TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Plan Would Have Rays In New Stadium By 2012
Artist Rendering from HOK Sports
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: November 28, 2007
Updated: 11/29/2007 12:16 am
Artist Renderings | What Do You Think? | Video: Rays New Park
ST. PETERSBURG - If all goes as planned, downtown St. Petersburg will have a new open-air baseball stadium, shaded by a massive white sail, ready for games in 2012 and close enough to the water for home runs to splash down into the Bay.
Tampa Bay Rays baseball executives officially released the design of their hoped-for $450 million stadium during a Wednesday afternoon news conference and unveiled a sophisticated plan to finance its construction at Progress Energy Park, Home of Al Lang Field.
They envision a baseball park with the neighborhood feel of a Wrigley Field in Chicago or Camden Yards in Baltimore, yet an open-air sailboat feel altogether different than the enclosed dome of Tropicana Field.
The yet unnamed stadium would have a relatively few 34,000 seats, 40 luxury boxes and a view to the north, with Bayshore Drive running underneath part of the right-field seats.
The most distinctive feature would be a 320-foot tower beyond the outfield to hold up a grid of cables over the field like a trellis. In the case of strong sun or rain, the tower would winch up a white tarp stored in the top rim of the stadium to cover all the seats within eight minutes, the team said.
When deployed, the sail would become a major feature of the St. Petersburg skyline, akin to a gigantic sailboat docking downtown. That unfurling fabric design would be new to the United States, though similar versions have been built in Europe.
"We know this is a huge undertaking," said Rays owner Stuart L. Sternberg during an interview with The Tampa Tribune.
Sternberg said his position is to "seek a stadium but never demand it," noting that the team could stay in Tropicana Field if voters reject his ideas.
To pay for the stadium, Rays officials envision a multiyear partnership with St. Petersburg and Florida and to sell the current 85-acre Tropicana Field site for multiuse retail and residential development, then use the proceeds to help fund the new stadium.
Rays executives took pains to say fans would not suffer in the outdoor heat. Facing the stadium north and shading it with a sail could drop the temperature inside by 10 degrees without blocking the view of the water, they say. They're envisioning large fans to stir the air, and the structure is designed for wind to pass through. A concourse beneath the seats would be air-conditioned.
Officials also envision starting games later in the evening during the hottest months, and holding Sunday games at night instead of the afternoon.
Joseph Spear, a senior architect with the firm HOK that designed the new field, said the foldable sail would be first of its kind in the United States, and only made possible with a new kind of durable fabric called Tenara.
The AM Rothenbaum Tennis Stadium in Hamburg, Germany, has a similar tentlike design, with the tarp stored in midair above the stadium, as does the new Commerzbank soccer stadium in Frankfurt, Germany.
Baseball's Smallest Park
The proposed Rays site, so close to the water, is just 10 acres, making it the smallest field yet for Major League Baseball, he said.
"I think fans will get it in their heads wondering if the players can hit it out into the water," Spear said.
The new stadium would require remaking parts of Bayshore Drive, adding 0.6 acres of land east into the Bay and moving the road farther out so the road would wind under the right field seating area. Some preliminary plans call for an elevated restaurant cantilevered over Bayshore, with glass walls so diners could see the Bay and the field at the same time.
Besides the field itself, the plans call for an open park to the north, and a string of restaurants and retail shops at street level, merging into the rest of downtown.
Parking at the new field would be an issue, because the team does not have room on that site to build large parking structures. Instead, the Rays want fans to park in dispersed lots throughout St. Petersburg and walk to the stadium past restaurants and shops, similar to how fans in Chicago walk to Wrigley Field and fans in Baltimore walk to Camden Yards.
The Rays offered to pay $150 million of the stadium cost through higher rent installments. The team plans to ask the Florida Legislature for up to $60 million, about half of which would go toward interest costs, and also hopes money from the sale of the 85-acre Tropicana site would make up part of the remaining $240 million.
Emil Pavone, president of the St. Petersburg Downtown Residents Civic Association, questioned the stadium plans. "Our residents have serious concerns. Questions about the ability of them to fund it, to handle the noise, all those people for 80 games a year, the traffic and other things," he said.
