Silverman on a stadium (2006 style)

I'm doing research on a story about the Rays' stadium pursuit and came across this quote from team president Matt Silverman. It's from a Q&A with Baseball Prospectus from April 2006. I thought some folks might be interested in seeing it.

Q: Are there any plans to build a new stadium closer to Tampa? What is the team’s viability in its current facility?

A: The stadium is not a hindrance to creating a successful business. The empty seats are opportunities for us. We’re confident that once the marketplace latches on to our team and the players, that Tropicana Field will be full of energy and excitement. It’s a great place to watch a game. Will we be there 22 years from now, when the lease expires? Probably not. Between years five and 22, we will need to discuss an alternative, but for now we’re proud to have Tropicana Field as our home.

We put a lot of capital into the park - about $10-million -making it cleaner, more comfortable, bringing history in with the addition of the Ted Williams Museum. We built a club level on the first-base line, renovated the bathrooms, did a big cleanup job. We’re putting in a tank filled with live rays in right-center field that will be completed in July. The clubhouse has been renovated, we have new TVs throughout the concourse, and there’s also a new sound system.

We want to turn it into a real home-field advantage. We already have great speed, and the turf creates an advantage there. The white roof is something that our opponents may have trouble getting used to. When we get over 20,000 people here, it’s extremely loud. We’re urging people to come out and be the 10th Man. The more people that come, the more that can have an impact on the outcome of the game.

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'The Onion': Yankees building new vacation stadium

Yankees Building New Vacation Stadium In the Hamptons

Only the Onion ... (For folks who might not be sure, this is satire).

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Heatcheck: The final results

It was one of the biggest complaints about the Tampa Bay Rays' original $450-million waterfront ballpark proposal: How could you build an open-air stadium in Florida? Well, we started this April trying to figure out just how bad things might be.

Our findings?

Not nearly as bad as people think. We studied the weather conditions around Tropicana Field and downtown for each of the Rays' 81 home games this year. We considered the temperature at the time of the game, and the conditions present during the game.

Our review, admittedly, was subjective. One person's definition of "hot" might be different than another person's. And weather patterns and game schedules vary from year to year. But based on 2008, heat and rain were hardly an issue for the Rays.

Of the team's 81 games, only 16 presented a particular challenge regarding heat. That did not factor in the Rays' plans for a sail over the new ballpark, which would have provided shade. Or the Rays' proposal to move Sunday day games to later in the afternoon.

Rain, it turns out, was even less of a factor. Of 81 games, there possibly would have been only one rainout. In fact, there would not have been that many rain delays. Now that isn't to say the threat of rain might have kept fans away, but when it came to actual downpours, St. Petersburg was pretty dry in 2008. 

So here are our final standings.

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 16

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 17

Take me out the ball game. ---- 48

Rain delay (rain as a minor factor) ---- 4

Rainout (rain as a major factor) ---- 1

What do you think? Is 2008 an anomaly? Am I out of my mind?

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D.C.'s ballpark revenue projections fall short

Okay. The Washington Nationals are bad. Shockingly bad. But this isn't good news: The Washington Post is reporting that the new ballpark along the Anacostia River is going to miss its sales tax revenue projection mark by $2.6-million this year. The city was expecting about $16.1-million to pay off construction bonds and will collect somewhere around $13.5-million, according to the city.

The city says it has enough money to pay off its bonds. But if projections are already off the mark in year 1, imagine what they might look like in year 10. I'm happy to say I personally contributed to the Nationals Park this year ... attending two games in the cheap seats. And believe it or not, the Nats won both games I saw. If you also remember, the Post estimated, and we reported, that the Nationals may double their ticket revenues in the new ballpark compared to old RFK.

The Rays, in their original proposal, weren't saying new taxes would be used to pay for the park, but they sure suggested that new taxes from the Tropicana Field redevelopment could more than cover the city's costs. In Washington, that plan's not working so far.

