Mayor Baker invites you to a Rays party

ST. PETERSBURG -- Mayor Rick Baker and City Council Chairman James Bennett are inviting all baseball fans to a celebration when -- they did not say if -- the Tampa Bay Rays clinch the American League East Division title.

That could happen as early as this afternoon, if the Rays beat the Detroit Tigers.The Rays also play the Tigers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

When it happens -- not if, remember -- a street party will be held next to the popular sports bar Ferg's, which is at 1320 Central Ave., across from Tropicana Field.

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Comments

Where did all this money come from all of a sudden? I thought we were in “tough economic times” and had to layoff staff and cut services?

[Jimbo]

During these "tough economic times", people need a morale boost. Besides, who said the city's paying for it? Get over the pessimism and enjoy the ride. It's not like this happens every year (but it may from now on...?)

GO RAYS!!!

[Chuck]

9:32 is exactly the reason St. Petersburg is a national joke. You make me sick.

Hey poor @ss, don't buy $h@* you can't afford.

Loser.

I'm sorry Jimbo, you're right... everything is just perfect in our city, county, state, country, and world. There is no war, there is no econimic meltdown, everyone loves America, nobody has lost a job or house, and there's a Rays ticket in every pot!

I love the Rays too, but bill collectors will not take Sports euphoria as payment.

[Chuck]

My god whiny liberals make me SICK.

I'm better off today than I've ever been. The fact that you aren't means you don't have personal responsibility.

Also, I'd like to point out that I plan on selling my Rays tickets for $500 a piece.

Screw you poor boy.

[Jimbo]

Stop feeding the trolls, Chuck. They're getting fat off your retorts ;-)

Everybody needs to shut up and stop whining. The Rays are kicking butt this year and we need to celebrate!

[tunamanz]

Maybe everyone can show up with REMOVE THE TARPS signs. It is B.S. that the Rays are refusing to remove them. They complain about fans not showing and now they have more fans then they know what to do with. What do they do refuse to remove the tarps and turn fans away. Hello.....these are the same fans that you want to vote on the new stadium. What the heck are the Rays mgmt thinking? Mayor Baker needs to step in on this one!

[Jake]

This is why the Rays don't sellout games. Move the stadium to Tampa where real fans will support the team.

St. Pete doesn't deserve any professional sports teams.

[Daniel]

Agreed regarding the tarps. They're going to keep 6,000 fans a night from seeing the Rays in the playoffs!

What do you mean sold-out, there are a few thousand seats up there!

[mo]

TAKE THE TARPS OFF!

[jakeisanidiot]

Jake there were a couple sellouts this year. They ended the year averaging over 22,000 per game. Your stupidity is amazing. Please stay in Tampa so your sickness doesn't spread to St Pete.

[bayrays]

Hey jake,
if you were a REAL sports fan, you would support the team whether it be in St. Pete, Sarasota, or where-ever. Tampans need to stop believing they have a better city. They dont. Get over the bs attitude and celebrate the AREA...Tampa Bay is a REGION, NOT a city.

[tunamanz]

As far as Tampa goes....I heard the Tampa Mayor on the radio this morning say that she is hosting a last regular game of the year party on Friday at a park near the forum. Last time I checked the last regular game is Sunday! Maybe she should have paid attention more during the year instead of being a band wagon jumper!

[Brian]

Oh quit whining, the sky isn't falling chicken little! Just because we are approaching tough economic times, doesn't mean that life as we know it is over. Geez, quit crying, with hard work, a TRUE American spirit, and a positive attitude, we as Americans can make it through anything.

On that note, GO RAYS! I will certainly be down there for the party.

[RealRaysFan]

If you're a "real Rays fan" living in Tampa then a short drive to St. Pete shouldn't be a problem - so shut your pie hole. Real fans support their teams and will drive to see playoff games.

In these tough economic times the one of the only "Rays" of light this part of Florida has is this baseball team. We should celebrate. The celebration is free, so what is the problem with it? If you can't afford free you're a grinch and should stay home anyway.

