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Post by mikecubs on Nov 28, 2018 12:24:51 GMT -6
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Post by mikecubs on Nov 28, 2018 12:36:56 GMT -6
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Post by mikecubs on Nov 28, 2018 15:32:04 GMT -6
Mike @415_M25 Replying to @athletics @davekaval @bigstertweets if there’s one thing you can tweek, please rotate the stadium 45 degrees clockwise so that right field sits by the water. People go to the waterfront for the sunshine and to have views of the water!!
@davekaval 12m12 minutes ago More Dave Kaval Retweeted Mike We evaluated that orientation but settled on due East to ensure fan comfort and protection from the prevailing winds. There will be tons of view of the water from seats, terraces, and park.Dave Kaval added,
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Post by mikecubs on Nov 28, 2018 15:36:21 GMT -6
@oakstadiumwatch 3h3 hours ago More Libby Schaaf: "This week the discussions of the City buying out the County's portion of the Coliseum ownership took a very positive turn."
@oakstadiumwatch 3h3 hours ago More Kaval: "We hope to have an option agreement to take over Howard Terminal in the first quarter of next year."
@oakstadiumwatch 3h3 hours ago More Kaval: "This project is bigger than baseball. This gives us the best chance to keep the A's in Oakland for 50, 100 years, forever. We're excited to get some shovels in the ground and build by 2023."
@oakstadiumwatch 3h3 hours ago More Overall, more fluff than details at A's ballpark press conference. Main focus is rolling out A's broad vision, with details to be worked out in 2019.
Biggest takeaway: City, County, Port *and* A's at the same table saying they all support this happening.
@libbyschaaf 2h2 hours ago More Libby Schaaf Retweeted San Francisco Chronicle The #HowardTerminal site is the right project, in the right neighborhood, and at the right price to our taxpayers. It's a community space for all Oaklanders. #AndARoofTopPark
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Post by mikecubs on Nov 30, 2018 12:44:18 GMT -6
Casey Pratt Verified account @caseyprattabc7 17h17 hours ago More Couple notes from chatting with Kaval. - Happy with public response. - Confident this time its for real, notes harmony amongst parties. - Assured me there’s a party barge. - Also promises there will be places to tailgate. - Says there’s over 10k parking spots in area already.
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 4, 2018 15:52:10 GMT -6
Here is how a gondala system works in Germany and what the A's envision
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 6, 2018 16:00:30 GMT -6
The A's had an online stream info thing about their ballpark today. It was revealed it will be 400Ft to center field 325ft down both lines.
Also this
Oakland Fan Pledge @fanpledge 2h2 hours ago More From the stream: Landscape along the ring park will mimic the city's vegetation Low (centerfield) = Bay vegetation High (behind homeplate) = Hills vegetation
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 6, 2018 16:04:02 GMT -6
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 6, 2018 16:07:44 GMT -6
Hillsborough Sets Spring Deadline for Rays Ballpark Term SheetThe Tampa Bay Rays face a deadline in their new ballpark talks, as a Hillsborough County official is calling for them to agree to a term sheet by next spring. The Rays released their proposal for a new ballpark in Tampa’s Ybor City this summer, calling for the fixed translucent roof facility to be constructed as part of an $892-million project that would yield a replacement for their current home, Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. It has been expected that the project will be financed through a public-private partnership, but the Rays and local government have not agreed to the parameters of a potential agreement. At a Hillsborough County commissioners meeting on Wednesday, county administrator Mike Merrill stressed that there is urgency to the discussions. The county is pitching a funding model that relies heavily on private financing, with public money going largely toward infrastructure upgrades and the ballpark exempt from property taxes, but the Rays have not weighed in on that plan. Merrill said during the meeting that the Rays and the county will need to strike a term sheet by the end of 2019 spring training, or otherwise the deal could collapse all together. More from the Tampa Bay Times: “If we can’t come up with term sheet by March of next year we’re basically done anyway,” Merrill told commissioners during Wednesday’s meeting.Merrill said the county’s pitch to the Rays promises a stadium financing deal largely made up of private dollars — a potentially ground-breaking proposal for MLB stadiums that are typically built with public dollars. But if the Rays don’t agree to the county’s framework by Jan. 1, and if a binding agreement isn’t struck by the end of the 2019 spring training season, then Merrill said it won’t happen…. The county’s proposal outlines two possible sources of private funding: Investors could put their cash into a federally-designated Opportunity Zone and landowners in and around the site could agree to tax themselves as part of a Community Development District.
