Portland's Memorial Coliseum -- once slated for the slagheap -- could be transformed into a public market or community center, as plans for its reuse are evaluated by the Portland Development Commission.

The Minnesota Twins unveiled the first sustainable field-irrigation system, as the team announced in conjunction with Pentair a custom-designed Rain Water Recycle System (RWRS) that will capture, conserve and reuse rain water at Target Field. Pentair’s RWRS is estimated to reduce the need for municipal water at Target Field by over 50 percent, helping the ballpark to qualify for LEED certification and saving more than 2 million gallons of water annually.

An attempt to address two big issues facing the Tacoma Dome -- budget deficits and inefficient energy consumption -- fell through when Tacoma Power turned down a naming-rights offer from the city worth some $1.25 million over five years. Tacoma Power is a regulated utility, and officials felt it was a poor use of the firm's limited marketing budget.