®
under license. Get more
information on Heinz
Tuesday January 30, 2001
How Did Three Rivers Stadium Get Its Name?
WTAE-TV's Andrew Stockey Reports
"Three Rivers." Seems like a natural moniker for the soon-to-be imploded North Side stadium.
But if not for the inspiration of one local man, it might have been deemed David L. Lawrence Stadium or Barney Dreyfuss Stadium -- handles which were both strongly considered for the Steelers' and Pirates' former home, according to WTAE-TV's Andrew Stockey.
The confluence of the Allegheny, Ohio and Monongahela rivers inspired former Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds Bernard Flynn (pictured at right) to submit the name to a local newspaper in May 1968, Stockey says.
"He said he was sitting at work one day and the name just came to him," Madelon Conniff said of her late father. "He just thought it was the natural thing because (the stadium) was right by the three rivers. You know, (they) connect Pittsburgh.
"I guess there are other people that feel they did the same thing, but I feel the (newspaper) articles are pretty much the proof that he was the first person to suggest it."
Three generations of Flynn's family are now well-versed in his small place in Pittsburgh history.
"When you are a kid it doesn't mean a lot, but when you get older it does mean a heck of a lot to you," granddaughter Madelon Harbaugh said.
What would Flynn say about the destruction of the stadium that he helped to name? "I think he would be very sad since he thought he had something to do with it being there," Conniff said. "I think (he) thought it would be there forever, but nothing is forever."
Watch the stadium implosion live Feb. 4 on an expanded Sunday morning edition of Action News and online at ThePittsburghChannel.com.
COST OF THREE RIVERS DEMOLITION GOING UP
November 9, 2000
Copyright 2000 MediaVentures
The fast-track demolition of Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh promises to make it one of the most costly stadium demolitions. The cost of the razing is estimated at $6
million, compared with the $2 million to $5 million for similar sized buildings.
The short scheduled is needed in order to complete road work and other construction for the new Steelers stadium under construction nearby. Demolition work begins
Feb. 18 and is expected to be complete by the end of April.
PIRATES, STEELERS EXPECTED TO LEVY TICKET SURCHARGE FOR STADIUM REPAIRS
October 28, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
The Pittsburgh Pirates will include a 5% surcharge for tickets at their new PNC Stadium with the money to go into a capital repair and improvement fund. The NFL Steelers are reportedly considering a similar move for their new venue. The charges would begin next year, one year before the new venues open. Pirates tickets for next season will range from $6 to $20 for adults, including the surcharge.
PITTSBURGH FINALIZING LEASE AGREEMENTS ON STADIA
October 21, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates are close to final lease agreements for new stadia being built for the teams. While details are not final, the current plan calls for the teams to get all naming
rights revenues along with 85% of the money from non-sports events at the venues.
The Steelers are to pay $250,000 a year in lease payments while the Pirates would pay $100,000 for PNC Park. The payments will count toward their construction contributions. The Steelers
have agreed to pay $76.5 million toward the $262 million stadium while the Pirates will pay $40 million of the ballpark's $228 million cost.
Both teams get all ticket, concession, advertising, luxury suite, club seat and restaurant revenue. The venues open in 2001.
STEELER FANS GET SECTION ASSIGNMENTS FOR NEW STADIUM
September 16, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
The Pittsburgh Steelers say 71% of seat license holders will sit in the section of the team's new stadium that was their first choice and more than 90% will be in either their
first or second choice sections. Actual seat assignments will come once the stadium's seats are installed in 2001 and a final count is available.
License holders paid between $250 and $2,700 per seat, not including the ticket price. As many as 50,000 licenses will be sold to the 65,000-seat stadium.
LAWSUIT SEEKS TO STOP BIDDING ON PITTSBURGH STADIA
August 5, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
A Pittsburgh citizen has filed a lawsuit contesting a new bidding procedure being used on new venues for the Pirates and Steelers, saying it gives too much control to the teams. The teams will operate the venues, owned by the Public Auditorium Authority.
The lawsuit claims the Auditorium Authority gives the teams the right to select contractors for publicly-owned buildings and has abdicated its responsibility for construction oversight. It also says the procedures do not allow the public to examine the bids or see that they go to the lowest bidder. The procedures are based on a state law approved in June.
One of the lawyers for Douglas Reed, the citizen filing the lawsuit, said the action is not intended to delay or halt stadium work, but to make sure the bidding process is open and fair. Two contracts have been awarded under the rules and others are scheduled to be announced shortly.
The new rules allow bids to be opened by the construction managers and removes the requirement that they go to the lowest bidder. Instead three bids must be sought and the contract can be awarded to the firm deemed most qualified. One state senator, who called the provisions "masked," said he would sponsor a measure to repeal the law. Both venues are scheduled to open in 2001.
STEELERS NEARING FINISH LINE ON LUXURY SUITE SALES
July 29, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
Nearly 100 of the 117 luxury suites for sale in the Pittsburgh Steelers new stadium have been leased, according to team officials. The team hopes to have all of the suites leased within the next 30 days. The suites lease for $44,000 to $120,000 for six to 10 year terms and seat six to 12 persons. The venue will have 127 total suites, most of which will be used for game day leases. The new stadium opens in 2001.
STEELERS COULD BE REIMBURSED FOR STADIUM COST OVERRUNS
June 17, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
A provision in the proposed stadium lease for the Pittsburgh Steelers would reimburse the team for cost overruns it originally agreed to fund. The reimbursement would be in the form of rent credits.
The proposal is being criticized by a councilman and the city's controller who believe the team should pay a minimum $250,000 annually in rent. The team now pays $852,000 a year at Three Rivers Stadium. The team will also pay nearly $8 million annually in maintenance and operation costs at the new stadium while the city pays for those expenses at Three Rivers Stadium.
The lease is still being negotiated and a final document is expected within a few weeks. Negotiators say the public will get a good deal from the lease. They say that in comparison with other NFL teams, the Steelers will be investing more in the stadium than 13 other teams surveyed except the Washington Redskins. The Steelers will pay $76.5 million toward the venue's $261 million total cost. The late Jack Kent Cooke invested $175 million in the stadium that bears his name.