The only significant public money would come from two of Tampa’s Community Redevelopment Areas that would pay for infrastructure upgrades such as utility and road improvements.Keep in mind that this is separate from the team’s December 31 deadline with St. Petersburg, which is part of a 2016 agreement that gave the Rays three years to explore the region for a new ballpark. There are still many unknowns as it relates to that deadline, but Hillsborough County is essentially calling on the Rays to okay the county’s funding framework by the start of 2019 before completing a more formal term sheet by the end of spring training. Both Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa would play major roles in the planning process for a Ybor City ballpark. The county would be responsible for granting the property-tax exemption, with the city overseeing areas such as zoning regulations and the allocation of CRA funds. The city is approaching a shakeup in leadership, however, as current mayor Bob Buckhorn is ineligible to seek a third term next spring and will leave office on May 1.[/u] ballparkdigest.com/2018/12/06/hillsborough-sets-spring-deadline-for-rays-ballpark-term-sheet/
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 14, 2018 8:36:46 GMT -6
Rays say current Ybor stadium project is dead, remain committed to Tampa Bay area – for now The Rays have no plans to leave the area before the 2027 end of their deal at the Trop, but at some point a 2028 home has to be addressed.Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg said today the plan to build a stadium in Ybor City is no longer viable but the team remains committed, for now, to looking again for a new home in the Tampa Bay area. Sternberg said the lack of details and progress for the planned $892 million stadium in Ybor City that was to open in 2023 made it clear it was not going to work and thus there was no point in asking for an extension on the Dec. 31 deadline with St. Petersburg to look. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred earlier today sent a letter to Tampa officials saying the framework of the deal was lacking too many details.
In short, the Rays joined Manfred in saying there had not been nearly enough progress on the Ybor project to make it happen, even with a short extension on the Dec. 31 expiring agreement with St. Petersburg to look on the other side of the bridge. "While the momentum and progress are real, we are not close at all to a workable framework," Sternberg said, referencing the fundamental issues that Manfred cited as not being addressed including financing, costs, timetable and site control. "We've had a long time. Three years is a long time." Sternberg noted the hours and "many millions" the team invested in the Ybor project and said the failure was not due to a lack of effort on any party. "While I am wildly disappointed by the result, I'm not discouraged," he said, noting how the government and business community worked together. So, now what? "I'm firmly committed to helping the Rays remain and thrive in Tampa Bay for decades and generations to come," Sternberg said. "Major League Baseball is a large part of what defines Tampa Bay as a major-league region and I continue to be enthusiastic about finding a way forward." But he also noted, citing the failed 2007-08 effort to build on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, in perhaps ominous baseball terms, "We're at two strikes right now."Sternberg said they are are a "pretty resourceful" and "pretty determined" group and remain optimistic about finding a new home in the Tampa Bay area, with no plans to try to leave the area before the end of 2027 use agreement at the Trop. But he also acknowledged that at this point any new stadium in the Tampa Bay area wouldn't be ready until 2024, and at some point they have to start thinking about where they would play in 2028, when they potentially could relocate with permission from MLB. New stadium construction requires four-five years lead time. Montreal, Portland (which recently unveiled stadium plans), Las Vegas, Charlotte and Nashville are all considered potential sites for a team. "So we've got a couple of years to figure it out," Sternberg said at baseball's winter meetings. "We've got to know where the 2028 season will definitively be played over the next few years. We had a long window to get to that point, meaning 15 years, and that's elapsed now we've only got a few years left." Sternberg and team president Brian Auld said they had no specific next step or site in mind and would be open to input, noting they have had cooperation on both sides of the bay. St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman has said previously that he hoped the Rays would be open to rebuilding on the Tropicana Field site. Sternberg said at some point they have to let St. Petersburg get on with its plans, with or without a new stadium, at the 80-acre Trop site. "Everything is back on the table," Auld said. "As we've been at this for 10 years now we continue to take the same approach as we have over that time. … We are a