Rays Abandon Plans For New St. Petersburg Ballpark

[DaBadGuy7]

 

[BLNY]

Tampa Bay area taxpayers dodge a bullet.

 

[Summer Rose]

Sigh. You can take me out of Arizona, then take the Coyotes away from me, but apparently you can't take a franchise under constant threat of relocation from me.

 

[Voight]

Ultimately there's a high chance they end up in Orlando. The city and county have money to spend via tourism dollars (believe its mandated by law a certain amount goes towards "tourism" which this would fall under) and I'm not sure the local government in St Pete/TB have the stomach to make another stadium deal given they still need to rebuild the area.

 

[aqib]

Ultimately there's a high chance they end up in Orlando. The city and county have money to spend via tourism dollars (believe its mandated by law a certain amount goes towards "tourism" which this would fall under) and I'm not sure the local government in St Pete/TB have the stomach to make another stadium deal given they still need to rebuild the area.

After a decade of complaining about the location of the stadium, it makes no sense for the new stadium to be in the same location. I wonder what Tampa's situation is with the Buccaneers stadium lease coming up in a couple of years. At the very least the team would ask for some renovations.

 

[eojsmada]

I'll be curious if Nashville gets involved in all of this.

 

[sneakytitz]

Ultimately there's a high chance they end up in Orlando. The city and county have money to spend via tourism dollars (believe its mandated by law a certain amount goes towards "tourism" which this would fall under) and I'm not sure the local government in St Pete/TB have the stomach to make another stadium deal given they still need to rebuild the area.

Orlando Dreamers (the baseball group wanting a team) said over the weekend that they have an "anchor investor" ready to buy the team and build the stadium if purchasing is an option.

Group trying to bring MLB to Orlando ready to pounce after Rays new stadium deal falls through

The Orlando Dreamers — led by MLB Hall of Famer Barry Larkin — confirmed they’ve identified an anchor investor to purchase a team and fund the $1.7 billion domed stadium project on a plot of land next to Aquatica water park in Orange County.

www.clickorlando.com

 

[Voight]

I'll be curious if Nashville gets involved in all of this.

Likely not, MLB does not want to lose the TV market the Rays are in. They were "ok" with losing Oakland because there was another MLB team across the bay.

Orlando Dreamers (the baseball group wanting a team) said over the weekend that they have an "anchor investor" ready to buy the team and build the stadium if purchasing is an option.

Group trying to bring MLB to Orlando ready to pounce after Rays new stadium deal falls through

The Orlando Dreamers — led by MLB Hall of Famer Barry Larkin — confirmed they’ve identified an anchor investor to purchase a team and fund the $1.7 billion domed stadium project on a plot of land next to Aquatica water park in Orange County.

www.clickorlando.com

Yea thats been the rumoured location for some time now. Hoenstly they won't even really need to und it, City & County will probably pay for the whole thing. They've renovated the Citrus Bowl twice in the last decade because by law they have to spend their tourism dollars on tourist things. So they got money to burn.

Just sucks Pat Williams won't be around to see this happen (if it does happen)

 

[Voight]

After a decade of complaining about the location of the stadium, it makes no sense for the new stadium to be in the same location. I wonder what Tampa's situation is with the Buccaneers stadium lease coming up in a couple of years. At the very least the team would ask for some renovations.

They did renovate it in 2016 when it was 18 years old so I can see them asking for more renovations in a couple of years as it approaches the 30 year mark.

 

[aqib]

They did renovate it in 2016 when it was 18 years old so I can see them asking for more renovations in a couple of years as it approaches the 30 year mark.

The 30 year mark comes up in 3 years. Usually you hear SOMETHING by now. There were 7 stadiums opened between 1995-2000
1995: Jags - having a major overhaul. Practically new
1996: Panthers - major overhaul agreed to.
1997: Washington - trying for a new stadium
1998: Ravens Lined up money for a renovation.
1998: Bucs - All quite
1999: Titans - New stadium under construction
1999: Browns - Negotiating for a new stadium
2000: Bengals - Negotiating a renovation

Even the Broncos (2001), Bears (essentially a new stadium in 2003), and the Eagles (2003) are making noise for new stadium. While the Texans (2002) have said they will have to do a major renovation in lieu of a new stadium.