The Tampa Stadium Authority, involved in both Raymond James Stadium and St. Pete Times Forum, is declining once again to be a part of any Tampa Bay Rays ballpark planning — for now. The reason: any overt discussions of a new ballpark could be seen as tampering with the Rays’ current lease at Tropicana Field […]
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Chamber to take up Rays ballpark cause
The Tampa Chamber of Commerce is grabbing a larger role in the debate over a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark, launching a study to determine possible private funding of a ballpark but steering clear of specific locations. The avoidance of locations is being done with the hopes of including St. Petersburg and Pinellas County in […]
Eagles removed from Ed Smith Stadium lights
The Baltimore Orioles had an unusual expenditure during the ongoing renovations to Ed Smith Stadium, the team’s Sarasota spring-training home: paying a private firm to remove two American eagles and their eggs from the right-field lights. The eagles decided to nest within the lights high above the ballpark this fall, despite ballpark renovations that brought […]
New Red Sox spring facilities bids come in slightly over budget
Construction bids on a new spring-training facility for the Boston Red Sox came in slightly over budget, with the end number tallied at $77.7 million — or around $2.7 million above the $75 million budget. Nothing will be cut from the budget, however. Lee County Commissioners will meet next week to approve the final numbers […]
Phillies, Pirates spring schedules posted
Pennsylvania baseball fans rejoice: We’ve posted the tentative 2011 spring-training schedules for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies, featuring lots of games between the two teams in March. You can view the Pirates schedule here. You can view the Phillies schedule here. Both schedules reflect the new economic realities of spring training: not too […]
Big East/Big Ten tourney expands, contracts
The annual Big East/Big Ten Challenge will be scaled back to 24 games in 2011 but will be played at a wider variety of venues, including Bright House Field and Dunedin Stadium. Last year the tournament was expanded to 30 games, but this year it’s being cut back to 24 games. The 2011 Challenge will […]
Spring training returning to Al Lang Field, St. Pete
Spring training will be returning to Al Lang Field and St. Petersburg in 2011, as three international teams will train there and other St. Pete sites while playing some exhibition games against MLB teams — and more may be on the way. The city is holding a press conference this morning to announce that the […]
Rays rip fans for not showing up during pennant race
The Tampa Bay Rays are in the midst of a great pennant race, but players were outspoken in their disappointment when a crowd of only 12,446 fans showed up to Tropicana Field on a night when the Rays could have clinched a divisional title. They didn’t, dropping a 4-0 game to the Baltimore Orioles. Still, […]
Lee County passes on City of Palms as a swim facility
Lee County has decided to pass on a proposal to convert City of Palms Park, the spring home of the Boston Red Sox, to a swimming facility after National Swimming Center Corp. failed to provide detailed financial information. The proposal would have converted Fort Myers’ City of Palms Park to a natatorium to host competitive […]
Miami-Dade County to Marlins: We thought you were broke
Miami-Dade County Commissioners are a little peeved that the Florida Marlins presented their finances as being in dire straits while showing a $33-million profit in 2008-2009 and are asking the team to cover $50 million in borrowing expenses. We can predict what the reaction will be: No. The request was made by Commissioner Sally Heyman […]
Uncertain times in Huntsville for the Stars
It’s all but certain that the Huntsville Stars (Class AA; Southern League) will be back at Joe Davis Stadium next year, with Buck Rogers at the helm. Past that, it’s all up in the air, as several cities are seeking a Southern League franchise and current parent Milwaukee is ready to shop around. Joe Davis […]
City of Palms Park / Boston Red Sox
This will be the last spring the Boston Red Sox are training at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers. It’s not been an especially distinguished run in terms of ballpark architecture and amenities, as City of Palms Park and a nearby training complex were cramped, outdated facilities. Here’s a look at City of Palms […]
Nats looking at spring-training move to Kissimmee
The Washington Nationals are exploring options for spring training; while the team has been negotiating with Brevard County to improvements to Space Coast Stadium, it has also been looking at other areas for a new complex. And one of those areas is Osceola County, where the Houston Astros already train. The Nationals have approached the […]