Lyash dishes out coalition details

[Times photos | Willie J. Allen Jr.]

The coalition tasked to find a viable location for a new Tampa Bay Rays baseball stadium will include nine members from the Tampa Bay area and will likely conclude its work within 18 months, coalition chairman and Progress Energy CEO Jeff Lyash said at a morning press conference announcing details of the groups' plans.

The coalition, which will be formally called A Baseball Community, will also attempt to build fan and business support for the Rays, Lyash said. But it's primary focus, at least publicly, will be to vet possible stadium locations.

Nominations to join the nine-member group are now being accepted at the coalition's web site, www.abc-baseball.com (photo above). Nominations must be submitted by midnight Aug. 4. Lyash said he hopes to have the coalition seated sometime around Labor Day.

"One primary qualification," said Lyash (photo at right), who was flanked during the announcement by Mayor Rick Baker, members of the Pinellas County Commission and Rays president Matt Silverman. "You must be a baseball fan. You must be committed to helping the Rays succeed in the longterm."

Lyash said later that means you must be open to the idea of the Rays needing a new stadium. No location in the Tampa Bay area will initially be off the table, Lyash said, but local elected leaders seem set on a site somewhere within the city limits of St. Petersburg.

"It's important that the members of the coalition recognize the importance of Major League Baseball here and what it can bring to the community," the Rays' Silverman said afterwards.

Comments

[Karl]

Does anyone actually believe that this group of 9 could possibly get together and after eighteen months time, determine that building a new basebll stadium is indeed a very bad idea? Fat chance.

[since1962]

Now leave me alone dadgummit!
I'm a cranky old hermit who hates people, progress and anything that disturbs my regularity!

GREEN BENCHES FOREVER

[Mike]

re: since1962

Baseball at any location at any cost has been removed from consideration? When did this happen? If memory serves me correct, the potential for a waterfront stadium at the Al Lang site was postponed by the Rays while a broader coalition of community leaders was being assembled to assess this and other sites. While a significant opposition was mounted to the waterfront proposal, that sentiment would be mollified greatly if another site elsewhere in the area was chosen. Please refrain from histrionics.

[Old Man from Tampa]

We can’t bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell them stories that don’t go anywhere. Like that time I took the ferry over to Shelbyville; I needed a new heel for my shoe. So, I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on them. ‘Give me five bees for a quarter,’ you’d say. Now where were we? Oh yeah, the important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn’t have any white onions, because of the war; the only thing you can get was those big yellow ones.

[Another Old Man from Tampa]

My story begins in nineteen-dickity. We had to call it dickity because the Kaiser stole our word twenty. I chased him, but gave up after dickity-two miles. Anyway, the lease on the Trop ends in dickity years. So by then the Rays can move dickety three miles east to my town Tampa.

[Eric from Largo]

Ok. So I got no wise cracks on my idea for barge ball on the waters of Tampa Bay. My feelings are this: Until an awful lot of stuff settles down in people's financial lives-right here in Tampa Bay, the Rays can tough it out at the Trop[as lisa sez]because it's a good park. Why all the Maserati madness for newer and more when in time maybe some folks won't be able to take the kids to a game at all because their money is already committed to fuel, food, clothes, taxes, repairs, hurricanes, maybe more bank fun, and a situation going on that keeps getting compared to the Great Depression. So we have no major bread lines; and people are starving to death yet...all I know is a budget was blown out of the water by gas price increases. Let's have something stable in our lives that's familiar as well. No puffing up for money to build a new stadium when the price of materials would change as fuel costs drove up delivery prices. Or if all else fails, make the thing a floating ball park we can use as an escape device is we get hit by a nice storm helped along by all this asphalt and concrete that replaced our trees. How can you enjoy all this when money is now the center in every life. People pushing for this new park aren't being anything but greedy and selfish. The Trop has good vibes for the Rays & a good name. Makes me think of oranges...when we had good oranges around and grapefruit--all for free. Once, we had that and fish and spring training and all of it. We also had some free access waterfront to use. Plan well and there's no regrets. I don't see a plan here. I see people who want my money for something I don't want. Na, na, na, na, na, na.