The councilman, Dan Cohen, was critical of the city's auditorium authority decision to allow the Pirates to sell naming rights to PNC Bank without any of the money being given to the city. He said the Steelers should not be allowed to sell the venue's name without city approval. Others disagreed saying the value of the stadium and the name comes from the team's presence and its exposure on television.
Cohen is a member of the auditorium authority and is one of the people who will vote on the final lease.
June 16, 1999
PITTSBURGH—A new era in the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers will begin Friday, June 18 when the Steelers break ground for construction of what will be one of the finest football stadiums to be built.
The groundbreaking ceremony will be a celebration for all of Pittsburgh and will add to one of the most enterprising periods ever in the City with the construction of two new sports stadiums, the renovation of the Convention Center, and several other projects in the city's core area.
The Steelers official stadium groundbreaking ceremony, hosted jointly by the University of Pittsburgh, will begin at 2 p.m., Friday, June 18. Gov. Tom Ridge, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Steelers president Dan Rooney and vice president Art Rooney II, University of Pittsburgh chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg, Mayor Tom Murphy, County Commissioners Mike Dawida and Bob Cramner, and other local community leaders will participate in the festivities. The ceremony will take place in the parking lot west of current Three Rivers Stadium that boarders North Shore Drive.
"This is an extremely exciting period for Pittsburgh, the Steelers, the University of Pittsburgh and our fans," said Art Rooney II.
The Fans Groundbreaking Celebration will begin at 6 p.m. and be held primarily inside Three Rivers Stadium. Fans will have the opportunity to have their picture taken near the construction site while turning a shovel full of dirt. The official ceremony will be replayed on the stadium video board. Several local community organizations will also participant in the day's events.
The Clarks, one of the hottest local bands in the Tri-State area, will perform a free concert from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the stadium.
The evening activities include the Steelers Experience in which fans can test their passing skills in the “QB Challenge.” “Run to Daylight” lets fans time themselves in the 40-yard dash. Fans can also run the obstacle course and practice kicking. The Experience also features static displays of the team locker room modeled after the lockers in Three Rivers Stadium and a chance to take your picture in a Steelers uniform. The Pittsburgh Athletic Department will conduct its popular Panther Fan Fest activities alongside the Steelers Experience and include fan photo opportunities with the Heisman Trophy won by Tony Dorsett, the Pitt Obstacle Challenge and other exciting interactive games.
Included among the entertainment will be the first public viewing of the new stadium through a virtual video, and an appearance by the University of Pittsburgh Marching Band.
The day of events will culminate with a spectacular fireworks extravaganza, beginning at dusk (approximately 9:30 p.m.).
Steelers Groundbreaking Schedule of Events
June 18, 1999
2 p.m. Official Groundbreaking Ceremony
6 p.m. Fan Celebration
6 p.m. Steelers Experience and Panther Fan Fest
(inside Three Rivers Stadium)
7:30-9 p.m. The Clarks
9:10 p.m. Virtual Video of New Stadium<
9:30 p.m. Fireworks Extravaganza (Zambelli)
COST OF MONEY PUSHING PITTSBURGH PROJECT COST UP
June 3, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
The cost of building new venues in Pittsburgh for the Pirates and Steelers along with a new convention center has gone up about 10% because of increases in the cost of financing. The costs of the buildings themselves, however, are unchanged.
For the Pirates new PNC Park, the cost is $252 million including financing. The building alone is $228 million. The Steelers' stadium will cost $261.6 million or $233 million for the building alone. The convention center will cost $328 million, including financing.
Also adding to the cost are extra expenses for building a new river front park and other infrastructure work in the area of the new stadia. While the teams must pay for cost overruns for the venues, the extra financing and infrastructure work must be paid from public money.
STEELERS, PIRATES INVESTING IN LAND NEAR THEIR NEW STADIA
May 27, 1999
Copyright 1999 MediaVentures
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates are considering investing in real estate around Three Rivers Stadium in hopes of developing commercial properties on the prime river front land. The land is owned by the Stadium Authority and will be open for development when the stadium is razed. Both teams are getting new venues.
The teams must pay fair market value for the land, but will get first crack at a purchase before other potential developers come in and possibly drive up the prices. The provision sets a deadline for proposing viable development plans or the Stadium Authority can offer the land to other buyers.
The Steelers are thinking about building a 5,000-seat amphitheater to host concerts and other events. The Pirates are interested in land closer to their ballpark which will draw fans to the area 81 times a year as compared to the Steelers' 10.
October 16, 1998 (AP) - The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected a site for their new $230 million stadium and might begin construction by June.
The stadium will be built on the city's North Side between Carnegie Science Center and 28-year-old Three Rivers Stadium, which will be torn down after the new stadium is finished, team vice president Art Rooney II said Wednesday.
With the site in place, HOK architects of Kansas City can begin designing the stadium. HOK also is designing PNC Park, a $224 million baseball-only field for the Pirates, scheduled to built east of the new stadium and finished by April 2001.
Plan B approved: Play ball!
RAD board votes 6-1 to fund new stadiums, expansion of convention center
Friday, July 10, 1998
By Tom Barnes and Robert Dvorchak, Post-Gazette Staff Writers
After five hours of debate, the Regional Asset District board last night voted 6-1 to approve local funding for an $809 million plan to build two new stadiums and triple the size of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
The Regional Asset District board's 6-1 approval of Plan B pleases County Commissioner Bob Cranmer and Mayor Murphy. (Annie O'Neill, Post-Gazette)
As board Chairman David Matter announced the vote, the room burst into applause from supporters of what has become known as Plan B.
Even some who voted for it called it an unpopular issue and a tough decision, and one person in the crowd appealed to the board again and again to "vote the will of the people."
"This isn't a perfect plan, but few things in life are," Matter said. "But I believe it represents an affordable solution to the problem of how to preserve these terribly important sports franchises and take advantage of the burgeoning market for conventions and trade shows."
Ralph DeStefano, the only RAD board member to vote against the measure, said it was "time to stop the insanity with sports salaries."
"Let's stop it here," he said. "Why should the elderly and poor be forced to feed this insatiable monster?" he asked. He denounced the public tax funds being given to build the stadiums as "corporate welfare."
After the vote, two of the three principal architects of Plan B, Mayor Murphy and county Commissioner Bob Cranmer, hugged. Some of their aides gave each other high-fives.
Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy said he caught the end of the lengthy debate on the radio.
"It's been a three-year odyssey for me in Pittsburgh," he said. "This is a huge relief. This vote will signal the resurgency of Pittsburgh, and means the two franchises will be able to exist and thrive in the city. If we hadn't had a positive vote, it would've been tough.
"I think people will feel excitement and pride as they see these new stadiums go up."
All told, the $809 million will be used to build a $228 million baseball park at the end of the Sixth Street Bridge on the North Shore; a $233 million football stadium, just west of Three Rivers Stadium; and a $267 million expansion of the convention center.
It would also pay off Three Rivers' $40 million debt, pay to demolish the current stadium, and establish a $30 million fund to create a "first-day" attraction entertainment center on the North Shore.
Last night's meeting, meanwhile, went on for hours as members of the board grilled city and county officials on the financial details of the plan. Then, nearly two dozen citizens stepped to the microphone to give their comments.
Of the 23 members of the public who addressed the board, 14 said they were in favor of the plan while nine said they were opposed.
Matthew Berger, of Shadyside, said he spoke for young adults in the area who supported the spending package because it will bring vitality to the region.
"I know what will happen if we don't," he said. "Pittsburgh will cease to be a major league city."
But Rob Chesnavich of the Good Sports Coalition, formed in opposition to the Regional Renaissance Initiative that was defeated in November, pointed out there is no public support for using taxpayer money to help build sports facilities.
"What does the public need to do to show we don't want stadiums?" Chesnavich asked. "Any time the public's been polled on this they've said, 'No.' You're telling the public you don't want their opinion, you want their wallets."
And attorney Allen Brunwasser drew laughter and applause when he derided the numbers bandied about.
"If anyone came into one of our banks with the kind of arithmetic I've heard tonight, they would be laughed out of the place," Brunwasser said. "If this was a good deal, they wouldn't have to come here to beg for money."
After the vote, one of the most outspoken opponents of Plan B, Gerald Bowyer, who heads a conservative think tank called the Allegheny Institute, called it "a sad day for Allegheny County."
"Our elected officials, who are supposed to be working for us, have gone against our explicit wishes that tax dollars not be used for stadium construction."
On the RAD board, the most critical questioning came from DeStefano, president of UPMC Passavant Hospital, who said he was displeased he hadn't been able to see confidential, financial information from the Pirates and Steelers.
The board had appointed board member Gerald Voros and David Donahoe, the Regional Asset District's executive director, to examine both teams' finances.
But DeStefano, who was appointed to the board by county Commissioner Larry Dunn, a strong critic of Plan B, said he wasn't satisfied with that disclosure arrangement.
In a statement released after last night's vote, Dunn said: "A tax is a tax is a tax, whether you call it a Regional Renaissance Tax, a stadium tax, or a Regional Asset District tax, they all come from just one place -- the peoples' pockets."
DeStefano pointed out that the RAD board requires many recipients to "jump through hoops" before they can collect the money.
He said, too, that he was angered by the removal of Fred Baker, a former RAD board member who resigned a month ago, saying he could not support Plan B.
Each year, the RAD board distributes $64 million. That money is raised by the county's 1 percent sales tax levy.
Currently, the board provides $10 million a year for the operation of Three Rivers Stadium.
Under Plan B, that amount will increase to $13.4 million a year for 30 years.
Combined with some of the new revenue from the county's 7 percent hotel tax, the money would pay off $305 million in bonds to be sold to build the three big projects.
The money would be combined with state, federal and private funds. Those private funds include $76.5 million from the Steelers and $40 million from the Pirates.
In response to DeStefano's objections, some RAD members pointed out the money for the two stadiums would go to the Public Auditorium Authority -- who will own the two stadiums -- and not to the teams.
Therefore, they said, the board wouldn't need to look at the teams' confidential, financial information.
But DeStefano raised another issue: Because much of the teams' contributions is coming from a surcharge on tickets, he thinks the fans are bearing the brunt of the cost.
Another board member, Joyce Baskins, said she wanted to make sure that ticket prices at the new stadiums were affordable to the average fan.
"I am not about to forget poor folks," she said. "That is where I came from."
She also said she wants city and county officials to ensure job opportunities for minorities and women in the construction of the three major projects.
After the vote, Mayor Murphy and County Commissioner Bob Cranmer, two of the three major architects of Plan B, were thrilled with last night's outcome.
"Tonight we took a big step in putting this region together," Murphy said.
At his side, Cranmer added, "This will create a tremendous amount of energy to move the city and region forward. It's a fitting way to end this century and begin a new one."
But problems for Plan B still loom.
Brunwasser, for example, has already filed one lawsuit against the RAD board members over Plan B.
In his opinion, the 1993 state law that set up the Regional Asset District doesn't justify its use for building new facilities, only improving existing ones.
A Common Pleas Court hearing has been set for Wednesday on Brunwasser's suit.
And Bowyer said his group's political arm, the Allegheny Institute Taxpayer Coalition, is strongly considering filing a lawsuit against the RAD board, too.
"We think the vote violates RAD law procedures," he said.
As he sees it, the board should have held more public hearings on the plan and the two teams should have been forced to publicly disclose their finances.
For more than two hours last night, city and county officials explained the complex financial details of Plan B to the RAD board.
Of the $40 million contribution from the Pirates, the team would provide $8.5 million in cash up front, said Steven Leeper, an aide to Mayor Murphy.
The remaining $31.5 million would be stretched out over an unspecified period of time.
That $31.5 million would come from the sale of naming rights to the new baseball stadium and a 5 percent surcharge on tickets.
Leeper said the Pirates estimate they will receive $1.4 million a year for as long as 30 years for those naming rights.
The Pirates expect $1.5 million a year from the ticket surcharge.
As for the Steelers, more than half of the team's $76.5 million share is expected to come in the "early stages" of a 29 1/2-year lease, said Charles Cohen, a lawyer for the city.
He said that money would be a combination of up-front cash, a 5-percent ticket surcharge, the sale of personal seat licenses and club seat revenues.
The vote came just eight months after voters in 11 counties rejected a one-half of one percent increase to fund the projects and other economic development.
But on Nov. 4, voters in all 11 counties rejected that idea, called the Regional Renaissance Initiative.
