MLB Stadium Saga: Oakland/Tampa Bay/Southside

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

Would it be built in the adjacent parking lot and then demo the Trop?

[McCall]

I always thought the location of the Trop, in addition to it's abandoned Hope Depot vibes, was one of the biggest contributors to low attendance, that it's difficult to get to on a daily basis for season ticket holders.

[BBTV]

Just now, McCall said:

I always thought the location of the Trop, in addition to it's abandoned Hope Depot vibes, was one of the biggest contributors to low attendance, that it's difficult to get to on a daily basis for season ticket holders.

Yep.  It’s interesting how the narrative has changed to the point where it’s a desirable place to live (despite allegedly being such a terrible place to get to from either direction) and an acceptable place for a new stadium (despite the location being given as the reason for the poor attendance). 

[TBGKon]

38 minutes ago, tigerslionspistonshabs said:

Would it be built in the adjacent parking lot and then demo the Trop?

Yes, most likely.  Here's a conceptual site plan that was released when the Rays/Hines development was brought up earlier this year.  The current Tropicana Field is located in the area surrounding the light blue tower F2

 

[TBGKon]

2 minutes ago, McCall said:

I always thought the location of the Trop, in addition to it's abandoned Hope Depot vibes, was one of the biggest contributors to low attendance, that it's difficult to get to on a daily basis for season ticket holders.

This is true about the location being distant from the population center, but the ability to have a Battery Atlanta style district is available in St Pete.  I do not believe many of the Tampa options gave the flexibility for a district.  The development of the district will offset is said to possible look enticing to offset any attendance dips.

[spartacat_12]

Maybe I'm wrong, but aren't two of the main issues people have with Tropicana its location and the fact that it's a closed dome? If so, they aren't fixing either of these problems, although I guess the new roof will at least let some sunlight in.

 

This feels like it could be another Marlins Park situation.

[GDAWG]

2 hours ago, Burmy said:

Good ne

I was hoping for Tampa and Ybor City to work out...but any port in a storm, I suppose.

 

With this, expect the expansion application process to begin any day...we all know about Nashville, hearing rumblings about Salt Lake as a dark-horse, hoping Portland can get its act together, don't know who'd spearhead a Charlotte group (though it would be nice to have the bigs in the Carolinas), wondering what plan Montreal will hatch next and whether Mexico (CDMX or Monterrey) or Virginia will try to come up with anything.

 

The Most Unwanted Song said it best: "Saddle up, boys; the desert is a-callin'.  Yahoo, yahoo, yahoo."

 

Probably not as their focus is trying to convince the Washington Commanders to put their new stadium in their state.  

[SFGiants58]

1 hour ago, spartacat_12 said:

This feels like it could be another Marlins Park situation.

 

That's exactly what it is, not fixing the root of their issues and just moving the low attendance to a new building.

 

I'd think it was a good idea if public transit in the area expanded to service the new stadium and provide an alternative to over-congested highways. But this is the Tampa Bay Area we're talking about, so that won't happen.

[dont care]

29 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

 

That's exactly what it is, not fixing the root of their issues and just moving the low attendance to a new building.

 

I'd think it was a good idea if public transit in the area expanded to service the new stadium and provide an alternative to over-congested highways. But this is the Tampa Bay Area we're talking about, so that won't happen.

What public transport?

[SFGiants58]

12 minutes ago, dont care said:

What public transport?

 

The public transport that just does not exist in Tampa Bay Area.

[TBGKon]

2 hours ago, spartacat_12 said:

Maybe I'm wrong, but aren't two of the main issues people have with Tropicana its location and the fact that it's a closed dome? If so, they aren't fixing either of these problems, although I guess the new roof will at least let some sunlight in.

While it may be a fixed roof, I believe they're going to have the Vikings type of ETFE roof, which is transparent, lightweight, and durable material.  There's also being thought that it will have some wall panels that can open up on the sides to allow some of the outside in, while still remaining covered.

[TBGKon]

50 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

 

That's exactly what it is, not fixing the root of their issues and just moving the low attendance to a new building.

 

I'd think it was a good idea if public transit in the area expanded to service the new stadium and provide an alternative to over-congested highways. But this is the Tampa Bay Area we're talking about, so that won't happen.

If the goal is to include a Battery Atlanta style district, St Petersburg may be the only option.  I don't believe that any of the currently considered sites on the Tampa side would allow for that.

[spartacat_12]

10 minutes ago, TBGKon said:

While it may be a fixed roof, I believe they're going to have the Vikings type of ETFE roof, which is transparent, lightweight, and durable material.  There's also being thought that it will have some wall panels that can open up on the sides to allow some of the outside in, while still remaining covered.

 

I'm sure it will be an improvement, but I guess I'm just a traditionalist who thinks that baseball should be played outside as much as possible. I've also seen firsthand the difference it makes at Jays' games when the roof is open compared to when it's closed.

[BBTV]

1 hour ago, TBGKon said:

If the goal is to include a Battery Atlanta style district, St Petersburg may be the only option.  I don't believe that any of the currently considered sites on the Tampa side would allow for that.

 

And I just don't understand why a place that's allegedly so bad to drive to will become a place that people will attract people to live.  Location, location, location.  I currently commute about 90mins each way to work (30 miles via transit or car with traffic) but most people aren't like me and want to live that far away from their job, and I'm assuming most people's job isn't near the stadium (or it'd be easier for them to go to games.)

 

This just sounds like doubling down (actually, tripling down) on existing issues.

[TBGKon]

1 hour ago, spartacat_12 said:

 

I'm sure it will be an improvement, but I guess I'm just a traditionalist who thinks that baseball should be played outside as much as possible. I've also seen firsthand the difference it makes at Jays' games when the roof is open compared to when it's closed.

Your opinion is valid.  I just know that if Tampa Bay (and Miami for that matter) didn't have a roof, you would have an excessive amount of rain delays/postponements between June and September.

[dont care]

Just now, TBGKon said:

Your opinion is valid.  I just know that if Tampa Bay (and Miami for that matter) didn't have a roof, you would have an excessive amount of rain delays/postponements between June and September.

And then the days it weren’t raining would be miserable to sit through as a fan. Having natural light with a climate controlled environment is the best solution. I’m thinking something like SoFi Stadiums roof will be the end result.

[McCall]

2 hours ago, spartacat_12 said:

 

I'm sure it will be an improvement, but I guess I'm just a traditionalist who thinks that baseball should be played outside as much as possible. I've also seen firsthand the difference it makes at Jays' games when the roof is open compared to when it's closed.

That's Toronto, not Florida in the summer.

[GDAWG]

2 hours ago, spartacat_12 said:

 

I'm sure it will be an improvement, but I guess I'm just a traditionalist who thinks that baseball should be played outside as much as possible. I've also seen firsthand the difference it makes at Jays' games when the roof is open compared to when it's closed.

 

The reason the Rangers are playing in a Costco Warehouse is because they want 40,000+ fans in attendance for all 81 games whether it's night or day.  They couldn't do that with their old ballpark (which is now a football/soccer stadium for MLS Next Pro North Texas SC, XFL Arlington Renegades and Major League Rugby's Dallas Jackals) because nobody wants to attend a Rangers game when the average temperature on a weekday afternoon in June, July and August is 102.  Even when the Rangers were winning, nobody was in attendance at day games.  

[GDAWG]

[TrueYankee26]

Rays: I would have preferred Tampa but at least they are staying in Tampa Bay. Hopefully the stadium does not age horribly like the Trop.

 

Brewers: As I said earlier, I never saw them moving from Milwaukee.

 

Happy for both Rays and Brewers fans