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Indy's new stadium expenses could be twice what was projected

A lesson from Indianapolis, where the city just opened a new football stadium for the Indianapolis Colts. The city's operating expenses, which were expected to be about $10-million a year, will likely be closer to $20-million annually. Read the coverage from the Indianapolis Star here.

This kind of sounds like a story we heard here once in St. Petersburg. You know, the one where the Trop would pay for itself.

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TIF financing okay, court rules

Big news out of Tallahassee this morning:

• TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Supreme Court now says that voter approval isn't needed for billions of dollars in roads, buildings and other local public works projects across the state. The justices on Thursday reversed a decision they made last year to require local referendums on redevelopment bond sales backed by property taxes. After a rehearing, the justices reverted to a legal precedent they set 27 years earlier by not requiring voter approval for tax increment financing.

What does this mean for a new ballpark? Well, it potentially gives the city and county a new funding mechanism, tax increment financing, that would not require a referendum. It likely will only come into play if a ballpark is envisioned for downtown. In Miami, the court's ruling essentially paves the way for the Marlins new ballpark.

Back in November, the Times estimated that the redevelopment of Tropicana Field could generate almost $150-million in TIF dollars for a downtown ballpark.

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Congressional panel rips Yankees' stadium deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — A congressional panel has taken tough swings at the New York Yankees and New York City government over a new stadium for the Yankees. But neither the team nor the city budged from their positions on the $1.3 billion structure.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich said Thursday he found "waste and abuse of public dollars" in the financing of the new stadium under construction in the South Bronx.

Kucinich is an Ohio Democrat who heads a House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee. He charged that city officials misrepresented to the IRS the value of the property, helping them to get special tax deals from the federal government and in effect dumping the cost of construction onto taxpayers. No one from the either the city or the Yankees spoke at the hearing.

Inside baseball: Who applied for ABC

So the ABC coalition just turned over a list of the 300-or-so applicants who applied for one of 10 available baseball board member positions. You can see the entire list and their applications here (its 400 pages).

I've gone through the list and can make a couple of observations. By and large, the applicants appear to be "regular" people, but we did have some well known folks apply or be nominated. Among those considered, but not selected:

Former Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst and current Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard, Clearwater City Council member and former Bill Young aide George Cretekos, former St. Petersburg City Council member Bill Foster, one time state house candidate Charlie Gerdes, former St. Petersburg City Council candidate Ed Montanari, architect Tim Clemmons, POWW members Niel Allen, Hal Freedman and Hamilton Hanson, Clearwater Beach chamber leader Sheila Cole, and  Tim Clemmons, Dave Feaster, Dave McKalip, and Mark Ferguson.

Also, in a somewhat interesting turn, it was Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch that nominated colleague Bob Stewart for the ABC board.

Four of the members appointed by chairman Jeff Lyash (CONA's Barbara Heck, Russ Kimball, Chuck Sykes and Steve Raymund) appear to have not been nominated in writing. Lyash did say he accpeted nominations orally as well from community leaders and potential stadium stakeholders.

Where we've been; where we're going

We here at Ballpark Frankness haven't had too much to post these past few months (with the news that the Rays were abandoning their plans for a waterfront ballpark and all). But now that Jeff Lyash's ABC coalition is kicking into gear and the Rays are in the playoff hunt, it's time to pick things back up.

So starting next week, we're going to try to rev things up a bit. We hope you come back to see what we're up to. Suggest what you may like to see more of.

I'm going to include more video pieces about stadiums that I can find on the Net. I'll also try to keep folks up to date on stadium sagas in places outside St. Petersburg. We'll also finish our HeatCheck work, which is testing how baseball would have been this year had it been played outdoors.

And I plan to have some online-only Q&A's with people at the forefront of the stadium debate.

See you all next week.