And they did so overwhelmingly: 530,706 people voted against the Regional Renaissance Initiative, compared to the 281,336 people who voted for it.
The idea came closest to passing in Allegheny County, but even there the gap was wide. It lost by a 58-42 percent margin.
The very next day, the three principal architects of Plan B, Murphy, Cranmer and county Commissioner Mike Dawida, began picking up the pieces and fashioning an alternative financing plan for the stadiums and convention center.
They had learned their lesson from the referendum: Residents did not want a tax increase.
So they limited their sights to Allegheny County and used the existing 1 percent county sales tax as the basis for much of the financing.
And they added to it some funds from the county's hotel tax.
During a March 9 news conference at the convention center, the details of Plan B were announced.
Officially, it was called the Regional Destination Development Plan.
By selling bonds that are to be repaid with the county sales-tax and hotel-tax revenue, the city and county expect to raise $305 million.
To this they have added $300 million in state aid and $28 million in federal aid.
There is also $176 million in private funds included in the funding formula, including the money from the Steelers and Pirates.
That money includes a projected $7 million over 30 years from a tax on the salaries of football and baseball players who don't live in Pennsylvania.
In voting for the measure, Mary Pat Soltis, a RAD board member from McKeesport, said it was time for such a move.
"It's time to take a risk, to create a vibrant city," she said. "If we miss this chance, if we don't take this risk, we may never catch up."
PITTSBURGH -- When they opened Three Rivers Stadium in 1970, the Pittsburgh Steelers couldn't sell all the tickets they had. Fans walked up to ticket windows on game days, confident they could buy decent seats.
That all changed once the Steelers became good in 1972, and they've sold out every home game since, even as Three Rivers gradually expanded in size from 50,000 seats to its present 60,000 seats.
So, with a season ticket waiting list that numbers in the thousands, the Steelers will likely face a different problem when they open a new, 65,000-seat stadium in 2001: They won't have enough seats to sell.
That means some fans, at least those hoping to retain the choice seats they now own, will likely have to buy personal seat licenses (PSLs) for the first time in the franchise's six decades of existence.
"We've had a consultant looking at the PSLs and what they might look like," said Steelers counsel Art Rooney II, the son of team president Dan Rooney. "We said in the past that PSLs were being considered [for the new stadium]."
Unlike many NFL teams, the Steelers never have charged for their premium seats. Fans on the 50-yard line or in the end zone paid about the same -- last year, $35 -- and the only add-on was the city's 5 percent amusement tax.
But now that they've agreed to pay $76.5 million, or about one-third the cost, of a $230 million football-only stadium, the Steelers likely will sell licenses for their best sideline seats, plus those on the club levels and in private boxes.
There also will likely be a 5 percent surcharge, which, if it had been in effect last season, would have added $1.75 to every ticket. Some fans may balk at paying the surcharge without realizing they essentially paid it for years in Three Rivers Stadium when the city charged a 10 percent amusement tax, rather than the current 5 percent.
Still, it may take some adjustment for fans who never have paid for the premium seats that cost thousands of dollars in some NFL stadiums, such as the one opened last year by the Washington Redskins.
But, mindful not to alienate fans who have stuck with them for decades, the Steelers are suggesting the personal seat licenses will be sold only for the choicest seats -- likely, those between the 30-yard lines. A fan unwilling to buy a seat license to keep his seat at the 40-yard line could opt to buy one along the 20-yard line that doesn't require a seat license.
The Pirates, who play 10 times as many home games a year as the Steelers, also plan to sell seat licenses, but only for approximately 3,000 premium club-level and private box seats, or less than 10 percent of the ballpark's 38,000-seat capacity.
PLAN B GETS TEAMS' A-OK
June 21, 1998
By Rich Lord
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
In a day marked by equal parts brinkmanship and showmanship, the Pirates and Steelers announced Saturday that they would contribute $40 million and $76.5 million, respectively, to proposed new stadiums, ending almost three months of haggling with City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County leaders.
The Pirates' contribution will come from ballpark naming rights, ticket surcharges and other stadium revenues. The Steelers would not say what their contribution would consist of, but city officials said it includes ticket surcharges.
"It permits us to build these facilities, and at the same time leaves enough revenues for the teams to (field) what we'd like to see to be championship teams," Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy said in one of two news conferences held yesterday.
Championships are "part of the deal, by the way," Murphy joked. "We have that as a commitment."
Critics called the deals flawed and said they give too much away to the teams.
The deals with the teams pave the way for an anticipated July vote by the Regional Asset District board on Plan B, the financial blueprint for construction of the stadiums and expansion of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The state's contribution to the ballparks is expected to come up for a vote in the General Assembly late this year or early next.
Yesterday's session ended a week of drama, particularly surrounding the Steelers' contribution. Early in the week, sources close to the talks said that team owners would not budge from the $50 million pledged in October, and that county Commissioner Bob Cranmer wanted at least $70 million.
Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey said Thursday that if the team failed to seal a deal to stay in Pittsburgh, she would talk to the team about moving south.
Allegheny County Commissioner Mike Dawida had said he wanted to get a deal done before he leaves for an economic development trip to Poland today.
When the Steelers sat down at the table at 11 a.m. yesterday, they still hadn't committed to any specific contribution higher than $50 million, according to attorney Charles Cohen of the city/county crew negotiating for the city.
Murphy, Dawida, Cranmer and Pirates Managing General Partner Kevin McClatchy marched out from behind closed doors and triumphantly announced completion of a signed memorandum-of-intent with the Pirates around 2 p.m.
The memorandum covers about 150 issues surrounding the new stadium, ranging from who gets concession revenues to the city's right to hold Little League championships in the new ballpark free of charge, said attorney William Newlin, who helped negotiate the deal for the two governments.
Dawida predicted that the stadium commitments would help spur $1 billion in new development in the county by the end of the year.
"This isn't just about having a wonderful state-of-the-art ballpark," Dawida said. "This is Pittsburgh making a statement that we are going to continue to grow, and we will become the economic power we've been in the past."
But negotiators said a deal with the Steelers was still hours away.
Just more than an hour later, the mayor and commissioners trotted out Steelers President Dan Rooney and Vice President Arthur J. Rooney II to announce the outlines of a deal with the Steelers.
A memorandum-of-intent between the Steelers and city and county should be forthcoming within days, negotiators said.
