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Old 06-21-2010, 08:46 PM
 
2,413 posts, read 5,722,279 times
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Did anyone else catch the Rays owner Stuart Sternberg's announcment about what the team wants as far as a new stadium? What do you think about what he had to say?


If you didn't see it, this video sums it up.

YouTube - What Rays owner had to say
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Old 06-22-2010, 05:02 AM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
27,798 posts, read 32,212,739 times
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I don't think a $500 million new stadium is needed to draw an extra 5,000 people to each game. Other cities have tried building new stadiums, and you get an initial increase in attendance, but after that attendance decreases back again. Evidently, teams need a lot of corporate support and Bay area corporations don't like Tropicana Field and want a stadium somewhere in Hillsborough.

I go to probably 20 games/season (this is my first full season). As a Tampa sports fan, I'm getting really tired of hearing the Bucs/Bolts/Rays and even USF Bulls complain about lack of attendance. The price of tickets, parking, gas doesn't allow me to attend as many games as the teams would like me to attend. And there are other places for my entertainment dollar (Fla Orchestra for one - they really need help and will likely become defunct in the future).

Personally, Sternberg can take his team and try to make a go of it somewhere else - (I don't mind following another team long distance via HDTV MLB Channel - the Marlins have a very interesting team). He says that if Tampa loses the team, they wouldn't be considered to have another franchise in the future (wouldn't even be in the top 5 cities). That statement in itself says a lot. It's an admission that his market can't support a MLB team.

The people of St Pete have provided a couple of millions of dollars to pay for the Trop and Sternberg's organization has signed a lease until 2027. I'd hold him to that contract. The St Pete Mayor (Foster) is looking after the interest of his constituents. I applaud his stance.
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Old 06-22-2010, 06:52 AM
 
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The Ray's will be in one of two places in the 2014 season. Either they'll be in a new stadium in Hillsborough County or the franchise will have moved to another city alltogether.
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Old 06-22-2010, 07:14 AM
 
Location: The 'burg
428 posts, read 1,467,590 times
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St. Pete can win big time if they can negotiate a settlement for the Rays to walk away, leaving the City with cash in hand. They can sell off Trop Field and surrouding property - zone it mixed use with some light industrial on the west edge to move into the Dome District.

Now the City has money to supplement the renovation of the Pier, land (a premium in PInellas), a bargaining chip for investors/developers/relocated company (assuming economy is better in 5 years), and this albatross off their neck.
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Old 06-22-2010, 11:35 AM
 
Location: Myrtle Beach
3,381 posts, read 9,081,688 times
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Being a baseball fan (when I live in a town that has a home team) I love going to games. I have only been to Safeco field, which is a beautiful facility and frankly.... AWESOME. I have seen pictures of Tropicana Field and have investigated as much as I can. To be honest, that stadium looks hideous. Now with that said..... I think they should invest money into the stadium to update it with some new facilities and attractions. I would imagine it would cost much less than building a brand new stadium. Also, are the Ray's intelligent enough to have shuttles running from spots within Tampa to Tropicana field? Sure, I am aware that talk about moving the stadium to Tampa is due to attendance and the fact Tropicana Field is undesirable. But I think they could increase attendance with my suggestions above and make Tropicana Field a little bit better.
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Old 06-22-2010, 12:12 PM
 
17,454 posts, read 38,838,370 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlaskaKash View Post
Being a baseball fan (when I live in a town that has a home team) I love going to games. I have only been to Safeco field, which is a beautiful facility and frankly.... AWESOME. I have seen pictures of Tropicana Field and have investigated as much as I can. To be honest, that stadium looks hideous. Now with that said..... I think they should invest money into the stadium to update it with some new facilities and attractions. I would imagine it would cost much less than building a brand new stadium. Also, are the Ray's intelligent enough to have shuttles running from spots within Tampa to Tropicana field? Sure, I am aware that talk about moving the stadium to Tampa is due to attendance and the fact Tropicana Field is undesirable. But I think they could increase attendance with my suggestions above and make Tropicana Field a little bit better.
Alaska - since you are a baseball fan, once you are here you might check out Bradenton, where the Pittsburgh Pirates do their spring training (at McKechnie Field) Bradenton is a big baseball town, and Manatee County in general is very sports oriented, so you may find a lot to fill your interests down this way.

Also, Bradenton has a minor league team, the Bradenton Marauders - here is a wiki link with info:

Bradenton Marauders - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anyway, posted mostly for your benefit, but other baseball fans may find interest as well.
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Old 06-22-2010, 12:47 PM
 
Location: Tampa
2,602 posts, read 8,262,312 times
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Not to mention that Tampa has the Yankees, Dunedin has the Blue Jays, and Clearwater has the Phillies for Spring Training. Even if the Devil Rays do leave, it's not like baseball will leave the area.
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Old 06-22-2010, 02:56 PM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
27,798 posts, read 32,212,739 times
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The Lightning and Bucs are having a hard time filling their respective stadiums (both relatively new buildings). They're located in Tampa/Hillsborough County. What makes the Rays think they're any different in being able to sell more tickets?

Good riddance, if the guy wants to find another city. There are tons of other ways for me to spend my entertainment $$$.
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Old 06-22-2010, 03:09 PM
 
Location: Prairie Village, KS
476 posts, read 1,306,789 times
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There is no viable market for the Rays to move to. Any market available is either saturated or smaller than Tampa/St. Pete. Charlotte makes some sense, but that market is already oversaturated for sports and they've already rejected publicly financing a stadium.

Portland looks like a viable markets someday soon, but the liberal citizens of that city are very anti-public financing of sports stadiums.

Oklahoma City, Las Vegas, Indianapolis are just too tiny of markets to support MLB. They would struggle worse than the Royals.

So the Rays aren't going anywhere. Just lots of hot air to try to dupe the good taxpayers of the Tampa/St. Pete area to buy him a new stadium. Don't fall for it.
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Old 06-22-2010, 04:05 PM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
27,798 posts, read 32,212,739 times
Reputation: 14611
100% correct. Reps to you.
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