Aaron

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Stadium roundup

Couple of things I wanted to share with you. First, we now have an agenda for tonight's ABC coalition meeting. Here it is:

Welcome and Introductions -- Jeff Lyash, Judy Mitchell

• Election of Officers -- Jeff Lyash
• Overview
  • Mission and Objectives -- Jeff Lyash
  • By-Laws -- Jeff Lyash
  • Ground Rules -- Alan Bomstein
  • Community Involvement Group (CIG) -- Judy Mitchell
• Sunshine/Public Records -- Charlie Harris
• Round Table -- Board of Directors
• Adjourn

I didn't think there would be anything all too interesting for a first meeting. A discussion of public records laws will probably be the closest thing to news made at this first get-together.

Also, I know some people are sick of talking about attendance this year. But here's an interesting stat. The Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros played a game last night (on one day's notice, mind you) in Milwaukee. The game was moved from Houston because of Hurricane Ike. Well, 23,441 people showed up in Milwaukee. The first-place Tampa Bay Rays are averaging 21,573 a game in their own stadium, more than 1,800 people less than showed up for a game in Wisconsin between Houston and Chicago. Go figure. UPDATE: I just read in the Houston Chronicle that the Cubs-Astros game in Milwaukee would have even sold more tickets, but the Brewers didn't have enough people to work the ballpark, so the teams couldn't open the upper deck.

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Time for first baseball coalition meeting set

Jeff Lyash and his group of 10 will meet officially for the first time next Monday night. Bring your popcorn.

ABC Coalition Meeting:
Sept. 15 -- 5:30-7 p.m.
Location: EPI Center, Room 2-304
13805 58th St N
Clearwater

Other meetings have been scheduled for Oct. 1, Oct. 17, Nov. 14, Dec. 3, and Dec. 11.

A sign of things to come? Miami judge says taxpayer-funded ballpark serves public good

From our colleagues at the Miami Herald:

The Florida Marlins took a major stride Tuesday in their lengthy quest for a permanent South Florida home, when a judge ruled that a new ballpark funded primarily through tax dollars serves the public good.

With Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Jeri Beth Cohen's ruling, the county and Marlins said they will move ahead with construction of the $515 million, 37,000-seat, retractable-roof stadium in Little Havana.

''This is the one we've been waiting for,'' said Marlins president David Samson. ``It's a complete victory. It took a long time.''

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Baseball, diversity and politics

There has been a lot of debate lately regarding the diversity of Jeff Lyash's baseball committee.

We were curious, so we looked up the political party affiliation of the 11 board members. As it turns out, eight are Republicans, two are Democrats and one is an Independent.

In honor of the ongoing election season, here's the breakdown:

Republicans:

• Co-chair Jeff Lyash, CEO of Progress Energy Florida
• Co-chair Judy Mitchell, president of Peter Brown Construction   
• Barbara Heck, president of the Council of Neighborhood Associations
• Russ Kimball, general manager of the Sheraton Sand Key Resort
• Steve Raymund, board chairman of Tech Data and former co-chairman of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce's baseball task force
• Bob Stewart, County Commission Chairman
• Chuck Sykes, CEO of Sykes Enterprises Inc.
• Alan Bomstein, president of Creative Contractors

Democrats:

• Craig Sher, president of Sembler Co.
• Gregory Johnson, president of the Pinellas County Urban League

Independent:

• Ricardo Davis, president of Bay Area Medical Supplies

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A little more on Sunday's stories

A lot of good reaction to Sunday's story. But I want to focus on a comment made by Jay:

"The bottom line is that the Rays are going to have to open up their books if they expect to get any kind of public support or funding for a new stadium. It's foolish to think otherwise, so why is there such resistance to the idea?"

Like we said Sunday, we have a pretty good idea how much in revenues the Rays are taking in. And we also feel pretty confident that they're among the lowest earning teams in all of baseball. So what's the big deal in sharing? And perhaps more important, will Jeff Lyash's baseball commission ask to see the Rays' figures?

Stay tuned on that one.

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What's wrong with the Trop?