[Jason]

baseball has got to go!

we don't want the rays here anymore!

[since1962]

Mike
The RAYS don't SINGULARLY control this issue and a 'broader coalition' DOES NOT consist of nine rabid baseball fans.

Histrionics are best exemplified by those touting 'studies' claiming Rays 15000 fans as Pinelass' economic fuel.

[Dr_Dug]

Thier not our elected Leaders! Thier our elected represenitives.......
The group is a start....lets see what they do.
Only the inner circle are going to be in the group anyway......

[since1962]

Paul
I agree this may be an attempt of the so called 'powerful against the voters'...

POWW has proven the POWER of the people. I have not always agreed with every POWW action and thought they could have been MORE proactive in some instances but it is an undeniably valuable grassroots organization which will have a voice in ANY proposal regardless of MR Lyashs 'team'

[Eric from Largo]

Hey! Let's keep this friendly. I got two Bills out there. One sez WE WANT A WATERFRONT BALL PARK--and another(?) Bill sez "Therefore, the onus is on YOU to save and work 2 or more jobs to help create empowerment for yourself. This way you aren't affected as much. See it's called personal accountability. This mantra is foreign to a Democrat." Well Billy boy, I changed parties in protest to a Democrat, but I vote like I want. These new corporate owned Republicans don't even know they're selling the US down the drain. I'm an American and I'm looking at a country I don't recognize anymore. Don't even mention Democrats-I can't stand it. Every time we get in a crucial election, they flub it up every time. I agree w/you and your mantra. But heck, this is a democracy of sorts so I'll go that way. Dictionaries just define words in common use-not dictate them. If you look us up in a dictionary we'll be described as an Republic. I disagree because I'm always right. Put banana in front and you may have the new Bush USA! I say I DON'T WANT A NEW WATERFRONT BALLPARK! I'd rather have a safe and honest state, and schools, and clean water. I'd like a Florida that gets respect for it's fragile nature and a chance to live. It can't take all this metro moving w/out a whiplash unless we all want the same thing so we can blame ourselves if it tanks. It seems that a lot of people[political party not mentioned] don't all agree on the park for the cost of it--at this time. Just don't care since nothing's broken. Why fix it-sort of. Metro. It's a word almost alien to Florida once, and it's coming fast and furious to a place near you. I watched development AND a lottery happen in California, then came here to see the same. Food for thought: In both states all the lawmakers knew they were cutting education funds-but all the ads made people think lottery money would ADD TO education. That's fraud. Now education's getting it's cuts because folks don't have as much to gamble with. Receipts are down big time. See? I took the crack about Democrats in a ballpark situation, and managed to drag in the lottery, education, fraud/politics and Metro. We have a park that even looks good as you drive up to it. A waterfront park where [they] are pushing to build isn't meeting a loving embrace at the moment. Time for a huddle in a puddle. It's thee rainy season...

[Mike]

This is a very good start -- and they're looking at everything that goes into making baseball work here -- give this group a shot to do their work and report back -- we might ALL learn some things when they do -- go RAYS!

[Steve]

I will not vote for any proposal that wants to use taxpayer dollars to make super rich MLB franchise owners richer. Bye bye Rays, hope you find some suckers to love you in Tampa, Orlando or Jacksonville.

[get-smart]

The Real Community Blog: a Community Question

“Why do you feel keeping a major league baseball team here is in the best interests of the community?”
---------------------------------------------
I like the Rays. They are a great team. Go Rays! The new owners are great and they care about me. They will make everything better. They are so smart and so is Mayor Baker and Mr. Lyash.

There will be plenty of jobs and business' will flourish.

It was a stroke of genius to have this blessed committee of nine led by a real man of the people. Of course on back-up is Mikey & Matt (aka m&m).

'You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And build the f*k**' stadium.

-

[Johnny-o]

TAMPA - TAKE THEM PLEASE!!!!

[JudyToo]

This whole thin was cooked up by the mayor with no right to do so. The Rays have a contract with the city. The sole purpose of this board is to interfere with that contract. That's illegal.

