On the Rays' announcement

Shelton: "Eventually, this will be about a building a ballpark, or it will be about losing a ball club. Me? I say they get it built. Near Toytown. By opening day, 2013. With a retractable roof. And, as happened with Miami's new stadium, without a vote."

Times ed board: "The decision to abandon the November referendum on a new waterfront stadium sends two encouraging signals about Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg: 1) He is willing to listen; 2) He's not spoiling for a fight."

DRaysBay (Rays fan blog): "The stadium news coming down today seems to be the logical course of action. This has seemed rushed from the beginning, trying to go from intial plans and presentation to having everything basically finalized within a year. That's a pretty short time considering the various approvals needed to go forward with it and the brief timeframe plays into the hands of groups like POWW using fear-mongering tactics to sway people to their side while presenting little in the way of actual facts."

St. Pete POWW: "We may have won the battle but that does not mean we have won the war.   Please do not get complacent about the Rays decision to not ask City Council to put this to a vote this November.  Until our waterfront is no longer under attack, and our purse strings are not being pulled in all directions, we must keep vigilant and keep working to preserve our wallets and waterfront.  Don't rush to get rid of your red signs -- keep them in your yard."

Fans For Waterfront Stadium: "There is VERY GOOD news that is coming out of this announcement.  Elected officials and business leaders acknowledge that the Rays need a new ballpark and are very committed to working with the Rays to find alternative locations.  In addition, they recognize the need to do it in the short-term."

Field of Schemes: "As for whether the team will stick with its proposal for a waterfront stadium with a fabric roof, paid for in part by a land swap for the site of their current home, the Tropicana Dome, newly anointed coalition leader (and Progress Energy president) Jeff Lyash said, "I think the waterfront stadium is a viable option. I wouldn't foreclose that as an option going forward just because I think what we want to do is step back very broadly and try to identify all the possibilities." In other words: We're open to anything we think we can win a vote with."

The Sports Economist: "It appears the decision has earned the team a good deal of goodwill as groups across the area have signed on in support of a broad search for a suitable site for a new facility."

Comments

[Waterfront Stadium]

The downtown waterfront of St Pete is the best location for the ballpark. What a way to showcase downtown St Pete! Hopefully, residents will become educated to see the economic benefits this city will receive in the next year or two and support this location.

[Dave in St Pete]

No WATERFRONT stadium. What can't you understand about that? It was resoundingly defeated this time. It will be a deal breaker every time it is tried. Give it up.

[I agree with Waterfront Stadium]

By 2010 half of the population of POWW will have died of old age. Then maybe we can try again.. Until then we can enjoy the waterfront parking lot there now.

[Rays Mike]

The location wasn't defeated. The waterfront location is still on the table. Read the quotes from yesterday... Remember.. Only 11% in the Times poll said that the waterfront location was the reason they were against the proposal... If they come back in 18 months and say the waterfront is the best location, it will pass...

[John]

During the announcement yesterday, not a word was said about the Rays abandoning this proposal because of financing, or environmental issues, or a problem with Archstone.

The two reasons cited were the timetable, and the outpouring of opposition to the location on the waterfront.

If the waterfront was still on the table, we'd still be on the road to a referendum.

The coalition being formed has been made clear they are seeking alternatives to Al Lang.

In other words, they can work out the financing, but they had a real problem with the Al Lang referendum. That's what the referendum was about...Al Lang, not financing, or anything else...strictly Al Lang.

Just because only 11% said that was their MAIN concern over everything else doesn't change the fact St Pete has a very long history of protectionism of its waterfront.

Let's find a suitable location and build them a world class ballpark.

[Rays Mike]

I think John and I are on the same page, but the but question is: if the coalition comes back after a thorough analysis and says Al Lang is in fact the best location, would you then support it (assuming the financing, environmental issues are worked out?) Or is Al Lang off-limits, and the waterfront perserved as is? (I do respect your answer if that is that case.)