Go Rays! Take the tarps off owners, you want fans, you got em, now accommodate them.

[ScalpersRJerks]

Chuck, you're a jerk, $500 each? So scalping tickets is why you're better off now than ever before? Get real. True fans pay reasonable prices and won't gouge another fan.

[Pete]

Go Rays!

Jimbo and Chuck....go get a room so you can have an 'intimate' celebration together.

[Jimbo]

I'm gonna tell the people from Tampa the same thing I tell anyone else who thinks the Trop's in the "worst location" and it "needs to move to Tampa" to work.

You're not going to get the pros of the Trop site than you will anywhere else in the Bay Area: it's next to three interstates, it's completely central to three cities with 100K+ population (Clearwater, Tampa, Bradenton/Sarasota) while being in a city of 250K of its own, it's not near any strip clubs/casinos that would give people other excuses about why "I won't go there with my family", and it's in a downtown (granted I prefer the waterfront location, but if we can't have that, this will do nicely, if it's just reworked); lemme see you try to get that in Tampa. We could always demo that travesty of Channelside and put it there, but you still have the ingress/egress problem and too many strip clubs to count; besides, if the neighbors around the Ford Amp have has huge of a problem with that venue as they do, what makes you think they'll ever go for a baseball stadium, especially when there's no way to turn the dB's down to their liking?

Point is, there's no "end-all, be-all" solution, and someone will always feel slighted, no matter where it is. People have to realize that Tampa's not the center of population; it may be (currently) the largest city in the metro, but the center of the 4-million population is here in St. Pete. Sorry, Brooksville and beyond, but there's not enough up there to justify a northward move. Orlando and Lakeland are not that bad of drives, so long as they, too, take the alternate routes (namely the Crosstown Expressway and the Skyway, which is actually much quicker and easier than it looks on paper), and if people like me can go to the Orlando series from St. Pete, they can reciprocate just as easily.

[Jimbo]

And I agree, the tarps need to come down. They'll probably come down for the ALCS, so long as there's a huge push for them. I see the reasoning why Stu et al want to keep it closed; it gives people who have never been a bad experience since the catwalks are right in the way. However, that should outweigh the positives of opening them up: more attendance, more money, and more cowbells.

And yeah...Chuck, you suck! Scalping is horrible, though it is a free market, so if someone wants to pay $500 for a $20 ticket, they're just perpetuating it. Make the scaplers suffer...don't buy the ticket!

GO RAYS!!!!

[Bobbert]

I am not a baseball fan but - I am a taxpayer....So....Could the Mayor just mail me a check for the cost of my share of the party?

[Bill Gates]

Hey Chuck,
Not everyone is a whiny liberal, so if you are going to inject your conservative clap trap, then save us the annoyance and go back to listening to Rush Pillpopper on your AM radio.

I am a liberal, I make a lot more money than you can dream of, and I also help out my fellow man instead of being a greedy putz who sells baseball tickets at 10 times the face value.

Obama/Biden 2008

Gotta decline the invitation. I have an economic and foreign policy briefing with my dog.

Jeez, I can't stand Rick Baker, but you people are just nuts! He didn't say he was buying $700 billion worth of beer for the whole city to get smashed on. He said a party. My guess is Ferg's will have plenty of beer to sell and maybe they will have a high school band there and maybe some of the players will come sign autographs. Big deal! How much will that cost?

[Gaston]

You can always count on a few killjoys to rain on the parade.

[tunamanz]

Let's get back to what really matters.......

A REMOVE THE TARPS CAMPAIGN!

[Chucl]

Haha. Man what a bunch of losers in this area.

Mail me a check for my share of the party. LOL. How about you mail me a check for my share of your welfare.

Anyone who thinks scalpers are evil, child raping pieces of trash need to learn a few things about how a free market works.

Event tickets across the nation are severely UNDER PRICED. Of course the losers in this area wouldn't understand that because you're all just a bunch of government check toting freeloaders making 22k a year.

This city is pure vomit.

Gee .... I guess it takes the city millions to just put a couple of barricades on central around fergs to celebrate. Economic issues my @$$

What a joke.....

