New things coming to Huntsville (Tuscaloosa, Auburn: amphitheatre, schools, college)

[Maledictorian]

Originally Posted by Engineer64

The owner is saying if they don't have a new stadium in the next few years he will shop the team around until he finds a city that will build a stadium d/t.

I wish him the best of luck with that and his comically overinflated view of his crappy minor league ball club that's managed to produce *let me count* yes, ONE NL/AL player in it's entire history, and that was in the Eighties.

Good riddance. I'll fight tooth and nail over the egregious waste of my tax money being spent coddling any professional sports team in the city of Huntsville.

[skinem]

Originally Posted by Maledictorian

I wish him the best of luck with that and his comically overinflated view of his crappy minor league ball club that's managed to produce *let me count* yes, ONE NL/AL player in it's entire history, and that was in the Eighties.

Good riddance. I'll fight tooth and nail over the egregious waste of my tax money being spent coddling any professional sports team in the city of Huntsville.

One!!??

It's fine to think that way about them moving or not---more power to you...but your facts are wrong about the number of of NL/AL players----waaaaaaaaaay wrong. Wrong enough to make me assume you aren't a baseball fan. Last I heard there have been in the neighborhood of 300 players that have appeared in the majors who once wore a Stars uniform...

[Dirt Grinder]

Originally Posted by Maledictorian

...crappy minor league ball club that's managed to produce *let me count* yes, ONE NL/AL player in it's entire history, and that was in the Eighties...

There were seven players called-up to the big league this year alone.
As for some names of former Stars players of the eighties...Scott Brosius, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco...

[skinem]

Originally Posted by Dirt Grinder

There were seven players called-up to the big league this year alone.
As for some names of former Stars players of the eighties...Scott Brosius, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco...

...Ozzie Canseco, Terry Steinbach, etc....

Not to mention guys like Tim Hudson, Kurt Abbot, Walt Weiss, Todd Van Poppel, Tim Belcher, Mike Bordick, Miguel Tejada, Scott Spezio, Ben Sheets, Mike Conte, Craig Paquette, Luis Polonia, Eric Plunk, Tony Gwynn, Jr., Hideo Nomo...

...just to name a few of the better known ones that have come through Huntsville at one time or another.

[Huntsvegas29]

let's not forget Jason Giambi in the early 90's. So, with Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, I'd say the Stars have played an important role in modern baseball history...As a leading producer of athlete's that go on to testify before congress about steroid abuse in Major League Baseball!!!!

[Maledictorian]

Wow ok I was way wrong.

I still think the owner is a major league tool for thinking he can muscle the city into building him a new stadium, which is the what chaps me.

Does anyone else think this is as ludicrous as I do?

[phantomplan]

Originally Posted by Maledictorian

Wow ok I was way wrong.

I still think the owner is a major league tool for thinking he can muscle the city into building him a new stadium, which is the what chaps me.

Does anyone else think this is as ludicrous as I do?

I agree. The turnout for the Stars games is not enough to warrant a new stadium. It wouldn't make any sense for the taxpayers to fund a new stadium when so many seats are left unfilled at the current one.

It's nice having a baseball team and I'd like for the team to stay but if the owner thinks a new stadium will somehow fill all those empty seats, then he's just kidding himself.

[deesonic]

Originally Posted by Maledictorian

Wow ok I was way wrong.

I still think the owner is a major league tool for thinking he can muscle the city into building him a new stadium, which is the what chaps me.

Does anyone else think this is as ludicrous as I do?

No, I don't think it's ludicrous. It's just business. And if you have ever been to a game at other Southern League parks like the Lookouts in Chattanooga or the Biscuits in Montgomery you'd see what a great ballpark can do for a downtown area and for interest in the game of minor league baseball itself. Chattanooga's stadium sits on the banks of the Tennessee River downtown just mere steps from the aquarium, restaurants, museums, and nightlife. It's a beautiful facility and fans and tourists flock to the games. The new stadium in Montgomery has been a boon to revitalization efforts in that downtown.

The "Joe" is the most outdated, least attractive, least practical, and least interesting stadium in all of Southern League baseball. You can walk out of the stadium and hang out at the dump I guess. Not to mention the playing surface is a total mess. The teams over the years have been respectable enough and yes, plenty of talent has come and gone to the majors through Huntsville. But the product on the field is not necessarily as important as the atmosphere and amenities in minor league ball. A new stadium would be a huge compliment to downtown and could really boost business in the surrounding area, including the new Constellation development.

I remember when we got the Stars back in 85 and remember the excitement of "pro" ball coming to my hometown. I, for one, certainly hope we don't lose our team.

[skinem]

Originally Posted by Maledictorian

Wow ok I was way wrong.

I still think the owner is a major league tool for thinking he can muscle the city into building him a new stadium, which is the what chaps me.

Does anyone else think this is as ludicrous as I do?

Personally, I agree. I don't think gov't. has any business getting involved in these type of private enterprise activities. Just my opinion.

However, deesonic is right--it is just business. I think it stinks, but it is the way business is conducted today. It is an unattractive stadium. I used to coach ball and have had a number of football and baseball games there. I was always surprised at how poor the facilities were for teams and always thought the ballfield was not great. I don't know, maybe my expectations are too high. That was roughly a hundred years ago (wait, maybe not) so I'm sure that hasn't exactly gotten better.

I, too, hope we don't lose the team.

[deesonic]

Originally Posted by skinem

Personally, I agree. I don't think gov't. has any business getting involved in these type of private enterprise activities. Just my opinion.

Would the city not own the stadium and lease it to the team?