[Bobby vansweden]

Hey,
waterfront guys.P.O.W.W. is not going anywhere.I,m 40 years old and very strong.As long as I got life in me I will fight this to the death. We got bigger things in St.Pete to fight over than Baseball. Baseball on the waterfront will not save St.Pete. WE got people dying on the west side from raytheon spill.Our police and firemen need more pay.We need more teacher.And
so on and so on.Stop fighting this baseball issue.And start fighting the real fight in St.Pete.

[Rays Mike]

"We got people dying on the west side from raytheon spill. Our police and firemen need more pay. We need more teacher.And so on and so on." Very noble causes, indeed. And yet you will fight to the death to prevent a building from being built? Maybe YOU should look at the priorities and decide what to give your life for...

[Ray F]

no s**t,

What a weirdo.

[Mike]

Judging on the barely readable drivel that Mr. vansweden just wrote, he may be right: "We need more teacher."

Truth, my friend. Truth. Bobby van, you very well might be the poster child for this reality.

[Bobby Vansweden]

Hey Rays Mike. We got to win this fight before we can get people in this city to see what is going on elsewhere in the city. Baseball is over shadowing everthing that wrong in our city right now. We put sports star and actors and rockstar on a high pedestal.$450 mill + could be used better in our city.If you live in this city you should know.
Lets make this city better not bankrupt for the sake of baseball.

[Rays Mike]

Why are the Jabil jobs more important than the Rays' jobs? Bankrupt the city? Aren't you being a little overdramtic?

[Mike]

And Jabil doesn't pull in 20,000 paying customers every time they open their doors either ...

[Ray F]

***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...

[Jimbo]

Seriously, Bobby, your sincerely noble causes would be closer-to-remedied with the increased tax revenue from the redeveloped Trop. However, in order to redevelop all 86 acres, the Rays have to play somewhere (the City has a contract, remember), so we have to build them a home to do it.

It would be like your landlord coming to you and saying, "Look, I need this land now, so I'm tearing down your house. I don't are if we have a contract, but you have to leave." He'd have to pay for you to go somewhere if you didn't give him a valid reason to evict you.

Same thing here. In order to make money, we have to spend a little. I just wish the "teacher" here taught cause-and-effect more clearly.

[Jimbo]

LMAO @ Ray F!!!

That's classic, dude!

[voter]

I attended the press conference yesterday. The Rays have pulled the plug because of the "public dialog". It was stated no less than three times.

They are being reasonable to embrace the Foster Plan for a broadly representative task force to do for the Rays what they were clearly incapable of doing for themselves from very the beginning.

As far as the Times ed board goes - honestly, do they not ever get tired of looking foolish? Sturnberg was NEVER willing to listen and he WAS spoiling for a fight - that's precisely why all of this city wide divisiveness transpired. Had he demonstrated any willingness to come to the community and "ask" rather than "tell" this community would have rallied around him and helped him figure out where, when and how to get what the Rays need for the future. This is a great city that always responds positively to real partnership.

I am not sure if the Rays are actually as arrogant and "entitled" as they have appeared, or they are just from an area of the country where business is done a different way, but they have learned a good lesson which might benefit other MLB franchises, too.

The lesson is this, listen to what the citizens want, study their community values and goals, work in good faith for a mutually beneficial outcome. Had the Rays engaged this community in that manner from the beginning, the whole ugly chapter might have been avoided and we could have just enjoyed the Rays on field success this season.

One last point. The task force must include a broad base of perspectives, including all stakeholders and citizens. It must not be composed of the standard movers and shakers nor the good old boys. The appointment of Jeff Lyashe has already placed skepticism in the minds of many. I believe he may be an effective leader and the outcome believable - IF - the task force is conducted in the Sunshine and with a mix of respected voices, not of the usual ilk known to carry water for the agendas of others.

Thank you Rays for coming to the table at last.

Thank you POWW for withstanding the verbal abuse, thefts, destruction of personal property and other desperate measures heaped upon you in an effort to silence your voices.

Thank you Bill Foster for the Foster Plan and for making this happen behind the scenes.

Go Rays!

[Carson P]

I say let the rays move to Tampa I'm over all this s**t. I think Bobby V may not be on the money. But he is right saying there are bigger thing in the city to take care of then filling the pockets of the rays owners. The trop is fine .If the rays want a new home let them pay for it. Not us. The poll and sport radio today likes Tampa as a spot. I don't think St.Pete is a sports town.

[Frank]

The one point I have not seen addrssed is that there is sufficient room at the Trop to build a new stadium while the old is in use, then tear down the old. Other cities seem capable of doing that, why not here?

Oh, it would take up some of the parking on site. If getting cars into the community is one way to increase business for that community, then getting out of the Trop lot should also benefit the businesses now around the site and encourage more to locate there. This could be a win-win for everyone.

[atrulyconcernedcitizen]

Listen some of your morons might be able to list the Ray's starting pitching rotation...others are sooo desperate to get a life that they could tell us the Kansas City starting shortstop and his batting and fielding average. For those of you who know absolutely NOTHING about economics like Rays Mike...stick to baseball and Jim Rome. When you try and bring in economics with dumb statements like Jabil doesn't bring in 20,000 that's EXACTLY the point!!! 20,000 out of towners who show up just 81 times a year...pay their parking..eat the food INSIDE the dome..buy their tickets and then go back home do NOT GENERATE ANYTHING FOR THE Local economy. Jabil on the other hand may only draw 2,000 people EVERY weekday in several shifts..who all have jobs providing livable wages...not what a stadium usher or parking attendant might make. Their jobs actually result in multipliers..meaning their kids go to our schools...can you say teachers...use our dry cleaners..doctors...lawyers..dentists..well perhaps you BASEBALL fans may be ableto get a rough clue here. If not take the time to study some development economics and learn about SIC and NAIC codes and what they mean.Those 20,000 people 81x a year do not generate any other jobs...there is a job multiplier..see those referenced codes associated with Jabil. For EVERY job Jabil creates there are subseqeunt other jobs. Baseball is good for BASEBALL FANS NOT THE ECONOMY!!!

[Pella]

Bobby V: Keep your head up and DO NOT listen to Ray F., Jimbo, Rick K. and some of these others. They are blog assasins with nothing better to do than to assasinate the citizens who worked hard, worked within the rules and stopped the Rays, Baker and our City Adminstration dead in their tracks. You and many others formed the "public dialogue" and convinced the TDC, the BOCC, our Mayor and many, many others that the majority of St. Pete was not going to have anything to do with the Rays poor performance relative to their financing plan, the waterfront site location, the avoidance of the issues, etc. etc. Bobby if you were in the fight, then you WON yesterday. Congratulations to you and all of your supporters. This is what democracy is all about. Winners like you and those whiners who are jealous of you and will pick on you to make themselves "feel" big.

[Bobby v]

Pella thanks for your words. Blog Assasins that was real good. How about A-holes. They don't care about St.Pete like most people do . We need to look past baseball and look at the real problems in St.Pete. If you live here and love St.Pete you now what I'm talking about.

[Truth!]

What, like illiteracy, Bobby v?

[Jimbo]

"Blog assassin"? Wow, and I didn't even know I could move that well.

I never attacked Bobby V, just questioned his ideas, so don't judge me, Pella. If you'd read and not classify me as, "he doesn't agree, so he must be mistreating people."

I haven't attacked anyone yet (just ideas), and I'm not going to start now. Be gone!

[carson p]

Jimbo At the end of the day the powers at be will make the right move for baseball in St.Pete. We can talk about it all we want.The blue ribbon people will put it where they want.Not us. We have to wait and see.