Author Topic: The Future Of Baseball On The Space Coast (Read 18972 times)

Rasta · « **Reply #75:** February 09, 2012, 01:35:16 PM »

I have a free play to stay in Orlando with a good friend and we use one of his cars. I found tickets for roughly $250 round trip. So basically my whole trip with tickets, gas and food will run me less than $400.

I sure hope they stay in the Orlando area.

PowerBoater69 · « **Reply #76:** February 09, 2012, 01:46:49 PM »

Quote from: comish4lif on February 09, 2012, 12:12:21 PM

If you shop and give yourself some lead time, you can get to both places relatively cheaply. If you fly the weekend of March 22-25, Southwest can get you to Phoenix for $455 RT; Orlando looks to be about $100 less.

Per person, the car is cheaper for the family of four and saves the need to rent a car while there.

imref · « **Reply #77:** February 09, 2012, 05:35:51 PM »

You can get flights from the D.C. area to Las Vegas for less than $300. It's a 5 hour drive from there to Phoenix.

PowerBoater69 · « **Reply #78:** February 19, 2012, 09:47:27 AM »

Will Port St. Lucie, along with possible assistance from Jupiter and the Mets, make a significant offer to get the Nats to move down there in 2014? The Cards and Marlins have a clause in their ten year lease allowing them to bolt if there are fewer than four teams on the east coast of Florida, which would drop Jupiter down from two teams to none and leave the Mets isolated as the last team on the Atlantic coast, so there will be a great deal of collateral damage if the Nats move to Kissimmee or the Gulf coast. With the long term future of spring training on the east coast in the balance it is about to get very interesting to see what kind of offers the Nats receive.

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120219/SPORTS/302190025/If-Nationals-exit-will-Florida-s-East-Coast-out-game-

hammondsnats · « **Reply #79:** February 20, 2012, 12:52:20 PM »

again HELL NO to city of palms park.

:barf: :puke: :vomit: :throwup:

Nat of the Living Dead · « **Reply #80:** February 21, 2012, 12:50:30 PM »

The Nationals are out on a Port St. Lucie partnership. They still consider St. Lucie too far for their needs. The only way it happens now is if St. Lucie really sweetens the pot.

Personally, I hope they don't do it. I don't want an NL East rival getting deep looks at what the Nats have in the stockyard and I got thrown out of that place last year (then snuck back in).

hammondsnats · « **Reply #81:** February 21, 2012, 12:53:27 PM »

Quote from: Nat of the Living Dead on February 21, 2012, 12:50:30 PM

The Nationals are out on a Port St. Lucie partnership. They still consider St. Lucie too far for their needs. The only way it happens now is if St. Lucie really sweetens the pot.

Personally, I hope they don't do it. I don't want an NL East rival getting deep looks at what the Nats have in the stockyard and I got thrown out of that place last year (then snuck back in).

I trust NOTLD especially when it comes to ST stuff. I know it sounds like almost a done deal that the Nats leave Viera, but I honestly wouldn't mind staying there - especially when some of the other options (lol @ City of Palms Park) are really less appealing.

Nat of the Living Dead · « **Reply #82:** February 21, 2012, 01:01:21 PM »

Quote from: hammondsnats on February 21, 2012, 12:53:27 PM

I trust NOTLD especially when it comes to ST stuff. I know it sounds like almost a done deal that the Nats leave Viera, but I honestly wouldn't mind staying there - especially when some of the other options (lol @ City of Palms Park) are really less appealing.

Honestly, I am the same way. I love the Space Coast. It has gotten a bad rep over the years as "having nothing to do," but that is bullcrap. There is plenty to do around there, you just have to broaden your horizons beyond Panera Bread. I am a huge advocate of the Nats staying-- if it made sense.

Sadly, it is pretty much a given they are leaving. Space Coast Stadium isn't the most up-to-date facility, they aren't going to get a new stadium and the travel times are bumming to most in the organization. Viera losing the Nats will be the end of Spring Training baseball on the Florida Atlantic Coast as we know it. I see them going to the West Coast of Florida.

I know they have been saying they are considering Arizona, but I can't think of a dumber idea than cutting the team off from a good portion of the fan base which is stationed on the East Coast. It didn't work for the storied and historic Dodgers, it definitely wouldn't work for the seven year old Nationals.

Rasta · « **Reply #83:** February 21, 2012, 01:08:16 PM »

If they left I would rather it be for the Orlando area. So much stuff to do there is you bring the family down and you can still catch a bunch of games. I don't mind Viera as it's only about a 50 minute drive from where we stay.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #84:** February 21, 2012, 01:16:04 PM »

Is anyone using the old Indians facility in Winter Haven? Any old stadium would need renovation, but Detroit is very close in Lakeland. could see spin and Bally, and get Ashley to make some cookies.

hammondsnats · « **Reply #85:** February 21, 2012, 01:37:23 PM »

just open up dodgertown, put some money into it and make it the real natstown. (and if i were at home i would photoshop the natstown script logo on the dodgertown sign)

aspenbubba · « **Reply #86:** February 21, 2012, 02:39:12 PM »

Quote from: hammondsnats on February 21, 2012, 01:37:23 PM

just open up dodgertown, put some money into it and make it the real natstown. (and if i were at home i would photoshop the natstown script logo on the dodgertown sign)

(Image removed from quote.)

