Talk » ballroom large enough to host major fundraisers

MADRID -- Playing at Camp Nou hasnt always been a pleasant experience for Barcelona this season.The Catalan club is used to thriving at the stadium no matter the opponent, but Saturdays heartbreaking draw against rival Real Madrid in the Spanish league was just the latest disappointing setback at home for the two-time defending champions.The late equalizer by Madrid defender Sergio Ramos handed Barcelona its third consecutive draw, and second in a row at Camp Nou. In seven home league matches this season, it won only three times and endured an embarrassing 2-1 loss to promoted Alaves in the third round.We are losing more points than usual at home, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said. We are lacking strength at Camp Nou.Saturdays draw kept Barcelona six points behind leader Madrid after 14 rounds. The win would have cut the rivals lead to three points and put the Catalan club right back in the title hunt.We have to improve, especially at home, Luis Enrique said. We have to improve our numbers, because when playing in our stadium we are far from where we need to be if we want to win the league.Victory against Madrid also would have helped re-establish the teams confidence after an unusual sequence of disappointing results. Barcelona has won only two of its last seven matches in all competitions -- 2-0 at Celtic in the Champions League and 2-1 at Sevilla in the Spanish league. Among the setbacks was a 1-1 draw against third-division club Hercules in the Copa del Rey, when Luis Enrique rested his regular starters.The other home draws by Barcelona this season were against Malaga (0-0) and Atletico Madrid (1-1). The victories came against Real Betis (6-2), Deportivo La Coruna (4-0) and Granada (1-0), all teams that are near the bottom of the Spanish league standings.The draw against Madrid felt even more disappointing considering that Barcelona played well in the second half and had two great chances to put the game away, first through Neymar and then Lionel Messi. Both missed from close range.This can happen when you dont seal the victory when you have a chance, Barcelona forward Luis Suarez said. We have to find a way to show our strength when playing at home and keep putting pressure on Madrid.There is some reason for optimism thanks to the successful return of Andres Iniesta, who had been sidelined for more than a month because of a knee injury. The team improved significantly on Saturday after the star midfielder entered the match in the second half.Despite what happened in the end, we played well enough to win, Iniesta said. We played a great match.Barcelonas next home game is Tuesday against German side Borussia Moenchengladbach in the final round of the group stage of the Champions League. Barcelona has already secured first place in Group C, which also has Manchester City and Celtic.Its next Spanish league game is at Osasuna on Saturday.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni Vapormax Flyknit Pas Cher . After slipping from the summit during the week, the Gunners overcame struggling Crystal Palace 2-0 on Sunday thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlains second-half brace. Vapormax 95 Pas Cher . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. http://www.vapormaxpaschersoldes.fr/vente-air-vapormax-97/vapormax-97-blanche.html .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. Vapormax Flyknit 3 Noir . Ouellette, from Montreal, already has three Olympic gold medals since joining the team in 1999. Vapormax 2019 Blanche . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. CROMWELL, Conn. -- The PGA Tour, which almost pulled out of Connecticut a decade ago, is making another major investment in its TPC River Highlands golf course, which last week was the site of the best score in tour history.The announcement was made in Hartford during the Travelers Championship tournament by PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, who said the PGA would build a 32,000-square foot facility at the Cromwell course that will open before the pros tee off at the course in 2019.Its the latest in a series of boosts to the course, which golfers say have been turning the Travelers from an afterthought into a tournament that can attract the sports biggest names. The course made international headlines Sunday when Jim Furyk shot a 58 during final round of the Travelers, the lowest score in tour history.The clubhouse project follows the construction of a state-of-the art practice facility and driving range at the course in 2008 and $3.5 million in course renovations and aesthetic changes over the past year, which included changing bunkers and greens and viewing areas for the fans.Andy Bessette, Travelers chief administrative officer and executive vice president, called the announcement the last cog in the wheel to have a phenomenal facility here for the Tour.The tournament was in jeopardy before Travelers signed on in 2007 as a title sponsor, with the PGA considering relegating the course to hosting an event on its Champions Tour, for older golfers.Instead, Travelers committed to making it a showcasee event, increasing the purse and putting money into the practice facility, a fan zone that includes games and a rock-climbing wall, corporate tents and programming such as big-name concerts during the tournament and outings for the golfers families.dddddddddddd It now has a sponsorship deal that runs through 2024.Theyve elevated it one of the best we have all year, said golfer Bubba Watson, who won the tournament in 2010 and 2015. Theyre one of the best, if not the best sponsor we have.But the current two-story clubhouse is among the smallest on tour.Preliminary plans call for a ballroom large enough to host major fundraisers, a dining area for the golfers and their families and a store that would be open to the public.A new facility would eliminate the costs now associated with building temporary structures yearly to handle those types of functions, said Nathan Grube, tournament director.The tournament is one of the states biggest fundraisers, donating all of its net proceeds -- $2.8 million this year -- to more than 100 non-profits.No price tag has been set for the new facility. Grube said the PGA will be picking up the bulk of the cost of the clubhouse, but Travelers and the tournament have agreed to chip in.It really was not that long ago that we were talking about what is the future of this event? Grube said. This is a very clear sign that the Tour likes being here.