When the city of Mesa releases a “request for qualifications” notice in coming weeks, we’ll see a feeding frenzy as architectural and construction firms jockey for position — and we hear the process is expected to be wide open. Discussions of the new facility were fast and frequent at the Winter Meetings, as lots of […]
Archive | Major-League Baseball
Tampa Sports Authority declines to participate in Rays ballpark talks — for now
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 […]
D-Backs spiffing up Chase Field for 2011
The Arizona Diamondbacks are making further improvements to Chase Field for a 2011 season that will see Phoenix hosting the MLB All-Star Game. For starters: the team has repainted the retractable roof, likely to be closed during the All-Star Game and much of the season. Second, the team is installing new high-def two large new […]
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 […]
Poll: Voters oppose public funding of Wrigley Field renovations
Despite the immense popularity of the Chicago Cubs, more than half the Chicago voters polled by the Chicago Tribune and WGN oppose public funding of renovations to Wrigley Field. The Cubs proposed earlier this year for the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority to borrow $250 million for Wrigley Field renovations, with the bonds repaid by growth […]
In memoriam: Bob Feller
Bob Feller, the hard-throwing Cleveland Indian who went right from the Van Meter, Iowa farm to the bigs during his summer vacation following his junior year of high school, passed away today. He was 92. Feller joined the Indians in 1936 and instantly became one of the biggest draws in baseball, a hard-throwing kid whose […]
Oakland moves forward on environmental study of A’s ballpark site
The Oakland City Council is poised to spend $750,000 on an environmental study of a proposed Oakland A’s ballpark site in the city’s downtown Victory Court area, though there’s still no interest from the team in the location. The city’s City Council Community and Economic Development Agency approved the spending last night, and the full […]
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 […]
Metrodome roof collapses in dramatic fashion
The roof literally fell in at the HHH Metrodome, the former home of the Minnesota Twins and the current home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers baseball team, forcing the NFL to move the Vikings/Giants game to Detroit’s Ford Field. The roof tore in several places under the weight of two or more feet of snow; […]
No Japanese teams in Tucson next spring
It may occur down the road, but for 2011 the plan to bring two or more Japanese or Korean pro teams to train at Tuscon Electric Park has fallen short, as organizers run out of time to make a deal. The plan would have had two or more teams training in Tucson; Tucson officials had […]
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 […]
Oakland may be in better financial shape to host new A’s ballpark
WINTER MEETINGS — Because Oakland’s redevelopment agency is in much better financial shape than San Jose‘s, the city may be in better shape to put together a deal for a new Oakland Athletics ballpark — or at least give cover to the MLB committee charged with recommending a location. Though San Jose officials have pooh-poohed […]
Messy McCourt divorce takes another turn
The messy divorce of Frank and Jamie McCourt took another turn today when a judge ruled a postnuptual paper signed by the pair is not valid, stripping Frank McCourt of sole ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers and giving Jamie McCourt a chance to negotiate for her chunk of the team. The agreement, which was […]