Venue News: L.A. Puts Brakes on Stadium Deal, Redskins Go Green

Los Angeles officials have put the brakes on a plan to build a National Football League stadium in the city amid concerns over taxpayer dollars. After Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal featured an article describing the financial burden of Paul Brown Stadium on Hamilton (OH) County, stadium-committee members have become skeptical of the project’s proposed economic benefit. Anschutz Entertainment Group is proposing to build a $1 billion stadium for a potential NFL team in downtown Los Angeles in a deal that would ask the city to issue nearly $300 million in bonds. The company says the bonds would be repaid by revenue from stadium parking and advertising, not taxpayer money. AEG says it still expects a deal before the council’s summer recess in August…

…The Washington Redskins are installing 8,000 solar panels in a FedEx Field parking lot that will generate enough electricity to supply a portion of the stadium’s power on game days and all of its electricity the rest of the week. Construction is under way in the team’s Platinum A1 parking lot to set up panels that will generate 2 MW of electricity — enough to decrease FedEx Field’s annual energy use by 15%, according to people within the organization. The panels also will be used to create an 850-space covered carport that will feature 10 charging stations for electric vehicles. The project is scheduled to be completed by the start of the 2011 season…

…The University of Maryland has reached an agreement with the Baltimore Ravens to play two of its home football games in M&T Bank Stadium in coming seasons, which will net the Terrapins roughly $2 million more per contest than if the games were played at Byrd Stadium, according to a school official. Maryland will play West Virginia in 2013 and Virginia Tech in 2014 at the NFL venue. Whereas a home football game at Byrd Stadium played against similar opponents typically yields approximately $1.5 million, the two games played in M&T Bank Stadium are expected to net $3.5 million apiece…

…Aloha Stadium is in discussions with its marketing partner, Aloha Sports Properties, and the University of Hawaii to transition the stadium’s dugouts into 38 VIP seats. The on-field, end-zone seating will be located on raised platforms fronting the baseball dugouts. The platform, which will be cushioned for player protection, will be enclosed and air-conditioned and feature large-screen TV monitors and food and beverage service.