Financial Services Ratings

BUY DOR by reks on 31 Jul 2014 14:03

Price at rating: 0.15, now:

Hightex (HTIG) United States Tennis Association unveiled an ambitious renovation plan that reportedly cost $500 million and included two new stadiums, it was easy to notice what was not in the project.r By stocktalkr 31 Jul 2014 13:09:55 r Expected to cost more than $100 million, according to a U.S. Open press release, the roof is part of a larger, $550-million project to modernize the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The larger project will include construction of a new Louis Armstrong Stadium, a new grandstand, wider walkways, and improved roadway infrastructure around the grounds.r r The USTA retained ROSSETTI to create a new 20-year vision plan for the center, and the architecture firm is involved in other aspects of the project beyond the roof. Once the project is completed, the center will be able to accommodate an additional 10,000 visitors per day, increasing overall annual attendance by approximately 100,000, according to the press release.r In each of the last five years, as rainy weather created havoc with the United States Open schedule and forced the men’s final to a Monday afternoon, the question got louder.r Where’s the roof?r As Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open announced plans to add roofed stadiums to their facilities, the lack of one at the United States Open became more glaring.r Where’s the roof?r Last year, when the United States Tennis Association unveiled an ambitious renovation plan that reportedly cost $500 million and included two new stadiums, it was easy to notice what was not in the project.r Where’s the roof?r At last, the U.S.T.A. has an answer, announcing Wednesday that a retractable roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium would now be part of the renovation.r The news release Wednesday did not explain when the roof would be built or how much it would cost, and U.S.T.A. officials declined to comment on the project until a news conference Thursday with the roof’s designer.r The U.S.T.A. would probably like the roof to be in the first wave of its planned renovation, which could include a new Grandstand court by 2015. Under the previously announced plan, a new 15,000-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium could support a roof, but officials said at the time that Armstrong would not get a roof until Ashe did.r U.S.T.A. officials have long said they were committed to adding a roof on Ashe once technology allowed it. Over the past decade, they had commissioned at least four roof studies. The swamplike soil underneath Ashe and the size of the building, which seats more than 22,500, make adding a roof an engineering challenge. U.S.T.A. officials have emphasized that an Ashe roof would need to be five times larger than the one that spans Wimbledon’s Centre Court.r Rossetti Architects, the firm retained for the planned renovations, is also designing the roof for Ashe Stadium. Over the past 20 years, Rossetti Architects has designed a variety of major sports facilities around the world. Among its projects are soccer stadiums, including Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., but the only tennis site on its résumé is in Indian Wells, Calif., and it does not have a roof.r The United States Open was the only Grand Slam event that did not have an existing roof or plans for one on at least one showcase court. Melbourne Park, site of the Australian Open, has retractable roofs on two courts, with a third expected to be completed in time for the 2015 tournament.r Sources are now saying the same British company will build the new roof as its wimbledon build has been a worldwide success as has its Brazil Olympics venture.r Centre Court at Wimbledon gained its retractable roof in 2009, and the All England Club announced this year that a retractable roof would be put on Court 1 by 2019.r On 17 May 2009, Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) in Wimbledon tested the functionality of its new retractable roof with upgraded 15,000-seat capacity. Designed and put in place by Hightex, 5,200m² of folding PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) fabric concertina will protect Centre Court from inclement weather.r Part of the long-term plan that the club announced in January 2004, the 40% translucent roof would allow natural light in but keep the dampness off the ground by controlled air conditioning. Another benefit of the roof is to maintain the optimum temperature for the growth of natural grass. The folding roof is 65m × 75m of waterproof translucent material. Galliford Try was the main contractor partnered with AELTC.r The seating capacity has been increased from 13,800 to 15,000 with an extra 470mm seat spacing. The new stand also features additional stairs and lifts.r "Wimbledon's lightweight fabric retractable roof is set to retain the open-to-air stadium and focus spectators' attention on the action."r Capita Symonds provided the structural engineering services, while Populous (Formerly HOK Sport) of London was the architect for the roof.r Wimbledon retractable roofr With a total of nine bays of structural fabric, the retractable roof is divided into two sections, with four bays in one section and five in the other. Ten steel trusses, each weighing 70t and spanning 77m, fasten the bays. Each truss is supported by a set of wheels that move along a track.r Hydraulic jacks and arms move the trusses apart and stretch the fabric between them until the north and south sections seam the court. The speed of truss deployment is 214mm a second.r The coordinated electro mechanical movement also unfolds and stretches the fabric between the trusses until the two sections meet in an overlapping seam above the middle of the court.r The GORE TENARA architectural fabric, a patented PTFE material, is 0.5mm thick. The arch shape of the roof provides a clearance of 16m for high balls. The roof can withstand up to 43mph (69km/h) wind speeds.r In preparation for closing the roof, one section is parked in its folded state at the north end of the court while the other is parked at the south end.r Euro Quality Coatings (EQC) coated the new retractable roof system with Interpon D1036 polyester powder, coating the aluminum flashings and fabrications around the retractable roof to match the roof design.r Air-circulation systemr The circulation system will have to pump in 8l of fresh air a second, per person, to keep the temperature in the closed stadium at specified levels (24°C ± 2°C, with 50% ±10% relative humidity based on ambient conditions of 27°C with 72% relative humidity). It will also pump 143,000l of conditioned air a second to insulate the grass court from moisture.r It takes about ten minutes for the roof to unfold completely. During this time, traditional covering of the pitch will help the game to resume within ten to 30 minutes depending on the weather. The roof also improves the stadium's acoustics.r Lighting facilitiesr When natural light fails to meet visibility levels, it can be aided by a bespoke-design sports lighting system installed on the trusses. There are 72 indirect and 48 direct truss-mounted sports luminaries. On the turf, horizontal lighting level is 3,200 lux and for service and shots in the air, the vertical lighting level is 1,900 lux.r History of the Wimbledon roofr The original roof, built in the inaugural year 1922, was replaced in 1992. After the 2006 championships the roof was removed and 2007 championships were played with no roof.r "Centre Court's new folding roof is 65m × 75m of waterproof translucent material."r The new Centre Court roof comprises two distinct roofs. The main fixed roof is modelled on the 1922 dodecahedron form and covers the perimeter of the court. Above the fixed perimeter roof, the lightweight fabric retractable roof is set to retain the open-to-air stadium and focus spectators' attention on the action.r The placement of the roof followed the demolition and reconstruction of the existing east wing, together with the provision of an additional six rows of seating around the east, north and west wings.r On 17 May 2009, Andre Agassi with Stefanie Maria Graf and Tim Henman with Kim Clijsters inaugurated the closed-court game and successfully tested the air-conditioning system under the new roof. They were joined by opera singers Katherine Jenkins and Faryl Smith in the inaugural ceremony.r A new center court with a retractable roof is expected at Roland Garros, site of the French Open, if its renovation plan gains government approval. Recently, a local court ruling threw up a roadblock to the project, but tournament and city officials insisted it would go forward.r The U.S.T.A. confirmed last month to the Sports Business Journal that plans were proceeding on an Ashe roof, but the association had not yet received the necessary approval from the city and state of New York, nor had it determined a price or how exactly it would be paid for.r Wimbledon announced its Centre Court roof plan in 2004, construction began in 2007, and it was completed in 2009. Roland Garros officials have said they hope to have a roofed stadium by 2018, which means that if the U.S.T.A. can fast-track its renovations, it might beat the French Open in shielding its matches from rain.r When Ashe’s roof is finished, it will be a popular feature among players and fans, but it will not solve all the rain-delay problems, particularly if they come early in the tournament. Only so many matches can be played on the main stadium court, leaving the outside courts vulnerable to the elements.r “For certain reasons, it’s great,” said Andy Murray, the defending Open champion, at a news conference at the Western & Southern Open in Mason, Ohio. “For TV and stuff, it’s fantastic. Always good that you know matches are going to get finished.r “I don’t particularly like going from indoors to outdoors to indoors. It’s also tough. But it’s good for TV. It’s good for fans that are watching. For the players that are scheduled on that court, it’s great.”r The tournament would like to keep its television partners happy, particularly because it recently announced an 11-year, $825 million contract with ESPN, which succeeds the rights deal with CBS that runs out in 2014.r “We love that the U.S.T.A. will have a roof come 2016 or 2017, and it will ensure an expedient conclusion to the U.S. Open,” said Jason Bernstein, ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions.r ESPN was aware that a roof over Ashe was not among the improvements that the U.S.T.A. was planning while contract talks were going on.r “The fact that it will change will bring the venue to new heights,” Bernstein said. “It ensures that the matches will be completed, and therefore the tournament will go on as scheduled.”r Serena Williams, the world’s No. 1 player and a member of the WTA players’ council, said players had been briefed on the Open’s plans.r “Obviously, it’s going to be great,” she said at a news conference at the Western & Southern Open. While noting that “it’s going to take a really long time,” she added, “It’s good to know that they’re going for it.”