GO RAYS!!! SEE YA ALL DOWN THERE TONIGHT!!!

[albert]

Love them Rays. Will really miss them when they move to another city soon. Hope they take all their mean-spirited supporters who are posting here with them when they go. Go Rays...away.

[Maria]

Scalping tickets. Good show, a-hole.

People are having fun with this. Right now, that's all that matters.

[Dawn]

It is mlb that is making them leave the tarps on... the only way they will come off is for the World Series...it was Stu's. Why can't people just enjoy what is going on with the Rays and quit complaining about everything else???

[dawn]

should have said it wasn't stu's idea

[Pty Grl]

Go to Ferg's and check out all the new Baseball Playoff shirts. They are incredible!

[Albert Must be From South Pasadena]

Hey Albert,

Die.

Sincerely,

Normal Person

[Matt]

Couple of things:
The city of St. Pete isn't paying for this celebration, they're just interesting in getting fans excited about the Rays. Roll with it people, this is good stuff!!
Also, for those of you guys that complain about the St. Pete vs. Tampa thing, these two "cities" are really in my mind one huge metro area. Jacksonville is double the size of St. Pete/Clearwater/Tampa and people don't complain about driving across town.
The economy is hurting everyone, but cheering for the Rays doens't cost any $$.
Enjoy the ride, loosen up people.

[Rays supporter]

I think we all need to support the Rays. They have had a wonderful and exciting year during this depressing time and economic crisis. If you cant afford a ticket, dont buy one. Watch them on TV. I am enjoying the Rays and I have ALWAYS been a supporter and will continue. Why does it matter where they are located when they sold their 1st two playoff games before they went on sale to the public? I made it to only one Ray game as I was hospitalized and dealing with the birth of my 13 week early preemie baby. I saved money as I was unable to do anything and now my first outing since the birth of my son is going to be a Rays playoff game. I am happy to be alive today and going to a Ray game. Get on the support wagon for your home team and stop whining. We all have problems.

[Jimbo]

Actually, Dawn, it's Stu's idea. The team controls the first 2 rounds of the playoffs; MLB controls the WS, and they said they'll come off against Stu's recommendation.

But I agree; let's savor this and stop listening to the naysayers, who have officially run out of excuses now. Get down to Ferg's, get to a game...

...AND GO RAYS!!!

[MIKE]

Nice Try Chuck - I know who you are and 22K is a whole lot more than you make! People - pay no mind to the idiot in the room. He is desperate for attention and really has no clue. The fool has never been to a Rays game in his life. Oh and Chuck, when you turn 18 please make sure you take your butt out of this pure vomit town and don't come back. GO RAYS!!! REMOVE THE TARPS NOW!!!

[Jarid]

I live near the Pasco/Pinellas county border and have no issue driving to the games.. these Tampa fools need to stop crying about the drive.. Im so over hearing it

[Lynn]

Hey I was getting mad too when I heard that the Mayor of Tampa was having a party in Tampa before the Tampa Bay Rays offical party on Monday in St.Pete looks like she is trying to steal our thunder then St.Pete's Mayor is going to throw a party on Friday but then I got to thinking this is GREAT 3 parties to celebrate this magical year of baseball with the New Tampa Bay Rays so go out and party. There is also going to be a welcome home celebration at the clearwater airport on Sunday. Feel the Heat....

[Tim]

I read Tampa residents referred to as "Tampans" .. the correct term is "T-a-m-p-o-n-s"

I drive to Tampa to support Lightning but you can't drive to St.Pete to support the Rays ???!!!

Obviously not true baseball fans ..

GO RAYS !!!!!!!

[mm]

Here we go with the Tampa fools again. Hey Tampa, You talk so much smack about going to all the games but the Bucs couldn't sell out their home opener this year! Where were all you loyal Tampa fans then? Bring on the rest of the excuses losers!

[mm]

Very goo and thorough post Jimbo

[ll]

I don't go to Tampa to see sports teams unless somebody else is paying the bill - the parking situation at RJ and the Forum STINKS. Atleast the Trop has its own parking lot, too bad the new stadium probably won't....I'm sure this party will be "bring your own" everything and that's OK with me - GO RAYS!!

