The Future of Baseball in SE Florida - The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches

[Galah]

When I go to Nats Park I never stay at a hotel and I rarely buy food, much less go to a restaurant near the park.

Having 5-10,000 Nats fans and 5-10,000 Blue Jays fans in town per week over five weeks is a heck of a lot of money for hotels, food, and entertainment.

So what do you do with those employees for the other 10 months of the year? A GCL team gets you maybe 5 months more of baseball and trust me, most of those fans, even the ST fans are locals....or like me, own a property local
Don't overestimate the value of this to Florida, yes, it's money they don't want to give up but Florida got hit hard in this depression and still hasn't recovered nearly as well as DC has....they ain't yokels down there.

[TigerFan]

I'd guess that's how they are all created but it seems insane to me that the Nats organization would not be spending a single dollar to creat their $100 million state of the art practice facility. 

[PowerBoater69]

So what do you do with those employees for the other 10 months of the year? A GCL team gets you maybe 5 months more of baseball and trust me, most of those fans, even the ST fans are locals....or like me, own a property local
Don't overestimate the value of this to Florida, yes, it's money they don't want to give up but Florida got hit hard in this depression and still hasn't recovered nearly as well as DC has....they ain't yokels down there.

The Manatees will likely move in as well.

Obviously the big question is whether this is worth it to the tax payers of Osceola County. If it were my money I'd say no to corporate welfare for billionaire ballclub owners. But clearly the council down in Kissimmee is strongly considering this, and they want the $50 million that the state of Florida is willing to give them to steal the teams from two other Florida counties.

As someone who has no real money in the game I'm rooting for a product that will make me want to travel to Florida every spring and blow my annual vacation budget. And if you look at my suggestions, if like to see water slides and other attractions put in that would bring in visitors year round.

Based on the lack of comments on this thread there doesn't seem to be a huge interest from other Nats fans, so maybe they should hold on to their money.

[PowerBoater69]

As far as the residents of Osceola being yokels, I'd hope that they are smarter than the DC City Council that paid for a ballpark to get a team with no TV rights.

[Copecwby20]

PB, don't let the lack of responses fool you. I'm very interested in this as my family vacations to that area of Florida often and I have many friends down there. I think a lot of us are just taking a "wait and see" attitude and might not be as plugged into the happenings as you are.

[Mattionals]

Based on the lack of comments on this thread there doesn't seem to be a huge interest from other Nats fans, so maybe they should hold on to their money.

Be honest, most of who posts on this boards are repeat customers.  It's also an internet message board that is probably unknown to 3/4 of the Nats fan base.  I'd say if they show it on local news, it will be a big hit.

[monkeyhit]

I usually go to Florida in March, and if the Nats are in Viera I go to the east coast and get some flex-packs.
If they move to Kissassimee, I'll go to the west coast and never watch a Nationals spring training game.

Just me, I realize, but I like the beaches in the winter. Absolutely nothing wrong with the Viera stadium or location. Damn babies can't stand long bus rides!

[NatandtheHat]

Based on the lack of comments on this thread there doesn't seem to be a huge interest from other Nats fans, so maybe they should hold on to their money.

I'm very interested in it as well, and are glad you're keeping this thread updated. I'm primarily interested in the design aspect of it and have loved the blueprints they posted yesterday. Random question, though, what do we use 10 diamonds plus a handful of mini-diamonds for? Even if another team moves in, we'll still have 6 to ourselves and eve that seems... high. I like the plan and am glad it will be "state of the art," though.

[hammondsnats]

that rendering looked awesome

[NatandtheHat]

Here's the full complex layout if anyone hasn't seen it:

http://wofl.images.worldnow.com/images/22815490_BG2.png

[PowerBoater69]

I'm very interested in it as well, and are glad you're keeping this thread updated. I'm primarily interested in the design aspect of it and have loved the blueprints they posted yesterday. Random question, though, what do we use 10 diamonds plus a handful of mini-diamonds for? Even if another team moves in, we'll still have 6 to ourselves and eve that seems... high. I like the plan and am glad it will be "state of the art," though.

Six practice fields does sound like a lot, but with the major league team and seven affiliated teams, there are a ton of players in the system.

So far so good with the blueprints, it does look like the Nats have of course picked the nicer side with more space, which will make it interesting as they try to lure in the BJays.  I like the spot for the hotel, you'll probably be able to see right in the ball park from there, although I'd like to see it directly next to the practice fields.  Plenty of parking too, which is always nice.

The weirdest thing is all the little ponds around the Nats practice fields, maybe to keep it cooler.

