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Old 02-12-2013, 09:30 AM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
27,798 posts, read 32,424,754 times
Reputation: 14611

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TAMPA --

Yet another group is considering ways to help break the stalemate over a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council is a collection of Bay area politicians and government appointees best known for economic development and disaster planning, and for studying transportation issues.

It usually stays out of the limelight, but Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist, who also serves on the planning council, is trying to push it into one of the region's hottest issue, the Rays stadium debate.

At a planning council meeting last week, Crist said the group offers the perfect forum for negotiations among the Rays, St. Petersburg and other stadium players.

Its role is to bring the Bay area's governments together to solve problems, Crist said, so why not solve the tug-of-war over the Rays?

"Whatever decision is made, shouldn't it be a collaborative one?" he said.

Enough fellow council members agreed that the planning council instructed its staff to investigate what role it can and should play.

"Can we be a facilitator between the parties, all parties, to move this forward?" asked Bob Minning, the mayor of Treasure Island and the planning council's chairman.

If it jumps into the ring, the planning council would be at least the third group or individual politician to consider brokering a regional discussion on the Rays.

The Tampa Bay Partnership, a regional group of business leaders and economic development agencies, is looking to get more involved, possibly by brokering discussions. And Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan has said he plans to convene a regional discussion on how to keep the Rays in the area.

Some St. Petersburg officials think the regional bodies ought to mind their own business.

John Wolfe, in-house attorney for St. Petersburg, said any discussions should start with the Rays and St. Petersburg and no one else. Although the Rays have said they want to leave Tropicana Field, the team is contractually bound to play there through 2027.

Wengay Newton, a St. Petersburg councilman who sits on the regional planning council, suggested the planning council focus more on the area's transportation needs than baseball. If it wants to get involved in sports, study how to get people to and from Tropicana Field and Raymond James Stadium more efficiently, he said.

"You've got all these people hollering about a regional asset," Newton said. "Well, the region should come support (the Rays) where they're at."
Regional group may look into Tampa Bay Rays stadium fray | TBO.com
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Old 02-12-2013, 09:43 AM
 
1,106 posts, read 2,282,661 times
Reputation: 962
Quote:
Originally Posted by SeaSpur View Post
No reason to get bent out of shape and go accusing me of misleading information, because while you may find other lots with cheaper...the stadium parking lot and around it- you will pay $15-25 per game to park. Those are the facts.

While I don't mind walking at all, a lot of people either can't or do not feel comfortable parking far away on a random street with no security late at night. It is a legitimate concern.

As for my $350 figure, that was quoted directly from me by the Rays front office because I am purchasing season tickets for the upcoming season. Of course I don't have to buy it, but that is the discounted price for the number of games I would attend.
Okay, so what? I'm not exactly sure what your point is, except to say that if you would like to pay more for parking to be right next to the stadium, that option exists. There are also $5 and free options within a few blocks of the park, too, so your $15-25 range is incorrect.

If people are uncomfortable parking for $5 near Ferg's and walking one block to the stadium, then they probably shouldn't be leaving the group home in the first place.

The group of guys I bought my season tickets with gave them up because we were able to put together a package of 100-level seats between the dugouts far cheaper using StubHub. There are too many games where you can get a 75% discount on tickets, rather than the 25% or so that the team offers for the season. I would, however, take them up on the parking package if they offered it as a stand-alone product. $8 a game is pretty cheap to park right next to the stadium.
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Old 02-13-2013, 02:54 AM
 
Location: Houston, TX
4,678 posts, read 9,889,641 times
Reputation: 1960
Quote:
Originally Posted by gonzoUSF View Post
As does Detroit and a couple other cities, I am not saying the city can't have a casino. What I am saying is, sports franchises i.e; MLB, MLS, NFL, NBA etc., typically do not want to be near major casinos, near as in right next door. It's a huge conflict of interest.
Harrah's Casino in New Orleans is literally 1 mile east of the Superdome.

The MGM Casino in Detroit is literally .8 miles west of Ford Field and .6 miles from Comerica Park.

The Lumiere Hotel and Casino in St. Louis is .5 miles east of Edward Jones Dome and 1.1 miles from Busch Stadium.

It's a fair bet that most people could/would walk a mile for a sporting event. I've done it multiple times.
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Old 02-13-2013, 06:38 AM
 
99 posts, read 146,526 times
Reputation: 126
You are not getting the point, it's widely know that major sports franchises do not want to be near major casinos. Of the above examples you listed, nearly all of the sports venues were either built or had been built before the casino came along, for example the Lumiere opened in 2007, well before the Dome and before construction on Busch Stadium, same goes for the Superdome which was built way before the casino. Detroit is the only one that had the casino built first, but when you are in a dense urban setting, trying to place a football arena and ballpark, you can't be picky with locations. Again I'm not saying a city can't have a casino near a sports venue, what I am saying is they would much rather avoid it.