Plans For Tropicana's Future
Much of the plan for both sites hinges on the ability to sell the current Tropicana Field site to developers for at least $240 million.
To help illustrate their dreams, Rays executives hired one developer, Houston-based Hines Interests, to draw plans for a neighborhood there with 1 million square feet of new retail and restaurant space plus about 900,000 square feet of residential units, mainly four- and five-story apartment and condo buildings, interspersed with boulevards, ponds and parks.
Booker Creek, now basically a drainage ditch, would be turned into an urban creek, with ponds for kayaking.
The site at Tropicana Field is owned by Pinellas County and leased by the Rays. The lease allows the Rays to play baseball there or develop the site for another use. The Rays hope that if the sale is successful, the city will use the proceeds to help build a stadium on the downtown waterfront.
Team officials did not elaborate on what would happen if the Tropicana Field site didn't generate $240 million.
If construction goes as planned, work would be done in stages, allowing the team to continue to use Tropicana until the new venue opens.
The next step in the process is for politicians and the public to review the plans and decide how and whether they would be financed.
Timeline
A tentative timeline released by the Rays envisions these phases:
* Public outreach: December-November 2008
* Public referendum: November 2008.
* Regulatory approvals: November 2008-December 2008
* Phase I construction begins at Tropicana Field: March 2009.
* Construction starts on new field: April 2009.
* Phase I of Tropicana Field construction complete: March 2011.
* New field opens downtown: April 2012.
Reporter Richard Mullins can be reached at rmullins@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7919.
Post a comment
(Requires free registration.)
* Keep it clean
* Respect others
* Don't hate
* Don't use language you wouldn't use with your mom
* Use "Report Inappropriate Comments" link when necessary
* See Member Agreement for details
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
Reader Comments
Posted by ( tonyv426 ) on November 28, 2007 at 2:44 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Is 34,000 seats enough for all of us Yankee fans 8 times a year?! haha I just moved down from NY and went to 5 Rays games this summer. The only time that place looked filled was when the Yanks or 'Sox were in town. This smaller stadium probably makes more sense for the # of fans the Rays actually have.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Am99ber ) on November 28, 2007 at 2:45 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I think it is really funny how they compare the fans walking to the new stadium as to the the fans in baltimore and chicago do but when it comes down to it... is it worth the walk because the teams still sucks!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( GF ) on November 28, 2007 at 2:53 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Move 'em to Tampa and fiil the stands for every game. Too far to drive on a regular basis for most Tampa area people.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( MLNFL ) on November 28, 2007 at 2:59 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Move to Orlando and sell out every game!
Besides - the Orlando Rays sounds better.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( mommy2eandl ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:01 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
$450 million!!! Are you kidding me?!?!? This is a joke, right? Some one tell me this is a joke!! Does a losing baseball team really need a stadium that cost this much. Just as the players are over paid, so is the cost of this stadium.
All I can think about is how much better our public school TEACHERS could get paid.
Rays executives... get your heads out of the clouds (or some other place) or poney up more bucks. You want style and comfort, pay for it yourselves!!!!!!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( tedh1112 ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:12 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hey tonyv426:
Last I checked the Rays and the Yankees have exactly the same number of World Series titles since 2001. Zero.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:13 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
GF,
Exactly my thoughts...
MLNFL,
Are you kidding me?
Puerto Ricans will never spend the money to watch a ball game..
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( cfhardball ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:15 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
34K seats I think would be a League Low seating capacity.. The overall design doesn't look as bad as I thought but I still think $150 million spent by the owners should've been spent on Roster upgrades and pitching for the next few years. yeah it'll be great to have a Brand New stadium... same old $hitty Rays.... Hey they'll lose almost 100 games but at least they'll do it in style
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:15 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
tedh1112,
WOW!!!!
That was a really stupid comment.
You can't compare a major league organization(Yankees) to a minor league club(DEVIL RAYS)
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:17 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
jshuman,
Just cause your a nerd and you can't play sports doesn't mean you can say hatefull things about it..
Hey, don't you have some band camp to go to!?