resourceful group, we'll get as creative as we possibly can, we'll work with all the partners that we can to make this thing a reality. While today is certainly disappointing and represents a bit of a setback we have great partners on both side of the bay that have shown a willingness and eagerness to get this resolved. And both sides have a lot to gain from getting this resolved regardless where the ultimate location is." Sternberg said they felt the Ybor project, which relied on funding from opportunity zone investments and other sources to cover about half the cost, "could have done wonders" for Ybor. Paying for the stadium is a major issue. Under the framework of the proposed Ybor City deal, the Rays were projected to pay about $450 million. Sternberg, who previously had floated a $150 million contribution and then said the would pay more but not how much, said Monday they didn't get enough specifics (such as season ticket commitments or naming rights) on the Ybor deal to know what was realistic for them to pay. "I think if we had gotten further along with that we would have been able to answer that question better," Sternberg said, noting that they have a base level in mind that has gone up but also that costs to finance and build are always rising. " You could make the case, and it's not to sound flippant about it, but we really can't afford to pay much of anything. And I could make a case in certain markets you could fund an entire stadium. … There are just too many variables involved to just put a number on it right away."www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/2018/12/11/rays-say-current-ybor-stadium-project-is-dead-remain-committed-to-tampa-bay-area-for-now/
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 14, 2018 8:44:32 GMT -6
FYI, the land around the stadium in St. Petersberg is worth a lot. If the Rays stay they are entitled to a 50% share of the sale/development of it. St. Petersberg also has a lot more tax money to spend on a stadium. The problem is St. Petersberg is the wrong location for fan access. Don't be surprised to see a deal for a true minor league park between 20,000 to 25,000 paid by taxpayer money with the rays also keeping a portion of the land sale to make up for the lack of fans. The only thing saving the Rays is the local $86M per year local TV contract. This whole thing reminds me of something that would happen to the NHL.
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 14, 2018 9:02:00 GMT -6
With Ybor stadium deal dead, St. Petersburg back in play for RaysWith the Ybor City stadium deal likely dead, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman is ready and willing to again talk about keeping the Tampa Bay Rays in his city. “The memorandum of understanding we struck with the Tampa Bay Rays worked as intended. The organization was given three years to explore future stadium sites throughout our region,” Kriseman said during a press conference Tuesday. “I stand ready, if asked, to continue the conversation related to the organization’s future in St. Pete.” The demise of the Ybor deal means all stadium options are now back on the table, including the team staying put. If the team stays in the region, Tuesday’s unraveling means any new stadium opening would be pushed back to at least 2024. Kriseman reached an agreement with the team in late 2015 to allow them wiggle room in the team’s otherwise iron-clad contract to explore possible stadium sites in both Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. The team decided on Ybor City earlier this year and unveiled plans for a nearly $1 billion ballpark. But Hillsborough County did not come forward with a funding plan to help the team foot the hefty bill until last week, leaving the team with just three weeks to decide whether they’d begin negotiating or pass. It was a hard pass. Rays principal owner Stu Sternberg, speaking at a the Major League Baseball Winter meeting in Las Vegas Tuesday, said the Ybor deal had crumbled and that the team had no intention of asking St. Pete for an extension on its Dec. 31 deadline to inform the city of its intentions, if any, to move from its current home at Tropicana Field. After the deadline, the Rays will be contractually barred from considering stadium sites outside St. Pete. The team’s contract to play there runs through 2027. Kriseman’s reaction to the Rays crumbled stadium deal was all but an “I told you so” to detractors who worried his deal with the team in 2015 was an invitation to leave the city. Kriseman said all along his goal was to keep the team in the Tampa Bay region and believed St. Pete made the most sense for the Rays. Tropicana Field sits on an 81-acre site large enough to build a new stadium without disrupting games at the existing stadium. The team’s contract also gives it a 50 percent stake in future development rights on the site – money that could serve as a funding source for a new ballpark.St. Pete also has access to tourist bed tax dollars collected on hotel stays to potentially help fund a new park.
Hillsborough County’s funding options were far more limited.