First of two Sunday's worth of stories looking at Tropicana is available first here.

What's wrong with Tropicana Field?

Are the Tampa Bay Rays turning a profit?

We'll talk more about the stories here next week.

Tropicana Field gets football makeover

The City Council approved $45,000 worth of renovations Thursday to get Tropicana Field ready for the new ESPN St. Petersburg Bowl.

The repairs will allow for a regulation football field to fit into the turf area of the stadium. An existing concrete wall and seat riser will be demolished. In its place will go a portable wall and seat riser system, allowing the Tampa Bay Rays to easily convert the field to accommodate both baseball and football games.

The money comes from the $1.5-million Capital Repair, Renewal, and Replacement Sinking Fund, which can only be used for modifications to Tropicana Field.

So what does this mean for the ongoing stadium debate? Not much.

Council Chairman Jamie Bennett said some community leaders have talked about adding a retractable roof to the Trop, but no one knows yet how much that would cost.

Lyash's newest mission: Save the Rays

Read more about Jeff Lyash here.

Lyash Backlash?

First, there was Rep. Rick Kriseman's video calling on City Hall to demand more from Jeff Lyash's stadium group.

Now, former City council member Viriginia Littrell, a member of Preserve Our Wallets and Waterfront, is calling for a citizen based task force. Here's the email she sent out this morning:

This statement from Rick Kriseman was not a surprise to me - he and I discussed these issues over a 2 hour lunch a few weeks ago. I am sure Rick wanted to give Mr. Lyash the benefit of the doubt, hoping for a truly representative panel, as we were all hoping for the best.

Of course Mr. Lyash has now made his MO clear which is why so many in the community are responding so vociferously. Now is the appropriate time to address the creation of a more representative panel....and address it loudly and clearly and publically.

I believe the city council should establish a citizen based baseball task force much as the council did for the future of Albert Whitted Airport.

It is stunning that the council allowed Mayor Baker to simply appoint a chair and move what should be a government investigation on behalf of the city and its citizens, into a privately controlled corporate climate. I would point out that the existance of the ABC Coalition does not preclude the city council from actually doing the people's business. They have a responsibility to obtain information regarding the continuation of baseball from sources other than those looking out for the interests of the Rays, and they have an obligation to prevent further community divisiveness.

They MUST establish a citizens Blue Ribbon Baseball Task Force charged with investigating all issues attendant to a major sports facility and return a complete and factully supported document to the council as their official advisement. The council will necessarily delegate municipal authority to the task force which will legally place its operation in the Sunshine, require the retention of public record, and establish easily available meeting locations for the public and of course meeting notice. It would also establish staff and financial support to run the task force and allow the progress to be posted on the city's website. The council would establish all of the above, plus the appointment process and the scope of work through an enabeling resolution. Adopting a resolution is a rather simple process. An ordinace is a little longer because of the first reading requirement, but if city legal wanted an enabeling ordinance that is certainly doeable as well.

I would think that the appointees, which should not include appointees from the Mayor since he has his own task force working, would elect their own chair and establish the needed subcommittees, further expanding the possibility for public input and citizen participation.

So, the answer to your question is "NO" we do not have to - and should not- rely upon ABC's private process to establish a guideline for the city's future. "YES" the city council can and should create a more legitimate process for the benefit of both the citizen's and the council's knowledge....and dare I add, for the knowledge of the Rays, who apparently have no idea what " due diligence" and "community participation" mean.

The city council owes this to the citizens and if they should fail to do this they have failed to provide fair and equal representation to the citizens on the issue of baseball. I was willing to give Mr. Lyash the benefit of the doubt and I am now willing to give the council the benefit of the doubt. Mr. Lyash disappointed me, but I have higher hopes for the council. Parhaps some of them are thinking along these lines already.