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( beth ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:21 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I think the new stadium idea is crap. If they have $450million to spend why don't they invest that in training and better players? I bet if you got a decent team going and started to win some games more people would come out to watch.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( cfhardball ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:22 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
jshuman - yeah and thats why Tampa is one of the hotspots for Baseball prospects because everyone here in the south doesn't watch it. You're an idiot
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( cfhardball ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:25 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
sorry for the double post... but my question is... will that White sail and wires that connect it interfere with the ball. I realize they're jsut artist renderings but those wires look awfully low. Johnny Gomes is gonna lose some HR's in those wires you watch. Its the Catwalk all over again.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Denny ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:26 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hasen't the public been raped enough.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( DJP ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:27 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
A new cemetery? With a sail?? Wow! Great...let me get my walker...I can't wait to pick out a nice spot!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:34 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
See what a lot of people don't understand is that even if the rays were willing to spend money, the players would still decline to come. St. Pete, cmon who wants to come to park and play in front of a bunch of retirees?. They do enough charity works as it is...
Move the team to Tampa and the players would be more interested.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( maggie77 ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:38 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
St. Pete, you have to be kidding me. What happened to buying all that land along I4 and I75. That would have tapped into a huge fan base. I am not going to drive 40 minutes to go to a game in 95deg. heat. Oh wait there is going to be a big sail up that will help with the heat and the humidity.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Bob222 ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:43 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The Devil Rays had an average attendance of 17,148 per game in 2007. That is the second to lowest of all MLB teams. Tropicana Field capacity is 41,315 so that means they only filled 41% of the seats. They have a $24,124,200 payroll. Tickets range from $45 - $790. I'm guessing that $100 tickets are the average so that would come to $4.1 million a year. Add concessions and other "value adds" so liberally say 10 million a year. Now they want to build a 35,000 seat, $450 million dollar stadium. How can they possibly afford a new stadium? What am I missing?
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( chipyoung ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:44 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is the biggest boondoggle St. Pete has ever seen. This team does not believe in spending money...guess who will foot the bill?...that's right, you!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( ipitythefoo1908 ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:45 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
shortstop1,
take a poll of MLB players and you'd find that they'll play in idaho if it meant winning a world series.
this is an absurd idea on the rays' part for several reasons, most notably because the team sucks...give me a couple winning seasons and a playoff appearance and then we can talk about a new stadium.
giving the rays a new stadium is like giving your kid candy when he brings home a failing report card.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:49 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Well, considering i'm an ex- mlb player I would say I know more than you...
But thanks for your opinion..
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( szamp ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:56 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I have an idea. Take all the money and solve the homeless problem. Oops, I don't know if that's possible.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Bob222 ) on November 28, 2007 at 3:58 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
shortstop1, yeah, not sure how much they get from all of that - but I did make a big blunder. 17148 x $100 x 38 home games = $65162400 so now it makes more sense.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( tdokkel ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:05 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Just a minute before we continue.
The Rays DO NOT own the Trop site. So while they are proudly claiming "no new taxes" -- they are still diverting hundreds of millions of dollars of public money to the team.
Redevelopment revenues should NOT be going to the Rays.
But it gets even worse. Al Lang field is not the property of the Rays either.
So they are asking St.Pete to give them not one but two extremely valuable parcels of land to further their stadium agenda. But, hey, they're not "new taxes", right...
This is an outrageous plan - the City Council should walk away immediately. I'm offended at the Rays complete disregard for the public. They display this plan as if we are nothing but village idiots, waiting to hand them hundreds of millons of dollars. NO WAY.
At least we have an ironclad lease for the Rays at the Trop. We wont have to be bothered with idle threats of "build this new park or we're going to relocate"
NO - END OF STORY.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( MLNFL ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:08 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Small minds + crappy field = time to move to Orlando and watch the tourists come out to see their home team..!
Go O-town Rays...!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( rbileader ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:11 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Maybe I'm the only one, but I'm looking forward to buying season tickets. Bout time Rays.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:15 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Bob222,
Trust me the Rays are won of the top profitable teams in the league...
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:19 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
jshuman,
anytime you want to put on some skates and hop on the ice...???
WHAT??? Your talking crap about notherners but you like dressing in a tutu and like ice skating, which if i'm not mistaken is very popular up north....
Trust me buddy I could beat you at any sport! I'm willing to put money on that one..
