The Lightning, enjoying a bump from a long playoff run and from holding the line on prices, has sold about 3,800 new, full season tickets, CEO Tod Leiweke said last week. Coupled with about 4,500 renewals on about 5,000 full season tickets from last season, the team, at 8,300, is closing in on its goal of 10,000 to 12,000. If it gets to that point, Leiweke said, and including partial season tickets and specialty packages such as 10-packs, "We're close to selling out every night."

:kukorica:


A MAKEOVER: Renovations to the St. Pete Times Forum began last week, Leiweke said. The $35 million project was delayed because of Tampa Bay's extended playoff run. But Leiweke said with crews working at least double shifts six days a week, most of the project, except for the expanded west entrance, should be completed by the Lightning's October home opener. The first thing demolished was the Times Forum kitchen. "No staff lunch," Leiweke wrote in a text.