Rose Bowl Gets Wembley Experts

Sports Business Journal is reporting that the Rose Bowl Operating Co. has partnered with International Stadia Group (ISG), the firm that helped redo Wembley Stadium "to explore private funding for what could be a $160 million renovation of the 87-year-old facility in Pasadena, Calif." The renovations have been planned for some time, but now officials are saying the changes will cost far less (but they'll still involve an emphasis on luxury seating with the seating being extended, but not by building up.). Via an older Pasadena Star-News: "The revised plan also means less construction, which has long been a concern of residents in neighborhoods surrounding the Rose Bowl. Nearby residents also favor other parts of the revised plan, including keeping neighborhood views intact by eliminating plans to extend the height of the stadium's luxury box. "As an overall plan, we think it is a substantial move in the right direction," said Norman Parker, president of the Linda Vista/Annandale Association of homeowners." [SBJ/PSN]