Both teams have agreed to binding leases through the year 2031, and to pay for construction cost overruns and stadium operating costs.
The teams will control the construction process. McClatchy said he expects to choose construction companies with local ties.
The Pirates' contribution is a modest increase over the $35 million the team pledged in October.
The Steelers have been under pressure from Cranmer to contribute significantly more than the $50 million they previously pledged.
Dan Rooney had complained that his team was being asked to assume a disproportionate share of the burden for Plan B. Yesterday, he was enthusiastic about the team's role in supporting the projects.
"We want to see the buildings - both the football and baseball stadiums and the convention center - built," he said.
"The Steelers have put a significant amount of their own money on the table," Cranmer said. He said neither side had won or lost at the bargaining table.
In spite of the increase in the Steelers' contribution, the deals with the teams increase the amount of private money in the $803 million Plan B by only $9.5 million, to $180 million.
That's because the deals negotiated yesterday count the anticipated $22 million from 5 percent ticket surcharges as part of the team contributions. In the original plan, surchargeswere a separate line item.
Commissioner Larry Dunn, an opponent of taxpayer funding of stadiums, called the plan "Scam B" yesterday.
"The teams are not putting up one red cent," Dunn said. "All the dollars they are talking about are anticipated revenues they will see from the new stadiums."
State Rep. Don Walko, a North Side Democrat who came out against new taxes for stadiums last fall, said he was happy about a provision that if the Pirates' profits soar, a portion would go toward lessening the taxpayers' burden.
Walko objected to provisions that would apparently allow the teams to sell stadium naming rights.
"I think the citizens of Allegheny County should have some say in what the fields should be called," Walko said.
Tax Hike for Stadiums Rejected in Pennsylvania
November 5, 1997 - Residents of 11 southwestern Pennsylvania counties overwhelmingly rejected a proposed half-penny-on-the-dollar sales tax increase to finance two new stadiums for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates, a renovated convention center and other regional projects.
With votes counted from 99 percent of Allegheny County's 1,309 precincts, the referendum trailed by a 3-2 margin - 235,859 to 171,268. Returns from the other 10 counties were even more lopsided - usually about 3-1.
Teams' pledges total $85 million
By Sandra Skowron
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
September 26, 1997
Ending months of speculation, the Pirates and the Steelers Thursday finally unveiled their financial share of two proposed North Side sports stadiums to be financed through a mix of private and public funds. Knowing how much the teams would kick in and how long they would be locked into stadium leases have been considered crucial to the fate of a proposed seven-year sales tax increase that would affect 11 southwestern Pennsylvania counties.
Here's the pitch:
* the Pirates promise to pick up about 18 percent of building costs for a new, open-air ballpark; the Steelers pledge 27 percent of construction costs on its stadium.
* Both teams vow to sign 25-year leases.
* Taxpayers wouldn't have to worry if the projects go over budget. The teams would dig into their own pickets - provided they control construction and design.
The separate announcements were hailed by proponents of the 0.5-percent addition to the sales tax as significant tools for wooing voter support.
They answer "in clear and convincing terms two of the most frequently asked questions we've heard when speaking with voters: `How much will the team owners contribute to the stadium funding?' and `What will keep the teams here if we build new stadiums?'" said Patti Burns, chairwoman of the Community Alliance for Economic Development and Jobs, which is campaigning for the tax.
While team officials were hopeful their commitments would bolster support for the tax proposal, which goes before voters on Nov. 4, opponents cried the numbers were too little, too late. "The opponents like to focus in on just making it a ballpark issue, but they have to understand that there are people all over the country that are taking a look at this issue in trying to judge whether this region is going forwards or backwards," said Kevin McClatchy, chief executive and managing general partner of the Pirates.
The Pirates would commit $35 million for construction costs of a natural grass stadium that is expected to cost $185 million to $200 million. It has not determined how the team will come up with the money, McClatchy said. "We are studying different revenue streams on how we are going to get to that $35 million. If we have to, you know, you go to a bank and borrow the $35 million," he said. "What people need to understand is that at the end of the day before this project is paid for, the Pirates will write a check for $35 million."
Steelers President Dan Rooney said his club likely would borrow $50 million to build a $185 million stadium and then use team revenue to pay off the loan. "We're making the commitment so that we owe the money," he said.
Rooney said "it would be nice" if the stadium were named after his father, the late Art Rooney Sr., who was at the helm during the club's Super Bowl days of the 1970s. But naming rights may be needed to generate revenue.
State Rep. Don Walko, a North Side Democrat, who opposes the sales tax hike, said the teams simply have promised to borrow against future revenue. "In effect, neither the Pirates or the Steelers have committed anything," he said. "I would like to see the stadiums totally privately financed, though I wouldn't mind a user tax on tickets or on parking. It's working in other places. They used personal seat licenses to pay for the stadium in Charlotte (N.C)," he said.
The construction costs cited by each team do not include the cost of buying land or installing water or sewer lines. "I think we would want to work with the city on those different costs that are out there," McClatchy said.
Neither McClatchy nor Rooney said they had any firm commitment the state would provide financing, although they said Gov. Tom Ridge has indicated the state should participate in both projects.
The tax referendum will appear on the ballot in 11 counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clarion, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland. The 10 surrounding counties would keep 75 percent of the income that is generated, with 25 percent targeted for projects in Allegheny County. In Allegheny County, the reverse would be true, 75 percent going for local projects and 25 percent to a regional fund.
Rooney and McClatchy said the tax proposal must have regional support, not just from Allegheny County. Rooney said the income from Allegheny County alone would not provide enough revenue.
Recent polls show a 3-1 opposition to the tax, but supporters say voters don't have all the facts. "We've done some polling in that area. We saw that people thought that they would be paying between - some $500, some $1,000" a year, McClatchy said. "Some even thought they would be paying $5,000 a household."
Steve Greenberg, the Pirate's vice president of new ballpark development, said that the tax would cost the average family $50 a year. Other estimates have put the tax at roughly $40 a person. "We like to call it $1 a week," said Greenberg.
Steelers spokesman Joe Gordon said both teams had planned to offer their financial proposals this week, but yesterday's joint announcements were coincidental.