Virginia

Kriseman shares his views on ABC coalition

State Rep. and former City Council member Rick Kriseman on Jeff Lyash's coalition picks:

Heatcheck: Week 16

Week 16 of Heatcheck Wednesday, (sorry, we're a week behind) a permanent feature here at Ballpark Frankness. The idea behind this post is to track the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

Seven home games since we last checked in. All real hot days.

Here are our up to date standings after 72 homes games, 89 percent of the home schedule:

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 12

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 13

Take me out the ball game. ---- 47

Rain delay (Rain plays a minor factor) ---- 3

Rain out (Rain plays a major factor) ---- 1

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Hello. Anybody there?

Under the category "it could be worse" we get this report this afternoon from Miami, where the Marlins were playing the Atlanta Braves. Apparently at first pitch there were fewer than 600 fans in the seats.

Ouch!

Here's the top of the Associated Press story

MIAMI — Before the game even began, the Florida Marlins were guessing.

How many fans would show to watch two teams far out of first place on a weekday afternoon game with sweltering humidity and the heat topping 90 degrees? "I was way off," Marlins reliever Joe Nelson joked. "I had predicted 418."

Only missed by a couple hundred.

Hanley Ramirez homered and doubled to lead the Marlins past the Atlanta Braves 5-3 Wednesday in front of an incredibly sparse crowd of just 600 fans at the first pitch.

Dolphin Stadium's bright orange and aqua seats were more visible than normal, leaving most fans to reflect the afternoon sun. While the official attendance, based on tickets sold, was 11,211, the ballpark was so quiet that home-plate chatter could be heard.

Lyash: New stadium not a given

Jeff Lyash, the corporate leader charged with keeping the Tampa Bay Rays here, announced today that a new baseball stadium is not a given.

"We are not interested in narrowing the options," said Lyash, chairman of A Baseball Community, an 11-member task force that will determine where and if the Rays should build a new stadium. "I wouldn't take any option off the table."

That includes remodeling Tropicana Field, Lyash told the Times editorial board this afternoon.

-- Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer

Lyash's coalition expanded to 11, not 9

Jeff Lyash, Progress Energy Florida CEO, has expanded his A Baseball Community group from 9 board members to 11.

Here are the other 10 members of the community group tapped to find the Tampa Bay Rays a new stadium:

• Alan Bomstein, president of Creative Contractors.
• Rick Davis, president of Bay Area Medical Supplies
• Barbara Heck, president of the Council of Neighborhood Associations
• Greg Johnson, president of the Pinellas County Urban League
• Russ Kimball, general manager of the Sheraton Sand Key Resort
• Judy Mitchell, president of Peter R. Brown Construction
• Steve Raymund, former CEO of Tech Data and former co-chairman of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce's baseball task force
• Craig Sher, president of Sembler Co.
• Bob Stewart, County Commission Chairman
• Chuck Sykes, CEO of Sykes Enterprises Inc

There will be at least three committees. Heck will lead the fan support group. Sykes will lead the corporate support group. Sher will lead the group on stadium sites.

Lyash is expected to reveal the board's membership to the Times editorial board at 2:30 p.m.

-- Cristina Silva, Times staff

Lyash to announce coalition members

ST. PETERSBURG-- Jeff Lyash is expected to announce the eight other members of his A Baseball Community group this afternoon.

Lyash, CEO of Progress Energy Florida, will reveal the names to the Times editorial board at 2:30 p.m. today. Mayor Rick Baker tapped Lyash to figure out where the Tampa Bay Rays' new stadium should go.

Nominations were due August 4. Lyash has said that he intended to run the names of some finalists by city leaders, but so far we aren't hearing much to confirm that.

County Commission Chairman Bob Stewart said last week that he wasn't told who the finalists were. Ditto for City Council Chairman Jamie Bennett.

Council member Karl Nurse said Lyash's spokeswoman, Melissa Seixas, gave him a heads up this morning that the announcement was on its way. But Nurse said he doesn't know who is on the committee.

Meanwhile, Seixas has ignored our multiple requests for comment.

-Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer