaling $75 million fromSurland Development and the Tracy Hills developers to build the TracyAquatics Center and the Tracy Sports Complex.

In exchange, the developers would be granted rights to build acombined 500 homes a year -- after Measure A average restrictionsease -- and require a total between 6,400 and 9,400 allotmentspossibly through 2032, according to city documents.

Tracy Hills LLC, -- a partnership involving Souza Realty andDevelopment, and AKT Development -- would pay $20 million in cash andgive the city 15 acres of land in the largest planned housing projectin city history. Half of the cash could be used at the city'sdiscretion in relation to the sports complex or aquatics center.

In documents filed in San Joaquin County Superior Court, TracyRegion Alliance for a Quality Community wants to overturn the city'samendment of its growth management ordinance allowing for 500 homebuilding permits to be given out in developer agreements.

Measure A, authored by TRAQC and passed by voters in 2000, limitsthe average number of new homes built in Tracy to 600 a year plusanother 150 that are 'affordable housing.' With the large number ofhomes built over the past few years, only 100 homes a year,prioritized as 'in-fill' and 'affordable,' can currently be builtuntil about 2012.

The measure also limits the number of permits that can be given ina developer agreement to 250 residential growth allocations -- whichare needed before each residential building permit is issued -- apoint the city altered prior to entering into the agreements; theslow-growth group claims it can only be changed by the voters.

BVI Multipurpose Sports Complex set to open in Road Town on June 27 - Virgin Islands Daily News

TORTOLA - The $10 million Multipurpose Sports Complex will openin Road Town on June 27, a top British Virgin Islands governmentofficial has announced.

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Lloyd Black made theannouncement during a Friday afternoon press conference at theCentral Administration Complex in Road Town.

The Sports Complex will open in time for the start of the YouthSummer Basketball Camp, to be held from June 28 to July 2. The campis affiliated with DNJ Promotions and Management and the MagicJohnson Foundation.

'The completion of the Multipurpose Complex is an important stepin the overall socioeconomic developmental plan of our territory,'Black said. 'It is a much-needed facility, which our government iscommitted to completing so that our sports teams and our citizenswill be able to enjoy the benefits of this structure, to meet thesporting and recreational needs of the BVI.'

The Sports Complex's construction at A.O. Shirley RecreationGrounds began in 2001 at the urging of the Virgin Islands PartyGovernment. At the time of the groundbreaking ceremony, thebuilding's price tag was $7 million.

'On the heels of celebrating our first anniversary, thegovernment of the day has consistently kept its word to the peopleof the territory by continuing to deliver on the goods, services andprograms which we promised,' Black said.

He added that workers are aiming for a 'substantial completion'of the building by June 27. 'It will not be totally completed untilthe end of July, but substantial completion for occupancy would beby June 27,' Black said. 'The budget cost is just under $10 million,and we are looking at a seating capacity in excess of 3,500occupants on an upper and lower level.'

Black said a management structure is in the works. He said he isnot certain that it will be in place by the June 27 opening. 'It isour intention that the operation of the facility will be through anorganized management structure independent of government.'

Sports Agency Chief Blasts New Jersey Governor's Plan for Meadowlands Complex. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By Herb Jackson, The Record, Hackensack, N.J. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Jul. 7--The chairman of the agency that runs the Meadowlands Sports Complex is lobbying state legislators to reject acting Gov. Donald T. DiFrancesco's plans for the site -- and will likely be replaced because of it.

'The proposal for office buildings, large shopping center, theme park, and structured parking will not fit on the complex,' Raymond Bateman, chairman of the Sports and Exposition Authority, wrote in a letter mailed this week to all 80 members of the state Assembly.

'On 18 football Sundays and on other major event days, we would have the worst kind of gridlock chaos,' he wrote, referring to Giants and Jets home games. He said the proposal endorsed by DiFrancesco 'is not a well-thought-out business plan, and it is even worse as public policy.'

Asking that their names not be used, two administration sources said Bateman will likely be replaced as chairman, although he would remain as a commissioner of the agency because his appointment runs through 2005.

The sources said Bateman had previously offered to resign over the disagreements about the Meadowlands' future, but DiFrancesco turned him down, hoping Bateman would come to support his plan.

'Now that this letter's gone out,' one source said, 'it's likely you would see some changes in the sports authority in the near future.'

The likely changes may not stop with Bateman. Another official said the administration was also considering whether to replace authority President James DiEleuterio because of what is perceived to be a lack of confidence in Trenton in the authority's leadership.

Bateman, interviewed by telephone from Maine, where he is vacationing, said he is not concerned.

'It's up to the governor,' he said. 'If he wants to put somebody else in, that's fine by me. I'll still be a member of the sports authority. I'm more concerned, frankly, with the future of the Sports and Exposition Authority than I am with my own job.'

A sports authority source said Bateman could be replaced as chairman by M. Joseph Montuoro, a longtime friend of DiFrancesco's. One possible replacement for DiEleuterio, whose $197,797 salary is one of the highest in state government, is Jeffrey Michaels, chief of staff to DiFrancesco.

DiFrancesco spokesman Tom Wilson denied that Michaels was bucking for the job.

DiFrancesco, who is also state Senate president, won Senate approval last week for a plan that would provide a financing framework for a new arena in Newark for professional basketball's Nets and hockey's Devils. The teams now play at the 20-year-old Continental Arena in East Rutherford, but have threatened to leave the state unless they get a more modern venue.

Under the administration's plan, which is before the Assembly, the Newark arena would be finished by the fall of 2004 and Continental Arena would be torn down. The arena is seen as part of a continuing effort to revitalize Newark, the state's largest city, which has benefited from the recent openings of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and a minor league baseball park.

Plans for what would happen in the Meadowlands after the arena shuts down are far from complete, but proposals call for developing a combination of sports, shopping, and entertainment attractions that would make it a regional tourist destination, with interactive entertainment and possibly a new football stadium and auto racing track around the Meadowlands Racetrack.

Supporters of the plan say the sports authority has become reliant on state subsidies to operate and the new attractions would increase tax revenues.

Bateman, a former state Senate president and gubernatorial candidate who was named authority chairman in July 1996 by then-Gov. Christie Whitman, slammed the proposal in his letter to Assembly members.

He pointed out that the sports authority has been studying better uses of its site at least since 1994, and the administration's plan 'simply rehashes some of their concepts without recognizing why some were rejected as impractical.'

The administration's call to realign Route 120 through the Meadowlands, for example, was rejected in 1994 by area mayors and the Giants football management, Bateman said. The $200 million price tag and 10-year time frame 'makes this part of the proposal quite suspect,' he said, adding that extending rail lines to the Meadowlands to alleviate traffic and parking problems 'would be impossible to accomplish until long after the planned closure of Continental Arena.'

Bateman said expanding the Meadowlands tract to include surrounding property was an option, but that could require expensive environmental cleanups. He concluded his letter by reminding lawmakers that the sports complex was 'recognized around the country and around the world as New Jersey's crown jewel. I ask you not to let it become just another shopping center-office park.'

Wilson said he had not seen the letter, but Bateman was entitled to his opinion. He went on to say, however, that Bateman might not want to remain as head of the sports authority if he disagreed so strongly with the administration.

'If the chairman simply doesn't agree with the direction the governor wants to take the sports authority and isn't going to support our effort to revitalize the region and create this world-class attraction, obviously he should do what he thinks is appropriate,' Wilson said. 'Ray Bateman is a stalwart in state politics. I would not think he would want to be part of something he did not feel 100 percent committed to.'

To see more of The Record, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bergen.com