Pirate, Steeler contributions are drawing mixed reactions
By Eric Heyl
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
September 26, 1997
Mayor Tom Murphy believes the private contributions pledged Thursday by the Pirates and Steelers toward a new ballpark and a new football stadium will secure the franchises' future in Pittsburgh. Republican Allegheny County Commissioner Larry Dunn believes the teams' pledges are woefully inadequate. He plans to work harder to defeat a proposed 0.5 percent addition to the sales tax in 11 southwestern Pennsylvania counties to cover the bulk of the remaining stadium costs.
Reaction was mixed to the announcement the Steelers would ante up $50 million toward a proposed $185 million new football stadium and the Pirates would provide $35 million for a new $187 million to $200 million baseball-only ballpark.
In a prepared statement, Murphy said the teams' announcements should answer voters' questions about the sales tax increase. "The commitments put forward today by the owners will help to secure our winning major league teams for the future," stated Murphy, who supports the tax hike. "I am convinced that without their pledges and the availability of other resources, Pittsburgh will lose its major league status in the next five to 10 years."
Dunn, an ardent foe of the Regional Renaissance Partnership initiative to increase the sales tax, said, "You're talking over $400 million to build the two new stadiums and pay off the existing debt on Three Rivers. They've pledged $85 million, which is only about 20 percent of that cost. It's not enough."
Another prominent Republican, U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, disagreed. "Signing ironclad, long-term leases and securing the costs of the new facilities guarantees the dedication of the Pirates and Steelers to our region," Santorum said. "From a financial standpoint, these commitments affirm the teams' willingness to establish a strong, honest, public-private partnership."
Democratic Commissioner Mike Dawida, who supports the tax hike, said he was "pleasantly surprised" by the teams' pledges. "This will help make people understand this is not a total government bailout of rich athletes and sports teams," Dawida said. "This clearly is not the bailout some of the renaissance partnership foes have called it."
Republican Commissioner Bob Cranmer, who has not taken a public stand on the tax hike, said the teams revealing the dollar figure of their contribution would probably strengthen support for the tax hike. "I don't know if this will be enough to sway the public, but I think it will have a positive impact," Cranmer said. "There's no question that as much effort has been put into disguising this as an economic development plan. In most people's eyes, this is about stadiums."
The announcements did not change the minds of City Council President Jim Ferlo and City Councilman Gene Ricciardi, opponents of the new tax. "I think that's wonderful but they can have the current stadium for $50 million," said Ferlo said of the Steelers. Ferlo said he is willing to give the Steelers the land around Three Rivers Stadium to develop into a mall, which Rooney had originally planned. But he will not support the tax increase.
Ricciardi called the announcements "a step in the right direction." But he wants corporations - not taxpayers - to make up the funding difference.
Democratic Councilman Dan Cohen applauded Rooney's $50 million commitment. He noted the Steelers are willing to pay a higher percentage of the stadium than the Cincinnati Bengals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the St. Louis Rams. "We have been fortunate to have owners like the Rooneys who are so closely tied to the fabric of the Pittsburgh community," Cohen said. "The Rooneys have never threatened to leave the region. The real threat to the Steelers is from the competition from other cities and other regions."
Mayoral three debate fund sources
By Tom Smithyman
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
May 1, 1997 - Pittsburgh Councilman Bob O'Connor challenged his two mayoral opponents Thursday to promise not to use taxpayers' money to build new stadiums until the debt on Three Rivers Stadium is paid off. "I'm asking the mayor to sign the pledge," O'Connor said during a debate.
But Mayor Tom Murphy and Chaston Roston ignored O'Connor as he waved a copy of the Pittsburgh Stadium Pledge before the audience. The three are vying for the Democratic nomination in the May 20 primary election. The debate, in Rodef Shalom Temple in Oakland, was sponsored by the United Jewish Federation, the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Jewish Committee and the League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh. About 150 people attended the debate, which was broadcast live on the Pittsburgh Cable News Channel and KQV-AM.
Earlier this week, the Regional Renaissance Partnership announced it would attempt to place a referendum on the November ballot to create a temporary sales tax or some other levy to help pay for $1 billion in projects. The tax would impact 10 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania and pay for a new baseball-only stadium, renovation or replacement of Three Rivers, expansion of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and improvements to the Downtown Cultural District. It also could help fund projects outside Allegheny County.
O'Connor said it's wrong for taxpayers to be saddled with the cost of new stadiums for the Steelers and the Pirates. The notion is even more ridiculous considering the remaining debt on Three Rivers Stadium is $45 million, but the stadium cost only $35 million to build, O'Connor said. "The private sector told us there is going to be a tax," O'Connor said. "I'll have none of that."
Murphy did not say whether he supports the proposed tax but promised that he won't dip into the city treasury. "I've been clear that we cannot use city tax money for this," Murphy said.
Most of the projects, though, particularly the convention center expansion, are necessary because they will bring jobs to the city, he said. But O'Connor said the city already has spent tax dollars for the baseball stadium by buying the former Wesco building on the North Shore.
In December, the Urban Redevelopment Authority purchased the building for $3.6 million. The building is located on part of the site where the Pirates hope to play by 2001. Residents of the region - not Pittsburghers alone - should be responsible for a portion of the improvements, Murphy said. He stressed that team owners have pledged some money to the projects and the corporate sector also has said it will contribute funds.
But O'Connor said he was upset that business leaders haven't outlined precisely what their contribution will be. Roston's message to the teams was simple - find the money yourselves. "They're not going to mess around and take any money as long as I'm mayor," he said.
DeBartolo understands Steelers' needs
By Jerry DiPaola
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
March 21, 1997
In spite of president Dan Rooney's warnings about the need for a new stadium for the Steelers in the city of Pittsburgh, San Francisco 49ers owner Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. said he does not believe the NFL would allow the Steelers to go out of business.
Nonetheless, that does not minimize the need for a stadium, DeBartolo said. DeBartolo was in Pittsburgh Thursday to honor his father, former Penguins owner Eddie DeBartolo Sr., posthumously inducted into that team's Hall of Fame. Prior to a luncheon at the Civic Arena, he stopped in to visit with Rooney and his son, Art II, the Steelers' vice president and general counsel. "They showed me their plans (for a new stadium)," DeBartolo said. "They are very excited about maybe trying to do something. But they need a lot of cooperation from the city."