Someone (maybe all nine or whatever the number is) is going to end up in court because there's someone here like that guy that's suing Miami over the Marlins shell game. This time there will be even more deep pockets!

If the Rays want a new stadium, they should buy some land (there's 86 acres for sale pretty cheap) and build themselves a stadium and pay property taxes like the rest of us. AFTER they settle up with the city on their existing contract.

[Paul]

I do not believe this coalition will build any community support at all. I'm thinking its going to backfire and create a lot of pizzed off people, struggling to keep their homes and jobs... and wondering why our local leaders are trying to spend 1/2 billion on something that is not essential. This is as bad as government can get. Its positioning business against citizens. What a crock. Lyash can go for a long walk off the pier along with the Rays owners.

Just my opinion.

[Fred]

No public Money for Fat Cat Museums and Parks!!! We all are in tough times and can't pay for stupid things like Museums that only a few will enjoy, and these city parks are a giant waste of taxpayer money...they need to go!!! Why aren't we all up in arms about that giant waste of space airport?? We need to have that and the Mahaffey theater removed, nobody goes there anyway...what a waste....cities shouldn't have these things!!!!

[Thomas]

I'm not sure I understand Mr. Lyash's comment: "You must be committed to helping the Rays succeed in the longterm."

If you buy tickets and merchandise; if you watch the games on TV or listen on radio; if you support the teams sponsors - is that enough "commitment to helping the Rays succeed"?

Of does Lyash also mean you must also commit tax money to keep mega-wealth MLB happy?

I wonder if he could clarify exactly what he means by "commitment" to the Rays "success".

[Mathew]

Mike - You said:

While a significant opposition was mounted to the waterfront proposal, that sentiment would be mollified greatly if another site elsewhere in the area was chosen.

While I don't think a waterfront stadium was every a good idea do you honest think that spending any public money on a for profit concern is good idea. Why, when I have to work two jobs to keep our heads afloat and my kids after school program is threatened to be cut by the city, should I want to spend one penny so that some Wall St. Wizards from NYC can make a billion bucks? The city wants to cut at least 13 million from our budgets - that's police, library hours, kids programs and, maybe, something that will affect you, Mike. Fewer than 7% of St. Pete residents even go to a game. Why do we want to GIVE the Rays at stadium at all? Using public monies for such a thing is obscene.

[John D]

get-smart:
Even if I'm the only one, I still think that was a freakin' hilarious take on Lennon.
We should call Yoko and ask her what she thinks.
As far as the Coalition goes, my first supervisor told me that the only way a committee of 3 could accomplish anything is if one member is sick and another is in the bathroom.
I assume that when the Coalition is finished, it will refer its findings to the politicians, who will then do as they would have done with or without said "findings." But it will take a lot longer. I guess delaying things is good, unless it's "free beer tomorrow." That never panned out.

[since1962]

American Heritage Dictionary
4th Edition

co-a-li-tion

1. an ALLIANCE especially a temporary one of people, FACTIONS...

2. a group of usually 2 to 6 (9?) male lions that drive off and replace male lions in a pride in order to mate with females...

Your nabob group will not succeed in 'mounting' taxpayers and will inure Progress Energy to public scorn if attempted.

[Mike]

Mathew,

I'm completely okay with spending money on a baseball stadium for the Rays. I don't care if the Rays owners are rich and will get richer. They are a for-profit business. That's the idea. I happen to have plenty of money too, no kids, and I love to go to games. I'm sorry if you are struggling to make ends meet. It seems as if there are an awful lot of people on here that didn't really plan for the lean times. I did.

Good luck!

[Taxpayer and American Citizen]

Mike:

Thank you. You make our point for the average citizen who is not rich, does not go to the Rays games because it costs so much and does not wish to see his tax burden go up because excise taxes and other general revenue funds are being redirected to make rich baseball owners richer.

Remember the Lotto was a con game. It was supposed to add dollars to education. The legislature simply cut back state funding and replaced it with Lotto money. As such, education did not benefit as advertised with substantial new and additional dollars.

