Announcement on Jeff Lyash's coalition

Jeff Lyash, chairman of a new community baseball coalition, will host a press conference Monday morning to discuss the group's mission and nomination process.

Lyash was named chairman of the coalition last month after the Tampa Bay Rays announced the team would delay its waterfront stadium proposal. Since that announcement, Lyash, CEO of Progress Energy Florida, has declined to discuss the group publicly, but his staff has said the public will be able to nominate individuals to serve on the coalition.

The press conference will be at EpiCenter at St. Petersburg College, 13805 58th St. N., Largo, Room 1-451 on 9 a.m. Monday.

Comments

[since1962]

The announcements Largo location is interesting but the nomination process and ultimate board makeup will be more important.

Hal Friedman Of POWW must be one as well as a CONA representative and certainly a stadium proponent.

[Hal?]

"I will do anything to derail this" Hal? You lost all credibility since1962 (you probably are Hal F.)

What a joke.

[Cathy Wilson]

The commission is being formed to look at where to put a new stadium as well as, to a lesser extent, the financing of same if I remember the original announcement correctly. Why would POWW, CONA or any other group/individual opposed to a stadium on the waterfront built with public dollars want or need to participate in the commission? It seems as though those two group's positions have been pretty clear all along and are in direct conflict with the stated aims of the commission.

If this commission is being formed to address public concerns over the need for a new stadium, over what to do at the Trop site, over protection for the Al Lang site or the wisest use of tax dollars then the people in charge of forming it SHOULD be including the people who opposed the original Rays proposal - AND do a better job of getting the message out. If the commission is going to be simply a Rays Booster Club, then I wouldn't blame the POWW or CONA people for giving it a pass entirely.

[,]

Is the public allowed at this press conference to ask questions,or just the press?

[mrclean]

Cathy - Your last line says it all, ".. the commission is going to be simply a Rays Booster Club,"

If the county offers the R-owners a parcel in ToyTown, who would be against the stadium being built with R-owner money? The city and county still will be on the hook for millions in infrastructure. The state would need to adjust I-275 for on and off ramps. This should be a short work session for a commission of such intellect.

If POWW and CONA and others have the ability to muster-up a coalition that has overwhelming opposition to a new stadium at taxpayer expense, than that should be the findings of the committee.

Remember this 'committee' has no power.

[since1962]

I have met Hal

12:06

I am NOT a POWW member

I am NOT Hal

I am 50 and have been in Florida...

SINCE 1962

[since1962]

We are not in a vacuum here folks...

Other cites and other teams WITH PRIVATE FUNDING have managed...

Rays should accept our GENEROUS offer of free land since they informed citizenry that Tropicana was soo needed for tax revenue and was unsuitable for them...

Bear Creek Capital is'enthusiastic' about a stadium on Toytown site;just the corporate sponsorship Rays need.

Taxpayers will NOT be funding an expensive land purchase nor allowing politicans to commit long term tax revenues for a stadium...

TWO CHOICES

Rays cornered themselves into this situation and can solve it creativly at Tropicana or Toytown, with private funding, on OUR land.

[Michael]

You guys are all absurd. We have one of the best teams in baseball and they want to build a park where one ALREADY EXISTS. Sack up and support the team and the town, god-forbid we pay a little for a world class stadium. You honestly like the eye sore Trop in our skyline?

[RaysFan]

One of the best teams in baseball... weird how we've been a team in the MLB for 10 years now and all the other years we've been known as the worst team in baseball. Whats to say we don't show are support for them and get them what they want, and they go back to worse team in baseball. One good season *that need I remind you isn't over yet* and they deserve a new park?

[Kim]

This a group of people who will rubber stamp a new place to build a new stadium and we will end up paying for it. Because this committee says it's best for the area we will do it. Will we get a chance to vote on it, you bet we won't. City, county will okay their plan by saying it represents the community and the community wants to do it. It is a slam dunk.

[Tim]

Hopefully the commission will contin some younger indivuals as well. The blue hairs should not be determineg the future of this project. If so, we can expect nothing done or a new bingo hall.

[since1962]

Michael
That air conditioned 'eyesore'
was the brainchild of many local officals involved in the current process.

The Rays "are not stadium builders" according to Kalt so the community will decide what will be built and where...

Not rabid fans fields of former 'hometowns' which would be unsuitable in our
physical and economic climate.

[Free Market? For Whom?]

Lyash, CEO of Progress Energy Florida is a fine choice. Did not Progress Energy get the state to make us pay for their new nuke plnat and power lines and they keep all the profit.
Well I guess they hope he can repeat the performance.
We pay and they keep the profits.
Free market for them!!!

[Lee]

If you build it, they will bi&*h.

Go Rays.

[since1962]

The questionable 'studies' by Rays and Klages indicating HUGE DISPROPORTIONATE economic impact of team...

MUST logically lead to MAJOR PRIVATE stadium FUNDING by those BUSINESSES...

Instead of those BUSINESSES,GOV'T AND RAYS DEMANDING that taxpayers enhance THEIR RECREATIONAL/BUSINESS environment.

[Laughing into my lunchplate]

No one against a stadium or any specific location will be on the task force, as is reasonable. Cathy's spin at 3:56 is hilarious. POWW and CONA won't be giving the committee a pass, the Committee will be passing over POWW and CONA, as is reasonable.

IGNORE THE NAYSAYERS!

[Rick K (Econ 101)]

"Free Market" @ 10:43 am could benefit from a basic review of elementary economics principles.

EVERY business wishing to build a new production facility does so either by charging their current customers, or borrowing the money. Progress Energy, as a heavily regulated company, is restricted by law with regards to what they charge their customers. The state was facing the choice of approving the reasonable plan of increasing current charges to finance future growth (which is what most businesses do), or having Progress Energy not build the capacity we will need for future generations.

Current automotive buyers are paying for plants under construction. Just as grocery buyers are paying for tomorrows stores, computers, and grocery products. That's how our current system of capitalism works.

Sometimes debt is used, secured against current and future income streams, but that is merely a different way of serving the sandwich.

Everyone who complains about the Progress Energy plan to build a new plant needs to first come up with a superior plan.

As this has never been done, you would be well advised to remain silent and keep your ignorance a secret!

[Paul]

Here we go again, personal attacks galore.

I don't really have much to say about the coalition as they've not done much yet.

Should be interesting to see how quickly the blogs get turned off, given all the ... well, you know.

[since1962]

This IS Baseball

FRANKNESS...

Mr Lyashs invovement in this issue widens the discussion...

I am in partial agreement with the esteemed blog bloating Rick K...

future energy demands and rational compromises based upon environmental realites are NOT mutually exclusive...

Require 'heavily regulated' energy producers to invest in widespread SOLAR technology in the

SUNSHINE STATE...

AND

Require investment from the business community benefiting from sports enterprises.