Näkemiin (Goodbye) Ballpark Frankness
I wanted to let everyone also know that starting Saturday I'm off for three weeks for summer vacation. I'm heading to Europe (starting in Finland). In the meantime, the plan as of this a.m. is to keep Ballpark Frankness alive. Cristina will be your primary host, but hopefully other folks we'll be popping in from time to time. Our game plan is a little bit different now, with the Rays' news yesterday and all, but we think we can keep this blog cooking.
Let me or Cristina know if you have any ideas as we enter this next phase of the stadium discussion.
The Tampa Bay Rays continue to pursue plans for a new baseball stadium. Host 
***and Aaron rides off into the sunset on his trusty steed- Artemis. Grissled from the fight, alone in the desert, a man aged beyond his years. Ahead- lies a dusty wasteland littered with the remnants of a once proud army of bloggers. Each with their own arsenal of facts, opinions, and rhetoric. Will the world again catch a glimpse of Aaron??? Only time will tell. The immediate future brings a coming of age trek across the barren, open wilderness of Europe. Going will be a squire- eyes bright with hope and compassion for a world dark and grim. Returning will be a sage- wise beyond his years. Filled with the worldly knowledge necessary to conquer any obstacle...
What happens next is anyone's guess...
Posted by: Ray F | June 26, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Aaron, the community owes you a huge thanks. Both you and the Times, for offering this great forum and working so hard to keep us updated with a load of details. I know modern newspapers struggle to strike the right balance between their print and electronic outlets. In these past three months, you've managed to blaze a trail others at the Times and elsewhere can follow in how to consistently provide additional news value on a timely basis.
In short, this has been a terrific blog, bolstered by some great journalism in the paper. Thank you VERY MUCH.
Posted by: Rick K | June 26, 2008 at 04:23 PM
Oh, Aaron, do not worry about content for this blog. There are those of us out here working 24/7 for new ideas, new topics and new issues relative to this new baseball stadium. Just wait a few days to a week and there will be plenty to talk about. I promise.
Posted by: Pella | June 26, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Timing for the new waterfront ballpark was key--and the Rays blew it. They announced plans last Nov. coming off the worst record in baseball. If they did it today coming off the sweep of the Red Sox and having the BEST record in baseball, the reaction would have been much more positive. But you can't put the cork back in the bottle.
Posted by: bob guckenberger | July 04, 2008 at 02:59 PM
This has NOTHING to do with Rays success or failure on the field.
The location and fantasy financial package including unwarranted taxpayer subsidies would doom this deal more so today.
Jabil employing 1900 local workers faces similar controversy as they too line up at the taxpayer incentive trough after the Rays debacle.
The quiet buffet is over and the feeding frenzy exposed.
Unfortunatly necessary programs may suffer due to the Rays avarice.
Posted by: since1962 | July 04, 2008 at 03:25 PM