Again it's widely known that sports teams try to avoid casinos. Exactly why Las Vegas has zero pro teams obviously, LAs Vegas is a little different to compare, but it is the same premise.
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Old 02-14-2013, 12:44 AM
 
Location: Houston, TX
4,678 posts, read 9,889,641 times
Reputation: 1960
Quote:
Originally Posted by gonzoUSF View Post
You are not getting the point, it's widely know that major sports franchises do not want to be near major casinos. Of the above examples you listed, nearly all of the sports venues were either built or had been built before the casino came along, for example the Lumiere opened in 2007, well before the Dome and before construction on Busch Stadium, same goes for the Superdome which was built way before the casino. Detroit is the only one that had the casino built first, but when you are in a dense urban setting, trying to place a football arena and ballpark, you can't be picky with locations. Again I'm not saying a city can't have a casino near a sports venue, what I am saying is they would much rather avoid it.

Again it's widely known that sports teams try to avoid casinos. Exactly why Las Vegas has zero pro teams obviously, LAs Vegas is a little different to compare, but it is the same premise.
No, I understand your point. However, the current Busch Stadium in St. Louis may not have been completed yet, however the Cardinals still played in the old Busch Stadium that was exactly 400 ft. North of the new one. St. Louis also had a Harrah's as well as several gambling boats on the Mississippi River (not sure if they're still there or not, it's been a long time since I've been to St. Louis.) Harrah's New Orleans has been there since the late 1990's, however, New Orleans and Louisiana are known for their casino's, you can't even walk into a gas station without seeing people playing slot machines. Detroit has the casino's too.

The only reason Professional Sports aren't in Nevada or New Jersey is because it's legal there to place bets on games.

Obviously there is a casino in Tampa, there is atleast one in Miami. There are casino's in Oklahoma (where the NBA allowed the Sonics to relocate to) There are casino's in Phoenix, AZ, there are also casino's throughout California.
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Old 02-14-2013, 06:44 AM
 
14 posts, read 28,343 times
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I'm a Tampa fan, but I do agree that Florida as a whole has a lot of transients. They actually call Hillsborough County the "Sixth Borough" because so many New Yorkers live here. I don't want the team to leave the region, I want them to try a location in Downtown Tampa, Channelside district next to the Lightning. Like San Diego & Miami, they had horrible attendance at their old stadiums, when they built new ones, no more attendance problems. I think South St Pete is a horrible location & most Rays fans are from Hillsborough County, no offense St Pete, this is a regional sports team. That dusch bag Mayor Bill Foster won't let the Rays look at locations in Hillsborough. He will be the reason the Rays leave the region.
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Old 02-14-2013, 09:00 AM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
27,798 posts, read 32,424,754 times
Reputation: 14611
I believe Miami will have attendance problems w/ their new place.

Mayor Foster needs to protect his city's lease and the $$$ invested in their stadium.
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Old 02-14-2013, 09:34 AM
 
4,167 posts, read 9,336,752 times
Reputation: 2446
I'm a fan and supporter of all Florida sports team, even the Heat (I root for them to lose but don't root for them to fail), but I think we have to face some realities. Pro Baseball just doesn't do well in Florida, for whatever reason I don't know why. Our high school programs are successful, our college programs are very competitive but for whatever reason it doesn't translate into support for our pro teams. Even the Marlins with their new stadium aren't selling out. I speak to my friends who are life long Tampa Bay residents and it just seems "nice" to have the Rays, almost lukewarm. Mention relocating the Bucs and they get into an uproar. Unfortunatly, as a business move I think the Rays and the Jags would be better off elsewhere.
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Old 02-14-2013, 11:14 AM
 
Location: Native of Any Beach/FL
35,688 posts, read 21,042,380 times
Reputation: 14239
Tampa BAY always has a mouthful of NO... they don't like change, they do not want folks to move here and they think their tax dollars are for thier own back yards. I think a soccer statium would invent even more a variety of people and events- I love soccer- the Rays baseball stadium proposal at Carrllion area sounds divine. This town is growing and people keep coming, get used to it -GROWTH must come, even if you disagree, in a few years - this place will look different. I am glad for the mayor,,, who has vision... and I think finally Pro-Bass is on it's way YEY.. now the Channelside area...
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Old 02-14-2013, 11:56 AM
 
1,106 posts, read 2,282,661 times
Reputation: 962
Quote:
Originally Posted by TXRyan23 View Post
The only reason Professional Sports aren't in Nevada or New Jersey is because it's legal there to place bets on games.
That's an epic level of fail in one sentence.

1. The New Jersey Devils (hockey) play at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
2. The New York Giants (football) play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
3. The New York Jets (football) play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
4. What specific casinos in New Jersey currently accept professional sporting bets (not including horse racing)? The answer: none.

Where exactly do you get your information?
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