Will the opening of Red Bull Park be delayed by construction problems?

It's too early to tell for sure, but it is a possibility, according to Nick Sakiewicz, president of Anschutz Entertainment Group New York/New Jersey.

The 25,000-seat soccer-specific stadium in Harrison, N.J. is targeted to open in July, 2008. But that could change if there are general delays in construction or a bad winter.

"It's hard to tell right now because of the construction schedule is so far out," Sakiewicz said earlier this week. "We're still targeting the middle of '08. But there's no way of putting an absolute certainty on it because we're not deep into the construction schedule. Usually, you don't nail down an opening until you're really six or seven months out."

That won't be until January, 2008.

Sakiewicz said that he would like to see the long-awaited stadium open next summer.

"I would," he said. "At the same time, if it goes past the middle of the summer, at what point, do the Red Bulls decide, 'Well, it doesn't make sense in opening the stadium up in August, September or October. Might as well wait until the '09 season'."

Even if the Red Bulls decide to put off playing in the new park until 2009, AEG still could plan events at the new stadium as long as it was finished.

"If it gets pushed back to August or September," Sakiewicz said. "We're still going to do events there. Red Bull may elect to open the '09 season. We're still going to open the building. We've got a lot of other programs."

The Red Bulls will play it by ear.

"We have a flexible time line," Red Bulls managing director Marc de Grandpre said. "We're not going to rush to finish it with one game left in the 2008 season if we run into unforeseen problems next winter. We have a flexible time line that says by this time if we know we're not going to be in by X-date. We'll make sure its done properly and move in in '09. There's no need to cut corners to get there for a few extra games in '08."