This contention is nothing more than speculative fear-mongering not grounded in any factual basis. First of all, it’s a city-owned ballpark. The team doesn’t have exclusive license to do whatever it wants within the confines of the stadium, and even if it did own the ballpark, I’m assuming such advertising would be a flagrant violation of sign laws in St. Pete.

Secondly, the Rays have to play in this stadium, and I think that’s what opponents miss in the entire process. There are legitimate objections to the stadium proposal, but the team stands in no way to benefit from a stadium with parking or comfort issues. If the team is going to make a $150 million investment in the stadium, plus any additional rent paid, and if they’re going to commit to playing 30 years there, it doesn’t make sense for them to push a plan fraught with unworkable elements. That applies to this specifically too. As an organization that has striven to cultivate a professional image over the last two years, a move like this wouldn’t be in keeping with that goal. They’ve very much tried to clean things up at Tropicana Field, and tried to present advertising in a more tasteful manner. I don’t know why they’d abandon that initiative in moving to a new stadium.

Really, this is worthy of discussion more because it exhibits the ludicrous nature of some of POWW’s arguments. There is just a never ending stream of distortions, such as this, that attempt to pander to some segment or another of the city population. This particular point is nothing more than populist posturing by POWW to try and tap into anti-corporate fervor.

that I would have made in MS Paint.

Plus, wouldn’t it smell funky under a tarp that big? I’ve never come across a good smelling tarp.

Who’s with me?

What if the Rays hadn’t been so bad for the last 10 years? Would folks still be so opposed to the idea of a new stadium.

The more I think about it this seems like a “logical” next step for these stadium haters. They can’t argue the Trop is sufficient and they can’t argue a new stadium will cost taxpayers money. The next step is to say the new stadium will do more harm then good…ie the need to fill in that small portion of the bay and advertisements hanging from the sail de-beautifying downtown and the waterfront.

The Rays next arguement should be constructing this staduim will bring jobs to the tampa bay area in a tough economic time. Then ask the city/county commissioners if they are against jobs. The Rays won’t be this direct but I’m sure they’ve thought about that angle as well.

It’s a good argument to make. Obviously, the Rays are being as forceful as they could be but I hope the positive arguments gain more traction then the negative argument do…

I live in the Shore Acres area of St. Pete and I attended a neighborhood civic meeting about the stadium issue last night. Representatives from the two main citizens groups spoke, POWW and Fansfortheballpark. The POWW guy was a dynamic speaker but essentailly full of #x%x*. His main argument was that we should not trust the Rays ownership to do the right thing. He also mentioned that the Rays should pay for it themselves, and then proceeded to roll out all of the big contracts they are giving their players. At the end I stood up and said to the POWW guy that the big contracts to the young players are a reason we SHOULD trust the new ownership, he stammered but then went into attendence and the fact that this is not a baseball town. Total crap, in my opinion.
What I really got out of the meeting is that most people over 60 are 100% against it, and most people under 40 are for it.
Side note: It is now common knowledge that people have been stealing pro-stadium blue signs in my neighborhood and in some instances replacing them with the anti-stadium POWW signs. Showing their true colors…
Anyway, I’m voting YES for the stadium, if it even comes to a vote.

I hope the stadium goes through because the Rays aren’t going to be playing at the Trop in 2026.

I hope the tarp doesn’t turn into an advertisement hub, that looks awful.

Rec’d

Who really cares? So long as they don’t start putting ads on the uniforms and the bases, I could certainly care less how they choose to generate revenue.

can’t we start the game day thread already?

I’m listening to the WDAE feed of The Jim Rome Show, and during a Sports Attack, Whitney Johnson started it by announcing the town hall meeting today for the ballpark and saying he was all for it.

WDAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

lol

If St. Petersburg won’t build the ballpark, the Rays will move somewhere else. Tampa, Portland, Charlotte, Orlando, even Indianapolis or Columbus.