Rays a no-show at this morning's Big C meeting

Rays senior vp Michael Kalt was expected to give a presentation to a group of beach community governments this morning. He didn't attend.

At this morning's meeting, Indian Shores Mayor Jim Lawrence said Kalt called him yesterday at 2 p.m. to cancel an appearance before the council today.

"It didn't upset me. It certainly surprised me," Lawrence said. "As we talked, it became clear that the Rays had other plans, other considerations, that are afoot right now and he (Kalt) didn't want to answer questions publicly."

-- Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[Buh Bye Mike]

Could it be Mikey Kalt was or is about to be fired? Maybe he couldn't make the meeting because he's packing to move back to NY.

[Jon McPhee]

Interesting quote. Very revealing --
"he (Kalt) didn't want to answer questions publicly."

Wonder what it means...

[Annette]

In a word, U-N-P-R-O-F-E-S-S-I-O-N-A-L.

[Ray F]

Annette,

How is it unprofessional. He called and let them know he wasn't coming.

What more would you expect?

Maybe he could have arranged to have the corporate jet fly over to the beach and pick up the commission and fly them to the Trop, tell them he wasn't coming, give them all tickets to the Red Sux series, get them a free buffet at Picadilly Cafe, slap them on the Tails, and fly them back to the beach in time for a late lunch.

Would that have been professional enough???

[get-smart]

We are coming into an election cycle so nothing will be done for two years. Whatever is promised can be un-promised by the new mayor.

Stu and the gang will be out of here next year anyway.

The team was awarded to the region. The ownership is incidental. We hold all the cards.

Cheers!

[J]

Get-Smart

The team was awareded to to the region but that doens't mean that we have control over the team to stay here. Look at the Seatle Sonics right now. They have been there far longer than the Rays have been here and they are about to be moved. An ownership came in from out of town, were not able to get a new areana, and are moving the team where they will get one. I am not saying that is what is happening now but the idea that the Rays are stuck here forever is false. So GET SMART!

[Dr_Dug]

Bound to happen......the truth is coming out! They can wait till 2010....but we can still vote on the use of the waterfront in November. In fact we should...because thats what our City Leaders have been telling us to do. GREAT. NO New Waterfront Stadium!!! WE WIN

[Mark]

Hmm... Maybe they really are putting this off. I really hope they stay focused on the goal of a new stadium for next year, though. The ownership has been great to us, and they're only getting better. Keep the Rays in st. pete, build em a baseball stadium instead of sticking them in a rounded off aircraft hanger

[Annette]

Hey, Ray F: I don't expect much from the Rays organization. They're just a bunch of silly men who all smell MONEY! You boys must have your egos stroked; a lot!

[TechRider]

Now we can all start thinking about the drive to the new Ballpark in Orlando to see the Rays.

[Colt]

This is a suprise??!! These guys are Newc Yorkers trying to take our $$$ and build a new Stadium with Tax Dollars$$ They thought they could get this New Stadium by being the BULLY.. Wont work here Boys..

NEXT

[Ray F]

Annette,

Would you consider a young entrepreneur trying to secure a government grant to start a sandwich shop on a busy downtown corner as just "smelling money"???

Every business needs to maximize profits by any means possible. In the case of professional sports teams... it's perfectly acceptable to seek as much public funding as possible for stadiums, arenas, etc.

Why are the Rays any different???

[Danny]

Get Smart, You obviously are not as smart as you think you are. The rays are successful now because of the new ownership. They deserve a lot of praise and credit for putting up with losers like you. I dont understand why everyone is so pissy about this waterfront stadium. Last I checked there is already one there. So what is the big deal about building a bigger and better one? Get your heads out of your asses and look at the potential that this new stadium could bring.

[Low Rider]

nice take TechRider ... too bad there aint the slightest bit of fact(s) involved

but don't let that deter you from littering the blog with inane babbling

[Danny]

To add to my previous comment. As of right now that stadium is just sitting there rotting to the ground. Why not tear it down and build a nicer one? If you really want a view of the water, go to the highest floor of a condo and look outside. Get over yourselves.

[kitty]

If Al Lang is torn down, the city should use the land for a world-class convention center. The one at Riverwalk in New Orleans was awesome. Not sure what became of it after they housed Katrina evecuees there though. A convention center would be used year-round and create far more jobs, and those jobs would be there more than 80-90 days a year. It would also be a boon to the hotels in the area as conventioneers need a place to stay.

[Danny]

Who in the hell wants a convention center? We got enough of those around. You only have 1 baseball team.

