Venue News & Notes: A New Generation of Price Tags

For sports fans caught in the grip of an increasingly ugly recession, the most stunning feature of the newest generation of sports venues might be the price tag. A quick tally of sports facilities being proposed or already under construction coast to coast easily adds up to a cumulative $10 billion — a figure equal to a fourth of California’s budget deficit for the coming fiscal year. And most of those buildings in the construction pipeline are on a grand scale.

The stalled bond market could affect NFL stadium proposals, including the $800 million facility proposed by developer Ed Roski in City of Industry, CA, where voters recently approved $500 million in bonds to finance infrastructure improvements on the land where the privately financed stadium is scheduled to rise…

…Mexican League baseball is coming to Dodger Stadium. The ballpark will host a May 16 game between the Diablos Rojos of Mexico City and the Sultanes of Monterrey, marking the first time Mexican League teams will play a regular-season game in Los Angeles…

…With final votes on the Florida Marlins’ ballpark scheduled for Friday, some commissioners still need convincing. At least two-thirds of the Miami-Dade County commissioners present on Friday — nine, if all 13 attend — must vote yes to approve operating and construction agreements. Nobody should be surprised if the stadium is approved, but it’s not a sure thing…

…The owner of London’s O2 arena said on Monday that it is planning to sell the landmark dome-shaped venue, which is slated to host pop stars Tina Turner and Madonna later this year. Meridian Delta Dome Limited (MDL), a joint venture of Quintain Estates and Australia’s Lend Lease, said it had appointed real estate agency Savills to market the 999-year-leasehold property.