Venue News: Vikings Willing To Fund Outdoor Venue

The Minnesota Vikings are ready to discuss the possibility of once again playing in a roofless stadium. According to KMSP-TV Minneapolis-St. Paul this week, the Vikings are willing to front one-third of the cost of a new outdoor venue, even if state legislators choose to proceed with a more costly indoor stadium. Team spokesperson Lester Bagley added that the team doesn’t need a roof over their heads to play but that going ahead with plans to build a stadium subject to the elements might not get legislative approval…

…The University of Oregon unveils Matthew Knight Arena this week, with the Ducks facing USC on their unique floor, which represents a view of a fir forest. Look at the floor again, though. Can you see a half-court line? It’s apparently there, and the design is within NCAA rules, but it might take some time getting used to. “Hopefully, it doesn’t confuse our players,” Oregon coach Dana Altman mused. “I’m more worried about the players on the floor rather than the floor itself.” If Mac Court had its dead spots that Ducks in the past were accustomed to, maybe then they can also get used to using the design to their advantage…

…The owners of the Sacramento Kings have confirmed that a deal to change the name of the local NBA team’s home court will soon take effect. In a statement released this week, Maloof Sports & Entertainment said a broad agreement to promote sports-performance company Power Balance will include changing the name of ARCO Arena to Power Balance Pavilion. ARCO, the gasoline-station franchise owned by BP, announced earlier that it planned to end its 25-year branding of the Kings’ arena…

…Higher tax revenues and ongoing cost-cutting have left the agency operating Indianapolis’s sports stadiums and convention center with a balanced budget and higher cash reserves two years after the General Assembly provided a bailout. The Capital Improvement Board’s budget for 2010 was running an $11 million surplus as of November, the most recent figures available, the Indianapolis Star reported this week. It marked a dramatic turnaround from 2009, when projections of a $47 million annual deficit sent the board to the General Assembly seeking help…

…A new 5,000-seat arena for basketball, gymnastics, and volleyball will be built on Towson University’s campus in Towson, MD, the school announced this week. On TigerArena.com, Towson plans to chronicle the arena’s construction, starting with the groundbreaking scheduled for May through the anticipated completion of the project in spring 2013. The arena will be funded through a combination of public and private funds. “It’s with great enthusiasm that we officially announce our Tiger Arena project,” Towson President Robert Caret said in a news release.

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