DeBartolo needs help himself. Voters in San Francisco will decide June 3 on a $100 million bond issue that will help finance a new stadium for the 49ers. DeBartolo's plan is to build a 1,700,000-square foot mall, attach it to the new stadium and allow sales revenue and taxes from the mall to pay down the bond debt. "It is not coming out of any city coffers or anybody's pocket," DeBartolo said. "It is a very low-risk, high-reward kind of deal."
Rooney is hoping for a similar retail project to gain momentum in western Pennsylvania where a new football stadium could cost as much as $200 million and a new baseball-only stadium for the Pirates could carry a $208 million price tag. Rooney hinted last week that the Steelers could go out of business in seven years without a new place to play. DeBartolo can not envision such a worst-case scenario occurring. "I don't think the NFL would allow that to happen ... the Steelers, their franchise, is like an icon. This is a magnificent franchise that has wonderful tradition, great fans, five Super Bowls and a wonderful family that owns it, and they want to stay here and be productive."
DeBartolo said many NFL teams need new stadiums with luxury boxes or stadium renovations to create additional sources of revenue. "I think this team (the Steelers) needs what a lot of teams need," he said. "It needs some new income streams to stay competitive. They deserve to have the city and state do whatever they can to make sure this team is able to be competitive. "It is a very serious problem for a lot of teams in the NFL," said DeBartolo, who added that revenue sharing of stadium proceeds among teams is not necessary. "Whether (teams) have an older stadium that is a good revenue-stream stadium or they have a new stadium that is being proposed, we need that income in order to keep the Green Bays equal with the New York teams or the San Francisco teams," DeBartolo said.
If San Francisco's June 3 referendum fails, DeBartolo said he will look at alternative sites in the Bay Area. Such a plan, however, carries no guarantees. "Like Pittsburgh, there are not a lot of 100-, 150-acre pieces."
Meanwhile, the business of operating a successful football franchise continues for DeBartolo and Rooney. DeBartolo had to smile last week when NFL owners approved dual ownership, allowing people such as Miami Dolphins owner H. Wayne Huizenga to also own the NHL's Florida Panthers and baseball's Florida Marlins. When DeBartolo's father owned the Penguins and 49ers, the NFL fined him $500,000. "I told Paul (commissioner Tagliabue) last week, I want a rebate. I will take any part of that $500,000."
The new rule does not help DeBartolo now, however, because he has no plans to purchase teams in other sports. "Thank God, no new teams," he said. DeBartolo also supported Rooney, Steelers coach Bill Cowher and the NFL's competition committee on its instant replay proposal that did not receive enough votes for approval. "A lot of coaches were for it," DeBartolo said, "but when their owners got in the room, they had second thoughts."
DeBartolo also believes in the salary cap, even though it forced him to recently restructure several players' contracts. "It keeps fiscal responsibility where it belongs," he said. "And in our sport, if we don't have fiscal responsibility, you see what happens in baseball. There are teams that are losing $30 million a year. You can't do that in football. The players are making money and the owners are either making money or breaking even, at worst, even if they go to the top of the cap. And that is the way it should be."
DeBartolo even begrudges Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who pays his players huge signing bonuses that circumvent the cap. "He is following the spirit of the cap the way he sees fit," DeBartolo said. "He is taking signing bonuses and taking them out over a period of time."
DeBartolo admits such economics is risky, but said, "He is working under the rules of the cap. He is just stretching them a little. To each his own."
Murky venues picture expected to clear
Three Rivers Stadium
By Eric Heyl
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
February 9, 1997
Uncertainties abound regarding the future of professional sports facilities in Pittsburgh, but the blurry picture is expected to focus somewhat in coming months. The questions are abundant:
* Will the Steelers decide to continue playing in Three Rivers Stadium after a renovation estimated at $120 million, or opt for a new facility costing $160 to $180 million?
* If the Steelers decide a new stadium is needed, will it be built locally or will the team listen to overtures from Washington or possibly Butler counties?
* Precisely how will the Pirates' proposed North Shore stadium, estimated to cost as much as $208 million, be financed?
* Will the Penguins get the $10.5 million in improvements to the Civic Arena the team has sought from the Allegheny Regional Asset District as a precursor to a more extensive renovation of the Igloo?
* Will the General Assembly agree to Gov. Tom Ridge's proposal to sell the state liquor store system to fund a new state authority that would help finance construction or renovation of sports and exhibition facilities across Pennsylvania?
That question may be the most critical. Last year, a task force appointed by Ridge recommended using the interest from the liquor store sale revenues so the state could fund between 15 and 35 percent of the cost of new or renovated sports and exposition centers in Pennsylvania.
Local sports and government officials are counting on the sale moving forward, because its proceeds are vital completing these projects. However, past attempts to sell state liquor stores have gone nowhere.
The fact that Pittsburgh's three professional sports teams each are exploring new or extensively upgraded facilities provides a daunting challenge - one Mayor Tom Murphy believes the city and region can meet. "I think as a community - not Pittsburgh only - but as a community, that we can be successful in keeping these teams without any significant and additional burden on taxpayers," Murphy said. "But we need to be smart about how we do it."
Whether the Steelers will remain in a refurbished Three Rivers Stadium, opt for a new North Side stadium or build a facility perhaps in Washington or Butler counties should be determined by spring. Last year at this time, there was little thought of the Steelers abandoning Three Rivers. The team and Pittsburgh Stadium Authority had begun exploring how best to convert it into a football-only facility once the Pirates move.
Original estimates to make Three Rivers comparable to state-of-the-art National Football League facilities stood at about $75 million. But a study conducted by the nation's leading noted sports architectural firm, HOK Sport of Kansas City, Mo., pegged the figure considerably higher - as much as $120 million.
The renovation would include expanding the seating from 59,662 to 64,783; reconfiguring the entire 100 and 200 stadium levels; adding club seats and luxury suites; adding a bar, restaurant and sports-themed retail shop; and building dramatic glass atriums at each of the stadium's four gates to increase concourse space.
The exorbitant cost of the extensive renovation prompted the Steelers and the stadium authority in December to approve a $40,000 study by HOK to explore whether a new stadium would be best. The answer to that question is crucial, as it will impact the $600 million retail, entertainment and sports complex on the North Side proposed by the Rooney family, which owns the Steelers.