This was done, I am quite sure, so that the liberals could justify that education is under funded every year and go about screaming that we need to raise taxes and teacher salaries. I am over sixty years old and have heard this very same claim since my twenties. Nothing has changed. There never, ever is enough money. What total bolderdash.

Take the Penny for Pinellas which was originally intended for a one time ten year period. Now it comes back every ten years. It is just another tax increase that appears will never go away. And what is worse is people believe the advertising con job the County promotes to justify it and keep voting it back. Pathetic. I voted for it the first time and now vote against it every time.

I voted for the Crist property tax reduction and would vote to lower it again. The only way to reduce government is to take away its money. And I will vote down any tax anytime I get the chance. Often less is truly more.

I am against any new taxes.

I am against corporate welfare.

I am against tarrifs, subsidies and government giveways.

I am against government waste and I am against all of the excessive benefits provided to elected congressional members. They most certainly do not earn it. This goes for republicans as well as democrats.

To reduce the deficit I would immediately stop all foreign aid. I would call in all debts owed to the U. S. for the defense of Europe, twice, South Korea and the reconstruction of Europe (The Marshall Plan) and the reconstruction of Japan (The MacArthur Plan). I would also start charging Irag a modest fee which would grow in the future to cover the war cost. Even if it takes a hundred years. The same goes for Afganistan, South Korea and Tai Wan. If we did some of these things maybe we would not be in debt so much or at all. Heck we are trying to manage the entire world and pay for it all by ourselves. The rest of the world hardly lifts a finger to help us save Great Britain, our only true friend.

I would arrest illegal aliens, charge them a fine, wait until the money is paid, use some of it to pay their way back to where they came from and to build the fence along the border. The rest I would use to help pay down the national debt or for added security along the border or both.
I would make all prisoners work while in jail and keep the profits they make.

I would charge Europe, Central and South America and a hundred other places for the American Military protection that we provide. They should all pay us for the libberty we provide. Look at Canada. A constant critic of the US with no real percentage of their GNP for their own military capability. They expect America to protect its borders with our radar, satelites and air force. This is got to stop. It is what allows them to be liberal and socialist because they can redirect what GNP they do produce into social programs while critizing us for not being like them. Even though it has been proven their social programs do not work worth a damn. Start with their failed free medical health benefits for all. Heck they come here for surgeries and proper care when it really counts.

Time to quit this. Nothing will change. I remember when this country was better in so many ways. Not in all ways but in so many ways yes.

[Rick K]

Taxpayer is confused.

1. Public investment in a new stadium for the Rays will permit St Pete Tax payers to recieve more government benefits than would be available without the returns from investing in a stadium (since the invesment will be in the neighborhood of 15-25 million per year, and the Rays economic impact with a new stadium should be four to six times that)

2. The Florida Lotter is NOT a con game. The PRIMARY purpose of the state operated lottery is to permit the public to benefit from money which, prior to the lottery, was in the hands of organized crime enterprises, who operated daily numbers schemes and failed to pay any of the proceeds from those operations to the government. In that respect, the Lottery has been a smashing success. Some argue, incorrectly, that the Lottery income, which are new revenues to the government and which are used to fund education, actually represent some sort of trick by government. There is no factual or logical basis for that false claim.

3. The Penny for Pinellas was not originally "intended" for 10 years only. It was originally intended to be in place for 10 years, after which the proponents of the original tax intended to seek subsequent renewals. The additional penny sales tax has funded hundreds of millions of infrastructure improvements.

4. If you are against new taxes, than you ought to do anything you can to help the government pay for things without raising taxes, such as the Rays proposed new stadium.

5. You are not against corporate welfare. You just like saying you are. Every single product and service you buy was brought to you via a myriad number of government subsidies. People who parrot the hollow line "I am against corporate welfare" are fooling themselves. They are NOT against corporate welfare. They just want to be.

6. Taxpayer is not against government give-aways. Taxpayer's daily life includes the consumption of hundreds to thousands of products and services that were produced and delivered as a result of government subsidies and give aways.

7. The stuff about debt is nonesense, as is all the angry, small minded, racist bile which follows.

Other than that though, Taxpayer made a fine post...