What ABC's been up to
So I just got back from ABC's third committee meeting at the EpiCenter in Largo. The group is still getting organized and really hasn't gotten to the nuts and bolts of what it's been formed to do. Officials promise that is coming shortly.
What I can tell you is that no sites have been discussed for a potential stadium. Neither have funding plans or the design of the facility.
Anecdotally, it seems most members prefer a facility with air conditioning. But other than that, there just isn't much to report. Stay tuned.
*
The Tampa Bay Rays continue to pursue plans for a new baseball stadium. Host 
Waie, wait, don't tell me.... Aah, I give up -- what WAS ABC, Inc. formed to do? Exactly? And to whom? And at whose expense?
Posted by: Scaramouche | October 17, 2008 at 07:58 PM
I just visited the ABC site thinking I'd see something new since the Rays are World Series bound but, alas, there's nothing new to report.
No committees reports are available for the last several meetings. In fact no reports of any kind (not even from the Luncheon) appear except for the minutes from the first meeting. So much for voluntarily adhering to "Sunshine". I wonder what the ABC Secretary Mr. Bomstein thinks posting meeting minutes means?
Maybe they've finally given up the charade in view of City Attorney John Wolf's comments about the legalities of ABC at the 9/18/08 Public Hearing portion of the City Council meeting. If you haven't seen the reruns, you really ought to take a look. Among other comments, John makes the points that ABC isn't a legal CITY process and that ABC reports to the Rays, not to the city - something a few of us familiar with the REAL city process of gathering public input suspected from the beginning.
Lastly, I noted that Barbara Heck "CONA President" is listed as a member of ABC. I'm not sure who said what to whom but Barbara CANNOT represent CONA on ABC unless or until the members of CONA vote to support a position. The only thing CONA has voted on to date is a committee report. Go to the CONA website at www.conastpete.org to view the report.
Posted by: Cathy Wilson | October 20, 2008 at 04:44 PM
I just visited the ABC site thinking I'd see something new since the Rays are World Series bound but, alas, there's nothing new to report.
No committees reports are available for the last several meetings. In fact no reports of any kind (not even from the Luncheon) appear except for the minutes from the first meeting. So much for voluntarily adhering to "Sunshine". I wonder what the ABC Secretary Mr. Bomstein thinks posting meeting minutes means?
Maybe they've finally given up the charade in view of City Attorney John Wolf's comments about the legalities of ABC at the 9/18/08 Public Hearing portion of the City Council meeting. If you haven't seen the reruns, you really ought to take a look. Among other comments, John makes the points that ABC isn't a legal CITY process and that ABC reports to the Rays, not to the city - something a few of us familiar with the REAL city process of gathering public input suspected from the beginning.
Lastly, I noted that Barbara Heck "CONA President" is listed as a member of ABC. I'm not sure who said what to whom but Barbara CANNOT represent CONA on ABC unless or until the members of CONA vote to support a position. The only thing CONA has voted on to date is a committee report. Go to the CONA website at www.conastpete.org to view the report.
Posted by: Cathy Wilson | October 20, 2008 at 04:45 PM
Crazy talk. In what universe is the crazy talk spouted by these foaming at the mouth anti's taken seriously?
Posted by: Rick K | November 01, 2008 at 06:51 PM
Rick K is like a monster out of a Stephen King novel -- maybe "Kujo?" Speaking of "foaming at the mouth..." It's ... ALIVE!
Posted by: Scaramouche | November 01, 2008 at 08:33 PM