Steelers vice president and general counsel Art Rooney II said a decision on the stadium question would be made during the year's first quarter. But he has admitted there may be more logic to building a new facility rather than staying in Three Rivers, whose infrastructure would be three decades old when the renovation is finished. "There are a number of things, potentially, that a new stadium would offer ... that the Three Rivers rehabilitation wouldn't," Rooney said.
Most recently, new NFL stadiums have been built for between $160 million and $200 million. Rooney believes the Steelers could be playing in a new facility in two or three years, where the renovations to Three Rivers would not be completed until at least 2001.
That's also when the Pirates hope to be playing in their new stadium adjacent to the Sixth Street Bridge. Plans call for the new 35,000- to 37,000-seat ballpark to have a breathtaking view of the Downtown skyline, 60 to 70 lounge suites, 500 to 3,500 club seats and a 15,000- to 20,000-square-foot stadium club.
Team and city officials this year are expected to release a proposed financing package for the new ballpark. The Pirates have stated they will contribute perhaps as much as $20 million.
Pirates managing general partner Kevin McClatchy ruffled feathers in November when he suggested that a sales tax increase may be needed to fund the stadium. He quickly backed off that suggestion, saying that was merely one financing alternative.
Other funding possibilities that have been discussed include increasing hotel and rental car taxes, selling the stadium naming rights and tapping Allegheny Regional Asset District revenues. But it's unlikely a specific financing plan will be in place until the General Assembly resolves the liquor store issue.
The RAD was asked in November by the Allegheny County commissioners and Murphy to provide $10.5 million in renovations to the Civic Arena, culminating nearly a year of frequently tense negotiations among the Penguins, city and county.
The upgrade would include converting 1,400 seats into a premium seating area, renovating the Penguins' offices and adding a dozen luxury boxes, a restaurant and food courts. In January, the RAD voted down the renovation plan after board members complained they had insufficient time to study the improvement package and $2.4 million in financial assistance to the team.
The RAD may still reconsider the proposal. But Penguins owner Howard Baldwin, who said he has lost money for the past three years, was perturbed when the funding request was rejected. "Here I am sitting in the oldest building in the league, asking for $10.5 million in improvements and I can't seem to get it," he complained. "I understand these are difficult times, I know the Pirates are hitting them for this and that and the Steelers want some things," Baldwin said. "I'm telling them that for now I can make it work in a refurbished building, but they don't see the urgency."
Murphy appears aware of the exigency, although there is a hint of resignation in his remarks as he faces yet another year of dealing with the professional sports version of keeping up with the Joneses. "All three teams are facing the same pressures. None of us have to like it. I don't like it," he said. "But that's the market. And there are 20 cities waiting to take our teams if we blink."
SPORTS COLUMN
Rooney's plea for stadium doesn't convince writer
By Sam Ross Jr.
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
December 24, 1996
The millennium approaches and doom sayers are on the lookout for signs of the apocalypse. Their field of search ranges from the cryptic writings of Nostradamus to a curious condition of the contemporary entertainment industry, which currently boasts both a feature movie and a recurring cable show based on sports agents.
There are other signs. I'm convinced the end is near because the Steelers organization is stricken with a severe case of envy regarding a pair of second-year expansion franchises. What do the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars have that the Steelers don't? How long have you got?
The Panthers and Jaguars each play in palatial, state-of-the-art stadiums. Steelers owner Dan Rooney is quoted in the Carolina media guide enthusing of Ericsson Stadium, "This is an amazing facility." What I find most amazing is that Ericsson Stadium was privately financed, all $184 million of it. Taxpayers contributed to this sporting edifice only if they wished to purchase permanent seat licenses for costs ranging from $600 to $4,500.
Crack open the Jacksonville media guide to Page 249 and Rooney offers the first quote there, ahead of Jaguars head coach Tom Coughlin and team owner Wayne Weaver, lionizing (if we can mix cat metaphors) the Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. "You could say it's money well spent," Rooney said. I would if I were hoping for a similar playpen for my team.
Unlike in Charlotte, this was taxpayers' money well spent, $138 million of municipal bonds that covered the construction cost. It's probably mere coincidence that Rooney got his first look at Jacksonville's stadium and the plans for Ericsson, and decided Three Rivers Stadium didn't have that certain appeal it once did. But while we're suffering this case of stadium envy, let's not forget the other things these two expansion teams have that we don't.
It is a lengthy list ranging from milder climate in their home cities to a first-round playoff bye in the case of Carolina. They have more colorful uniforms, a combined winning record against the Steelers, and growing populations. A couple of more things, they have cheerleaders and mascots. The second is a particularly timely subject.
In the second quarter of an 18-14 Steelers loss Sunday, Carolina punted into the end zone and the black hair ball known as Panthers mascot Sir Purr pounced on the ball before the play was blown dead. Penalty flags flew - mascot interference? - but were picked up and the properly chastised Sir Purr was not seen again until well into the third quarter. Steelers coach Bill Cowher was caught on the sidelines laughing at the antics of Sir Purr and afterward said, "It's OK. He is harmless."
Harmless? Sir Purr's contributions, including his "Tootsee Roll" dance which stokes the passions of the crowd, merit an entire page in the media guide. It's surprising a coach as attuned to the benefits of crowd support as Cowher hasn't long ago requisitioned a mascot to help the cause.
Shortly after Sir Purr did his thing, an act that got him onto the ESPN highlights, and a few hundred miles to the south, Jacksonville's Jax de Ville had to be warned off shaking the goal posts through which Atlanta's Morten Andersen was about to attempt to kick a game-winning field goal. Two officials suggested Jax find another scratching post, but apparently the damage already had been done. Some will chalk up the miss to the chopped up turf and poor footing. Others will talk of fate. I'm giving the credit to Jax for distracting Andersen and causing him to miss the 30-yard field goal, his first such failure after 59 consecutive successes from 30 yards and closer.
As long as the Steelers have begun their keeping-up-with-the-expansion-cats wish list, a mascot is worth adding. A life-size Tickle Me Elmo wearing a hard hat would be nice. And the Steelers, assuming they didn't deal with Elmo scalpers, could cover the cost without any help from the public sector.
Sam Ross Jr. is a columnist for the Tribune-Review.