Score: 7.50

BUY PLUS by SalopTractor on 30 Jul 2014 14:03

Price at rating: 454.44, now:

results soon and support at these levels. big divi paid also!

Score: 62.50

BUY DOR by BuyBAO on 28 Jul 2014 08:23

Price at rating: 0.15, now:

HH Spud, take your positions!

Score: 80.00

BUY DOR by sandgrounder on 28 Jul 2014 08:22

Price at rating: 0.15, now:

Countdown to HH Spud!

Score: 80.00

BUY STGR by BuyBAO on 26 Jul 2014 16:37

Price at rating: 7.78, now:

After a root-and-branch overhaul of the mine, which employs 85, the problems of low recoveries and low-grade production, which resulted in a 60 per cent drop in the share price, have been dealt with, he explains.r r Full production is expected in 2016 along with a £5.6m operating profit.r r The latest exploration results at a neighbouring deposit could extend the current 10-year life of the mine, say analysts.r r Other factors in StratMin’s favour include the easy accessibility of Loharono’s surface ore lowering development costs, the relatively clean processes deployed that do not require chemicals to crush deposits, and trends among international traders to seek out consistent, reliable alternative sources beyond traditional ones such as China.r r “There is a lot of excitement around graphene, as a graphite producer we are definitely feeling the glow,“ says Yannaghas.r r According to the company Madagascar’s continued political uncertainty has not posed any challenges to its 40-year operating licence, and with a current market cap of around £8 million, “StratMin has yet to be rerated as a producer and we continue to believe it is significantly undervalued,” adds broker Northland Capital Partners.

Score: 88.75