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Emac409 ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:21 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
People, take a breath for a minute!
Tampa va. St. Pete is a non-issue. I live North of Tampa and have not gone to less than 10 games a year at the Trop. It is significantly less time and distance to the park than when I lived in Boston or LA. If your a fan, you go.
The only not fixable problem with the Trop are the catwalks. I agree with chhardball, if those wires get in the way of a fair ball it will be no better. The bigger issue is that we cannot control the climate. 10 degrees cooler is no more comfortable in 80% humidity.
As for the financial stuff, you have to spend money to make money. Do not compare this ownership group to the last. Remember how quickly the Glazers made a difference from the Culverhouses.
I don't know what Shortstop's issues are, but plenty of Ex and current players live here now! If the team is competative, the players will be happy.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:23 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
jshuman,
You really are stupid!!
It's called location and the teams suck. Has nothing to do with the game of baseball...
Baseball has been around a lot longer than any gay sport you play.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:27 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
emac409,
If the team is competative, the players will be happy.
This is a true statement however, how many players actually live in St.Pete?... Maybe 20%...
ST. Pete Suucks as a city.. Look at what's going on at the debate tonight.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:29 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
jshuman,
Lot more than what you can say!
Atleast I've touched and been able to expierience something special before.
The only special thing you've touched is your boyfriend's testicles..
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:35 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
jshuman,
had you played a real sport then maybe you could hurt my feelings but considering your an ice skater, naaa , don't think sooo.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( shortstop1 ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:37 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Let me guess????
Your a Gaytor Fan aren't you?....
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( sc ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:43 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Why do you people in Pinellas Co. continue to elect these idiots to office. Your adverage attendance is 17,000/game. That's about 1.3/million per year. The AL adverage is 2.5 million/year. Rays best attendance year was the 1998 opening year with 2.5 million in attendance. STRIKE ONE!
Of the five teams in the AL east division, the Rays have consistently been 5th(last). Except for 2004 where the were 4th. Thats STRIKE TWO!
And here's the pitch. Relocate the Stadium. Strikkkkee Threeee. Few of us in Hillsborough county want to drive an hour to drop a minimum of $50.00/person for a team that has never recorded a winning season. Get some quality pitching and for god's sake don't let Crawford go.
sc
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( raysfan ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:46 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hey,rbileader,
I've been a full season ticket holder since the inaugural season but I'm not sure I'll still be one if I have to sit in "shaded heat" and have to walk that far after a game, especially if they plan on starting later. That means a game that used to end around 10 or 11 PM, will now end around 11 or midnight. Then I have to drive all the way home to Brandon. I'll get home around 1 AM every night. And since it's still going to be located in St. Pete, how will the senior citizens manage to walk that far? Taking a tram late at night to get back to the parking area will be a huge mess for them. They said that by starting later, it would help cool us off. Guess Stu and the gang don't realize that even at 10 PM it can still get around 80 degrees in June - Aug. Stadium looks nice but it's too much money for something the fans will hate sitting in.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Drack ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:47 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
So the good citizens of St Pete reject the stadium the Rays plan----is that just Just what management wants?--- Off to Orlando!!!!--- The waterfront stadium plan, to me, doesn't make good sense-- I think management knows that and also hopes it will be rejected for financial reasons.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( cfhardball ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
shortstop1
if you don't mind me asking how long you played and where and stuff... as I was draft potential and scouted until I tore my shredded my knee ligaments going after a fly ball in HS.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( atomicpunk67 ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:53 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Yea, move them to Orlando were the Magic have one of the lowest attendance records in the NBA over the last 5 years.
Or, move them to Tampa where up until 10 years ago you could pick up Bucs tickets from underneath windshield wipers of cars in the parking lot. Then the Bucs started winning and people came to games and the stadium was built.
Rays, build a winning team and people will come. THEN you can ask for a new stadium (and people might listen). I suggest you hold MLB hostage to change divisions (or the stadium funds you are asking for). OR take the luxury tax you have been getting from the Yanks and Sox and finance your own stadium.
The tax payers have already invested in YOUR team. Now it is time for the RAYS to invest in the team (on the field) and you will reap the rewards in the future. By most reports, the Rays are profitable right now, take some of those profits and INVEST them in the team.