[Chuck]

I lost sight of reality a very long time ago and somehow confuse Liberal and Poor as synonymous terms. I also confuse Capitalism and greed. I also don't have any concept of what it means to run a credible business entity that has tangible and real "customers" who are human beings and have to weigh a variety of factors when making purchases as a consumer.

In short, I'm a complete tool.

Thanks.

[Charles]

maybe this will bring curb side recycling

[Jesse]

SMH at all the people who are not talking positive and always finding something negative to say...Must have some personal issues to always find the negatives... HATERS

[Moron]

Ok everybody... just take the little red pill that current administration gave you, down it with a shot of JD that Baker gives (at your expense)... sign you name right under the line that say's "Yes, I'll pay for a new Stadium"... and everyhting will be just fine in the morning.

[Corey B]

Wow - what civic pride you people don't have, worrying about who is paying for a party to celebrate your major league baseball team's first winning season, and a trip to the playoffs. You have a beautiful city full of people not from there who only only care about whether their government checks arrive to their mailboxes on time. They don't care that the Rays can unite the area for one cause, they are upset with the additional traffic these games will cause. Why do you people listen to these transplants? If you like MLB and the Rays - band together and drown out these losers.

"... worrying about who is paying for a party..."

Someone has to, Lord knows you're not!

[Mary]

We need a little partying to take our minds off the current affairs of our financial system and this "party" is the thing to do it. Never mind all you naysayers out there. We are all going to have a great time while the whiners sit in the corners with their thumbs up you know where crying like babies!

[Benny Kay]

Why is the city of Tampa trying to get in on the Rays public party action? That city is only good for its stripper businesses, that 1 big parade where people get drunk and hosting a Super Bowl once every 10 years. I guess Tampa wants to score some free publicity and political points.

Y'al are about some malleable-minded pinheads, I swear...

[Ernie]

Wait a minute. Isn't Ferg's Bar across the street from the St. Petersburg Police Department? Also, what the City be offering in terms of entertainment other than just closing a portion of Central Ave. for people to jam the street?

[Rin Tin Tin]

PEACE LOVE AND GROOVY MAN. NO IDIOTS AT FERGS, PLEASE. THAT MEANS JIMBO, EVERY JIMBO I EVER KNEW WAS A LOSER ANYWAY, AND CHUCK WHAT CAN I SAY YOU MUST BE QUITE THE PICTURE OF HUMANITY. RUDE PEOPLE, GET A LIFE IT'S A GAME, LIFE'S SHORT HAVE SOME FUN BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS EARTH, HOPEFULLY A BETTER PLACE!!! ST. PETE / TAMPA WHO CARES??

[Fred]

I'm with you Rinny. Party hardy. Don't mind Chuck he's from Boston. He fell in the Charles River when he was younger and the pollution affected his brain. Hang in there Chuck they are working on a cure.

[willie]

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Go RAYSSSSSSS]

Go party at Ferg's for the heck of it. Support our local economy and buy a Playoff Shirt. We went from worst to first!
Wear a shirt to show that you're proud to be part of making history!

[DODGERS!!!!!]

Why wait for the Rays??? The Dodgers are already NL West Champions.

[ocean90]

Yeah go party at Fergs and then get mugged when you head back to your car. St.pete sucks. The only thing that lives there is trash.

Does Ferg's recycle?

[not a baseball fan]

NO Thanks,I'd rather watch my grass grow,its got a faster pace and is more exciting

Ocean90 knows this becasue his mom lives here, she'll be at Fergs, and boy - does she ever know how to party!

Just bring 50 bucks, and she's yours.

[Sween]

Congratulations, Rays! Mr. Madden is a genius. These athletes play with a lot of heart. What a tremendous season! Every day was a new record setting day of a record setting season! Who has the t-shirt with every player's name on it for this season? Now that's the shirt I want! And, that tarp ought to come off-how NOT to be friendly to your home "partners"!