[John]

Danny, you're not getting a waterfront ballpark. You're the one that needs to get over it.

Stomp around all you want, it ain't happening.

Move on.

[Mark]

How about all you people start thinking about the future? I'm an avid 18 year old baseball fan whos been following the Rays since their inception. When you guys rattle your sabers just so you can save one small spot on our already earmarked waterfront, you're dooming the Rays to choose to move cities and you're dooming those of us who grew up with and appreciate the Rays to drive to Tampa or Orlando. Invest in the city, invest in the future. Do it for your kids so they can enjoy major league baseball in their hometown!

[Ray F]

Kitty,

Also... where are all those people supposed to park that want to attend the "world class" convention center???

25,000 for a baseball game is one thing, but where would you put cars for 60,000 people within walking distance of a convention center.

plus the scale of a convention center like the one in Orlando, would be huge. That would upset a lot of people. I heard of a group called POWW that pretty much squashed any chance of the City having a good idea for a new use for Al Lang.

These one guys proposed building a state of the art baseball stadium there and POWW rose up in droves of Lincold Towncars and 30 Day Bus Pass related travel to city hall to petition city council to preserve their waterfront.

Kitty,

Your progressive thinking has no place in St Petersburg, FL. Take your convention center idea and pack sand. While you're at it, go propose your clean energy sources and hi-tech jobs elsewhere too.

We in St Petersburg will soon have our benches greener than ever in an effort to provide a quiet city and a friendly environment to all people who think Albert Whitted Airport serves the greater part of the community.

[Jimbo]

No, Danny, I think she may be onto something. I think the first choice should be a stadium, since baseball has been there for eight decades, but a convention center might make sense.

That way, when the Rays build their stadium with their own money on their own land (as everybody wants them to do), people have a place to have Richard Simmons sessions (like the pink "Save the Dome" lady from the focus groups), home shows, and boat shows. I mean, they're huge money makers for the community and they should be saved. Because, even if it's a true retractable-roof stadium with A/C, the Rays will own it, so the people of St. Pete would get no say on what goes there...that's how private property works.

But at least it won't be subsidized, so the Rays can let it sit empty for 200+ days a year if they want to. Any concerts they try and attract there would have all the proceeds to go them, not the City as currently is the Trop's agreement, and they can charge whatever they want for admission, parking, concessions, etc. And since it's private property, it can't be used for graduations, expos, etc, without the express written consent of the Rays.

I think that's a great idea! Thanks, kitty, cause I was truly wondering where we'd have the Tampa Bay Flower Expo in 2013!

[Ray F]

hahahahahaha Jimbo.

great.

We think on the same wavelength.

I am intrigued by your ideas, sir. And would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

[John]

Perhaps once we get those green benches back and reclaim the title of God's waiting room, these ignorant, selfish, rabid baseball idiots will find someplace else to live, along with the team. Tampa can have em. I'll drive there to see a game occasionally, but will not be a season ticket holder any longer, for sure.

We can re-name the Trop the Tractor-Pull dome, since conventions and trade shows are a "waste of time", that don't bring visitors here whatsoever. What a lame idea...conventions in St. Pete? psssshawww, that's about as stupid as Orlando building a convention center.

[Jimbo]

Thanks, Ray. It's just a shame that others can't seem to grasp what this all means. Though, I can't expect a Florida edimication to help with that, either.

[Jimbo]

Here, Ray...if you want to meet up off-line, let me know: jimlikesthewaterfront@gmail.com (oh, and don't worry; it's a fake, so you can bomb it all you want!)

[Ray F]

Not On My Waterfront John!!!

Not with my money either. How dare you propose spending one red cent of public money on a convention center for private companies to come peddle their goods to our fine citizens.

If I want to buy something, I will drive to the super walmart in Pinellas Park and buy it. I don't need a bunch of carpet baggers polluting our waterfront with their car shows, and boat shows, and homeshows and their Richard Simmons seminars, and their tractor pulls, and their Cindy Lauper farewell tours, and their Star Trek shows, and their Charlie Brown look-alike contests.

They are only money hungry New Yorkers trying to get rich off our dime and I won't have it!!!

SAVE TROPICANA DOME!!!

[John]

Ray F....I never, ever said anything about a convention center on the waterfront, dude....you ok?

I said a facility like that on the Trop property. I've said it a dozen times in these threads...

But you are right about one thing, NOT ON MY WATERFRONT.

[Ray F]

Hell Yeah!!!

SAVE TROPICANA DOME!!!