"Build it and they will come..." does not apply to the stadium. It does apply to the team.
sorry for rambling...
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Drack ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:54 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
So the good citizens of St Pete reject the stadium the Rays plan----is that just Just what management wants?--- off to Orlando--- The plan doesn't make good sense-- I think management knows that and also knows it will be rejected for financial reasons.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( brianw73 ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:55 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Luna ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:57 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
If you build it....he will come.
All kidding aside, as a future civil engineer I can see so many more important uses of what I'm sure will be some substantial public funding. *shrug* But then I guess bridge retrofitting and infrastructure improvements,etc aren't as sexy. (well they are to me but im a bit nerdy *snort*)
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( solar ) on November 28, 2007 at 4:59 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
If you build it, they WON'T come. I can't believe the city of St. Pete is trying to sell the public another pipe dream. The Trop sold out on the very first day the Rays played in 1998, the second day there were a bunch of empty seats. Why and how does the City of St. Pete think this will draw more people to watch the Rays? Baseball has and always will be a flop here until they put a winning team on the field. Look what happenend when the Bucs finally started winning. Now even with a suppose 100,000 plus people on the Bucs waiting list, you can go the website and buy Club Season Tickets right now. See even the Bucs are losing attendance.
Give it up St. Pete, and use the publics money for what it was intended, Police, Fire, Infastructure, and not some politicians pipe dream so they can see their name on the side of a building.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( billy21 ) on November 28, 2007 at 5:08 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Get the team out of St. Pete!!! It only makes since to move to Tampa. Build the park at I-75/I-4. There is land to build.
If you look at St. Pete, the Rays can not draw anyone from the west due to that big pond we call the Gulf.
Building in Tampa would allow fans from New Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando and even south to get to the park easily.
And "to Hell" all the yankee and BoSox fans!!! We don't care how you do it back home. If you like it so much back there GO HOME!!!!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( DJP ) on November 28, 2007 at 5:35 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Yeah...feed the hungry..like the poor Rays Season ticket holders who sit in a half empty dome and get the benefit of looking at a nice new aquarium that houses a species of which the team is no longer named after. Brilliant!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( atomicpunk67 ) on November 28, 2007 at 5:37 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
To ALL the MORONS that say "build it near I-75/I-4"... What makes you think someone will drive an hour from Orlando to see this team when they wont drive 20-30 minutes from Tampa?
To anyone that that says it takes "too long" to drive from Tampa to St Pete is full of crap. I drive from Pinellas to Tampa for Bucs, Lightning, Concerts, Channelside etc all the time. Tampa residents are just spoiled (or lazy). Which is OK, just recognize that you dont WANT to drive to St Pete.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( danespo ) on November 28, 2007 at 6:20 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
atomic, It is not just Tampa residents that won't drive to St Pete but Lutz, Brandon, Lakeland, Plant City. These people do come to Tampa for Bucs games and so do Pinellas Co residents. You are right, alot of Tampa residents DON'T want to drive to St Pete. knowing that simple fact, what makes you think this hard to access, hard to park at, No A/C shoe shine box will get them too? They don't come to an A/C and free parking, easy access spot NOW, what am I missing?
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( sanders ) on November 28, 2007 at 8:10 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The Marlins have been asking the legislature for the past 3 years to approve a $60M tax rebate so they can build a new stadium, and has been refused, even with support of the Governor. What makes the Rays thinks they will now have a change of heart.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Demetre ) on November 28, 2007 at 10:50 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Skip ) on November 28, 2007 at 11:30 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Let's see, open air stadium in FL in the summer. 98 degrees in July but 10 degrees cooler in the stadium, still with 90% humidity. So the "feels like" temperature is 95 instead of 105. Better bring your jacket!!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( vdennis ) on November 28, 2007 at 11:37 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
You're keeping mosquitos out how? I've seen the Cubs, White Sox, Pirates, Indians, Diamondbacks & Brewers play home games. The easiest stadiums to get to were the ones by the interstate! Why move?! Redevelopment has not helped where the stadium is now and it won't help a mile or two away. I won't go to night games- I'm not walking to parking garages spread out when I feel safer parking at the Trop where there are more people around. After the renditions I've seen that place would be a joke after a hurricane.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( waitingseville ) on November 29, 2007 at 12:11 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Of the 950,000 citizens of Pinellas county, only about 12,000 of them attend a Ray's game regularly. Why make 100% of the population pay for the gluttony of 10%?
