--The Magic staged an extensive ground-breaking ceremony July 25 to drum up enthusiasm for the new downtown area. The arena, which will be located just a few blocks from their current building, is expected to open for the 2010-11 season. It will be owned and operated by the city, but the Magic are putting an estimated $80 million into the project.
--The new arena is coming with a promise from NBA commissioner David Stern that the city will be in line to host an NBA All-Star Game. The Magic are shooting for the game in 2012. --Keyon Dooling wanted to stay in Orlando, but he also wanted to be paid more than the $1.9 million salary the Magic had offered. He received a three-year, $9 million from the Nets. He said there was no bitterness toward the Magic. "It was a business decision on their part," Dooling said. "I had a great (three-year) run there. I thank them for that."
--The Magic are looking for some positive publicity from the arena ground-breaking ceremony after getting socked recently from county commissioners, who complained that the team was slow in its earlier promises to help build several community gymnasiums around town.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We needed the flexibility down the road." -- General manager Otis Smith, regarding the trade exception he received from New Jersey in the sign-and-trade of Keyon Dooling.
