From horse racing to the NFL’s Tom Brady to the Baltimore Orioles, sports dominated the most popular stories generated by The Daily Record’s business reporters last week. And the latest twist in the city’s quest for a new sports arena cracked the top five after only day on our website.

1. Penn National backs plan to close Laurel, cut racing in Maryland

“From a business perspective, again, these are losing operations that will continue to be in decline without some alternative revenue stream or these types of steep cuts,” said D. Eric Schippers, a Penn National spokesman. The company’s position made public rifts that have developed in the corporate family that runs thoroughbred racing in Maryland.

2. Under Armour signs Tom Brady

For its first NFL quarterback endorser Under Armour aimed high, and the Baltimore-based company didn’t miss, signing three-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady of the New England Patriots to help it wrest market share from rivals like Nike Inc.

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All right, before you start freaking out over that subject line, I’m sure Camden Yards is perfectly safe. But it did get you to click on this post, didn’t it?

But as for the question at hand, we may have a specific answer in a few months after a safety study on the ballpark is finished. The Maryland Stadium Authority recently hired Chicago-based Hillard Heintze to conduct a comprehensive security threat and vulnerability assessment of the Camden Yards Sport Complex (which includes the ballpark, the warehouse and M&T Bank Stadium).

Stadium Authority officials at their last public meeting mentioned that the impact the sports complex’s proximity to D.C. was an element they wanted covered.

But here’s my question — what about the little things? The last several times I’ve gone to either ballpark (D.C. or Baltimore), I’ve noticed the bag check at the security has gone a little lax. So far it’s just encouraged me to try and sneak food into Nationals Park (thank you O’s for letting me bring in my own food without the risk of getting mustard on my wallet).  But what kind of tricks could ill-intentioned people pull?

And the same does not go for football games — especially the Ravens, which seems like the equivalent of going through airport security. At least it is for the guys…finally a perk to being a woman that involves shorter lines!

What’s your assessment as a fan of the security at sporting games? Are some venues in this region better than others?

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Well, it looks like Alison Asti can finally sleep at night.

After about seven months of intense media scrutiny, rampant rumors and political infighting, the Maryland Stadium Authority’s executive director is out of a job.

Wednesday, she reached a deal to resign with the MSA board and the Attorney General’s office. A visibly relieved Asti talked to reporters afterward, and, while not happy with losing the job she’s had for 14 years, at least she has the closure.

On the phone Thursday morning, she sounded relaxed and even joked around a bit.

Fred Puddester, the MSA board chairman, also was relieved. He stepped into the MSA in July and was immediately confronted with the political hand grenade that was Asti’s future, litigation with the Orioles and a threatened hunger strike by day laborers.

“This is a tough job,” he joked with reporters after Wednesday’s meeting. Wednesday afternoon, while reporters with looming deadlines sat for three excruciating hours like expectant fathers in one of MSA’s conference rooms, Puddester did his best Henry Kissinger imitation, going back and forth between the board, Asti and J.B. Howard — deputy attorney general — brokering a deal that would make everyone happy.

In the end, it seems to have worked. The board approved her resignation unanimously and now all that’s missing is the dotting of the I’s, the crossing of the T’s and the approval of the Board of Public Works. But take it from someone who has been covering this story with so many peaks and valleys for a while now, until the ink is dry on the agreement anything can happen.

So, do you think Asti was treated fairly? What happens at the MSA next?

Let us know what you think.

-LOUIS LLOVIO, Business Writer

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