Rays Owner Sternberg spells it out for St Petersburg.

[Ganja Ninja]

"Baseball will not work long-term in downtown St. Pete"

snip:

"The future of Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay depends on finding the optimal site for a new ballpark,"
said Sternberg. "It is my conviction that if baseball is to survive and flourish in Tampa Bay for the long-term,
we must rise above municipal boundaries and work together with a common interest."

Added Sternberg, "We will consider any potential ballpark site in Tampa Bay, but only as part of a process that
considers every ballpark site in Tampa Bay."

Sternberg said he believes baseball can succeed in Tampa Bay and that he is committed to doing all he can to keep the team in the region.

http://www.draysbay.com/

[KamaAina]

1. A new ballpark?! The paint isn't even dry on the one they've got now!!

:wtf:

[wilt the stilt]

2. Earth to Taxpayers

Sports owners are playing you for fools. The mere fact that taxpayers are funding stadiums is the all time waste of money. As Mike Lupica wrote."If owners had to pay for stadiums a major refurbishment would be a paint job".

When states are cutting everything including schools, the funding of a private organization a stadium is the all time insult.

[flvegan]

3. Big part of our problem here is the infrastructure.

If it's not a weekend game, driving to the Trop is a massive trip of suckage. If one lives in Pinellas, it may not be so bad. If one lives ANYwhere in Hillsborough, Pasco or Polk it's a slog through the stupidly planned and executed I275 (and likewise idiotic I4 interchange for Polk and outlying Hillsborough to the east). Even by taking 60 to Clearwater, you're just going round and round to try to get there. The Gandy? Jesus, no thanks.

Lastly, they want to do an open air stadium. That's great in most places. When the heart of baseball season means that it rains every single day in the afternoon, not a good idea. Plus, who really wants to sit in the sun when it's 100 degrees out. Marlins fans...oh wait, no. They don't either. Not to mention how playing most games at temps that exceed anything anyone wants to endure means they likely won't do so well.

Just my thoughts.

[Ganja Ninja]

5. The layout of the bay area is a problem.

It's as if you took the fans of San Francisco (and only San Francisco) and spread then evenly around San Francisco Bay then expected them to drive across and around the bay to get to games. There's no public transportation to speak of either.

But that's not our only problems. It's a small market to start with. A large part of the fan base is made up of elderly transplants with old loyalties to other teams. The median income of working people in the area is a pittance compared to other cities. And the thing that hurts them most, typically around the league season ticket purchases are made up of two thirds businesses and one third fans. In Tampa it's the exact opposite. So bay area businesses in not stepping up like in other cities.

There's also a growing problem in sports in general. The TV experience is becoming better than going to the ball park, especially since MLB refuses to allow the game on the jumbo trons at the stadium.

Putting the stadium in Tampa will help solve some of the problems. Putting it near the new high speed rail terminal will also help draw fans from Orlando and Lakeland.

[RockaFowler]

4. WTF??

Added Sternberg, "We will consider any potential ballpark site in Tampa Bay, but only as part of a process that
considers every ballpark site in Tampa Bay."

Why are they looking for spots in Tampa Bay?? Tampa maybe, but Tampa Bay is a body of water. Maybe when you learn what city you play in, then maybe the city will help you.

Look, they accepted the location to begin with, now it's terrible. The stadium is great as is. Why would they want an outdoor stadium?? Even the Marlins are building a retractable roof.

Oh yeah and we don't have the money in Florida for these kinds of f-ups.

[Ganja Ninja]

6. They aren't seriously looking to build an open air stadium.

They had a design for one in St Pete but the city passed on it, thankfully. They want a retractable roof if possible. If they can't get that they'll settle for another dome.