We have no one to blame but ourselves for our lacking education system since we would rather build a new 'pretty little park'
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Bonniegooddog ) on November 29, 2007 at 12:32 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( jeffreys821 ) on November 29, 2007 at 1:27 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
To all you jokers out there.... I'm NOT a season ticket holder, but I've attended probably at least 35 of the Rays home games the last 5 years. You guys are SO spoiled down here, it's PATHETIC! Do you honestly think it's cooler in St. Louis in July and August in it's open air stadium? Well, I'm from there, and I can tell you, it's not only hotter, it's more humid! You morons complain on the one hand that you hate The Trop because it's a dome, and whine on the other hand because "It's too hot" if it's open air! MOST of the northern cities are hotter and equally as humid in summer as is St. Pete. MOST of them are open air. And ALL of them have better attendance, and lousier parking and access. Get OVER your whiny selves! If you want to go to a game, you'll go. I attend spring games at Al Lang, and I always find a place to park. USE YOUR BRAIN! I've been to Wrigley and I found a place to park! Why should we deserve every blasted amenity that no other city has? Cruising down 275 and getting to that area is SIMPLE. Much easier that dealing with Boston, NY, Chicago, etc. This plan isn't perfect, but it's a good plan. You all are forgetting ONE IMPORTANT THING. They can't opt out of the 20 year Trop lease UNLESS they stay in PINELLAS! They can't just move to the Fairgrounds. Do you think they can wait another 20 years to do that? Downtown St. Pete is developing and this park can add to it becoming an urban center, like other great cities. Putting it out next to The Hard Rock does none of that. If we have a beautiful park and downtown, along with the team, people will come from all over the area, just the way they do to visit that dump Fenway, Wrigley or Yankee stadium. It's NOT that complicated folks! YES, it's a tax shell game, but it's nothing we aren't already paying, and the long term benefits are best for the area.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( solar ) on November 29, 2007 at 10:13 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hey jefferys821, I'm not sure if you really have lived here long, but there's a thing we have here in Florida that St. Louis doesn't have on a daily basis. It's called daily LIGHTENING STORMS!!! Plus I've been to St. Louis many times in the summer, my cousin lives in Kirkwood, and you may have SOME hot and humid days, but most of the time it's pretty pleasant after the sun goes down. So Yes, it is cooler in St. Louis on average than it is here, It's hot here from April to October, St. louis it's warm form June to August.
BTW after reading your whole rant, you sound more of a whiner than anyone here.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( signit4bes ) on November 29, 2007 at 11:25 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I like the design, but not the location. I say move the Rays to Downtown Tampa, in port/channelside area in order to have Selmon Expressway/I4 access. This way, the Rays can tap into markets from Orlando/I4 corridor, and I75 from the north. Eventually, THERE WILL BE A RAIL along I4, and this will fit in. Dale Mabry cannot facilitate 81 games/year, but Channelside region can (it works for hockey). OR, keep it "in St Pete" and move it to site of Derby Lane on Gandy.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( bmckeen ) on November 29, 2007 at 1:44 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The old run down trop is a perfect fit for this crappy excuse for a baseball team. Produce a winner and we'll produce a ballpark. Period.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( beth ) on November 29, 2007 at 3:04 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I personally like Tropicana Field. I think it's nice to sit inside and actually enjoy yourself without sweating your you-know-what off.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( bhnh0907 ) on November 29, 2007 at 3:44 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Just another reason to sell my house. This State wastes more money then I can comprehend. I've come to the conclusion that most business people in Florida are on crack.
Wow the temp will drop 10 degrees with a sail. Wow so the heat goes from 95 to 85. Like I'd waste my money to sit in hot humid weather just to watch a losing baseball team. Way to go! Such a smart business decision. Where has commonsense gone????
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( jeffreys821 ) on November 29, 2007 at 7:28 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( jeffreys821 ) on November 29, 2007 at 11:32 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)