[PowerBoater69]

I usually go to Florida in March, and if the Nats are in Viera I go to the east coast and get some flex-packs.
If they move to Kissassimee, I'll go to the west coast and never watch a Nationals spring training game.

Just me, I realize, but I like the beaches in the winter. Absolutely nothing wrong with the Viera stadium or location. Damn babies can't stand long bus rides!

If the Nats move to Kissimmee you'll be able to stay on the Gulf Coast and still watch a number of games, they'll play road games against the Tampa area teams and Kissimmee isn't too long of a drive to catch at least one game there if you are down there for the week.

[PowerBoater69]

Be honest, most of who posts on this boards are repeat customers.  It's also an internet message board that is probably unknown to 3/4 of the Nats fan base.  I'd say if they show it on local news, it will be a big hit.

I'm not so certain of that, while the local news has a huge audience, WNFF gets the hard core fans who would plan their vacations around the Nats.  Over the years the Nats have not been a big spring training draw, although that did change dramatically this past March.  Hopefully that is the start of a trend.

[PowerBoater69]

PB, don't let the lack of responses fool you. I'm very interested in this as my family vacations to that area of Florida often and I have many friends down there. I think a lot of us are just taking a "wait and see" attitude and might not be as plugged into the happenings as you are.

Probably an over-reaction on my part, but I was feeling lonely in the thread.

One thing about the spring games is that with the small crowds it is easier to spot familiar faces, last year I ran into people from my ticket group, the previous year I ran into old co-workers and a couple of the Twitter regulars, and I first hung out with NatoftheLivingDead down there.  So when you hit a game, make sure you post it here.

[PowerBoater69]

Here is the latest on the Blue Jays, it's clear that they are moving from Dunedin, but less clear that they will partner up with the Astros.  They are in a nice spot because both the Astros and Nats will want very much to have a second team in the mix in order to get the $50 million from the state and to justify a state of the art facility. 

http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2013/7/11/4516184/the-blue-jays-may-be-close-to-moving-their-spring-training-home-from

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Does anyone go to the winter league games?  I'd love to go to a ballgame in a place like Mexico (or DR/Panama/ etc). 

[PowerBoater69]

According to MASN the articles I linked yesterday came out in reverse order from the actual events, the deal was voted down then later approved by the tourist board.  All systems go.


http://www.masnsports.com/nationals_buzz/2013/07/have-nationals-kissimmee-plans-hit-a-roadblock.html

[NatandtheHat]

This may have already be answered, by why doesn't Houston want to stay in Kissimmee and shack up with the Nats?

[TigerFan]

According to MASN the articles I linked yesterday came out in reverse order from the actual events, the deal was voted down then later approved by the tourist board.  All systems go.


http://www.masnsports.com/nationals_buzz/2013/07/have-nationals-kissimmee-plans-hit-a-roadblock.html

That's good news.  What's the next step?  Selecting an architect?  Any idea on a potential date for breaking ground? 

I wish this was on the west coast, but oh well. 

[PowerBoater69]

This may have already be answered, by why doesn't Houston want to stay in Kissimmee and shack up with the Nats?

They have a deal in place down in Palm Beach, I think the owner has some connection to the area, they are locked into moving regardless of what the Jays do.

[PowerBoater69]

That's good news.  What's the next step?  Selecting an architect?  Any idea on a potential date for breaking ground? 

I wish this was on the west coast, but oh well. 

The architect has been selected, their name is in some of the articles, they did the Cowboys stadium and some of the spring training parks in Arizona.

The next step is a Council vote on Monday to fund a ~$6 million planning project. The vote yesterday was by the tourism board to take the proposal to the full Council. I'm not sure how long planning the park will take but they have to be months away from breaking ground.

[Galah]

The weirdest thing is all the little ponds around the Nats practice fields, maybe to keep it cooler.

(Image removed from quote.)

Run off/collection pools to keep the run off out of Lake Tohopelaliga, between all the concrete and asphalt as well as all the chemicals used to maintain all that nice green grass those 'ponds may not exist as more than depressions in the ground unless there's a good rain.

[Galah]

not to hide this thread, but shouldn't we move the discussion to the Red Loft rather than Clubhouse??

[hammondsnats]

if not this place, let's just re-open dodgertown and make it natstown and build a state of the art facility there.

[PowerBoater69]

if not this place, let's just re-open dodgertown and make it natstown and build a state of the art facility there.

According to Pete Kerzel, Dodgertown is no longer available. See his comments in the link below.

www.masnsports.com/nationals_buzz/2013/07/have-nationals-kissimmee-plans-hit-a-roadblock.html