In the 11th hour, the county identified potential “opportunity zone” funding that could have paid for up to half of the cost of a new stadium, but that was the county’s only viable option without raising taxes, which they weren’t willing to do. And it wasn’t enough for the team. The city of St. Pete already has a Tropicana Field site master plan in place that includes a new baseball stadium. The city started drafting another plan for the site without a stadium after the team announced it wanted to move to Ybor. But with that hope dead, it’s not clear whether staying in St. Pete will again be an option for the team. While St. Pete is friendly in terms of new stadium financing, it also presents a host of problems for the MLB team that has for years struggled with bottom of the barrel attendance. One of the top metrics for game day attendance is the number of people who live within a 30-minute drive of the team’s home games. The near-downtown location of Tropicana Field falls way short on that metric, according to several studies, including one by Pinellas County. The Rays may not want to invest anything at all – even with a sweetheart funding deal – if it still won’t be able to get fans in the seats.Either way, Kriseman has said, and continues to emphasize, that the economic development opportunities at the Trop site are enormous regardless of whether or not they include baseball. floridapolitics.com/archives/283160-ybor-stadium-rays
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 14, 2018 9:17:34 GMT -6
Thinking about it, the Rays should just keep the current stadium and skip the new one if it's going to be at the same site and just pocket the development money. There is no point in a new stadium. With the perfect location in downtown Tampa they were only going to have 28,216 seats by far the lowest in MLB. Under Selig the rules were 34,000 capacity was the bear minimum requirement. Maybe do a renovation and just remove the current upper deck. LOL
The Rays are the Coyotes but only with a good TV deal/ratings.
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Post by wolfmannick on Dec 15, 2018 4:00:22 GMT -6
Thinking about it, the Rays should just keep the current stadium and skip the new one if it's going to be at the same site and just pocket the development money. There is no point in a new stadium. With the perfect location in downtown Tampa they were only going to have 28,216 seats by far the lowest in MLB. Under Selig the rules were 34,000 capacity was the bear minimum requirement. Maybe do a renovation and just remove the current upper deck. LOL The Rays are the Coyotes but only with a good TV deal/ratings. Move them to montreal
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Post by mikecubs on Jan 4, 2019 12:16:06 GMT -6
Rays eliminate upper-deck seating, reduce capacity to 25,000The Tampa Bay Rays, who ranked next to last in the majors in attendance last season, are eliminating all seating in the upper deck for 2019 in an effort to create a more "intimate" experience for fans at Tropicana Field. The Rays on Friday said they would add a premium seating section in the lower level but would no longer seat fans in the upper deck, which would reduce capacity at the stadium by more than 5,000 seats to approximately 25,000 to 26,000. That would be about 10,000 seats smaller than capacity at any other stadium in the major leagues."These renovations mark our continued commitment to providing a first-rate fan experience at Tropicana Field," Rays president Matt Silverman said in a statement. "Together, in concert with the reduction in seating capacity, these investments will help create a more intimate, entertaining and appealing experience for our fans." The Rays averaged 14,258 fans last season, ranking ahead of only the Miami Marlins (10,013). It was a 7.9 percent decline for the Rays, who have ranked last in attendance in all but two seasons since 2012. Tommy Pham, who was traded to the Rays from the St. Louis Cardinals in July, was critical of the fan base in Tampa Bay. "It sucks going from playing in front of a great fan base to a team with really no fan base at all," Pham said on SiriusXM in December. "... That's something that I miss, because even here in the Dominican they have a strong fan base for the team I'm playing for. Their fans are very supportive. They're loud. And the Rays? They just don't have that." In December, Rays owner Stuart Sternberg said he would reopen the search for a new ballpark site after plans for a stadium in Tampa's Ybor City area couldn't be finalized by last month's deadline. Sternberg said any new ballpark can't open until at least 2024 and that the team must start thinking about where it will play when its lease at St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field ends after the 2027 season. "We'll continue to look in Tampa Bay, and we'll put our efforts to that," Sternberg said at the winter meetings. "One way or another, we need to figure out where the team is going to be in 2028, if not sooner. Ideally sooner. But absolutely by 2028." Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has said the sport will not consider expansion until the Rays and Oakland Athletics get new ballparks. The A's announced plans on Nov. 28 for a new stadium near downtown and are working to gain approvals. Tampa Bay has played at what is now called Tropicana Field since its first season in 1998. www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25683771/tampa-bay-rays-eliminate-upper-deck-seating-reduce-capacity-25000
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