I had a friend who lives in Vero and when I visited him , I think the Dodgers already left and I thought the Nats could do well by moving there. Always heard it was a first class facility.Good thought Hammonds.

hammondsnats · « **Reply #87:** February 21, 2012, 02:48:14 PM »

Quote from: aspenbubba on February 21, 2012, 02:39:12 PM

I had a friend who lives in Vero and when I visited him , I think the Dodgers already left and I thought the Nats could do well by moving there. Always heard it was a first class facility.Good thought Hammonds.

it's different than any other facility too. they have like little dorm/apartment complexes where players/coaches/staff can sleep. they have a players bar/restaurant. pool and other community. i mean i'm sure if you put some money into it, you could really make it into a nice spot (for spring training and maybe for a minor league affiliate if the the p-nats don't get their act together).

plus vero beach is pretty nice.

Rasta · « **Reply #88:** February 21, 2012, 03:57:02 PM »

A group run by Peter O'Malley now has a contract to run Dodgertown with Indian River county.

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/region_indian_river_county/vero_beach/peter-o'malley,-whose-family-once-owned-los-angeles-dodgers,-to-manage-former-dodgertown-facility

1995hoo · « **Reply #89:** February 21, 2012, 09:31:44 PM »

Quote from: Rasta on February 21, 2012, 01:08:16 PM

If they left I would rather it be for the Orlando area. So much stuff to do there is you bring the family down and you can still catch a bunch of games. I don't mind Viera as it's only about a 50 minute drive from where we stay.

I like Viera because I can walk to the ballpark from my sister-in-law's house. 'Fraid we won't be making it down there this year, though. Work conflict, but also she's having some heavy-duty surgery, AND she's having to put up two other relatives for about a month so there isn't room for us right now. Too bad.

BTW, for those of you going down there, Meg O'Malley's Irish pub on New Haven Avenue in Melbourne is a pretty good place, especially if you want to watch European sports as a break from baseball. From the ballpark, go north to the first light at the gas station, go right on Viera Boulevard, follow the road to its end at US-1, go right again, follow it seemingly forever until you get to Melbourne. Turn right onto the street after Strawbridge Avenue and look for the pub on the right. (You can also take I-95 or Wickham Road but they both seem to take a lot longer.)

Eddie the Expos fan · « **Reply #90:** February 21, 2012, 09:59:03 PM »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on February 21, 2012, 01:16:04 PM

Is anyone using the old Indians facility in Winter Haven? Any old stadium would need renovation, but Detroit is very close in Lakeland. could see spin and Bally, and get Ashley to make some cookies.

The park is being redeveloped. And not for baseball. It was once a real nice place.

hammondsnats · « **Reply #91:** February 22, 2012, 10:12:55 AM »

Quote from: 1995hoo on February 21, 2012, 09:31:44 PM

I like Viera because I can walk to the ballpark from my sister-in-law's house.

that's awesome.

wpa2629 · « **Reply #92:** February 22, 2012, 12:10:39 PM »

Quote from: hammondsnats on February 22, 2012, 10:12:55 AM

that's awesome.

That is awesome

I'm jellus

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #93:** February 22, 2012, 12:41:45 PM »

I think there are nonstops on US Air from DCA to Phoenix...at least there were at the time of the America West merger.

Quote from: imref on February 09, 2012, 05:35:51 PM

You can get flights from the D.C. area to Las Vegas for less than $300. It's a 5 hour drive from there to Phoenix.

hammondsnats · « **Reply #94:** February 22, 2012, 01:12:52 PM »

the club is not moving its spring training base to arizona ... no need to worry.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #95:** February 22, 2012, 08:02:40 PM »

Quote from: Ali the Baseball Cat on February 22, 2012, 12:41:45 PM

I think there are nonstops on US Air from DCA to Phoenix...at least there were at the time of the America West merger.

McCain.

PowerBoater69 · « **Reply #96:** March 04, 2012, 08:00:20 AM »

While my personal preference is for the Nats to not share a spring training facility with a NL East team, Port St. Lucie is making a real push to make that happen. They spent $2.5 million (real money for a city that size) to upgrade their park to accommodate a second team and only team they are realistically targeting is the Nats. I haven't been there yet, but it looks like it would be a fine spot except for the issue with being too close for comfort to the Mets.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/mar/04/digital-domain-park-ready-to-show-off-its-new/

hammondsnats · « **Reply #97:** March 07, 2012, 02:07:07 PM »

bump.

Peter Gammons said yesterday Nats have submitted their reconsturction plans to Lee County about playing at City of Palms groundsite.

If it's approved, then the team could move there as soon as 2014, meaning last year could be the last in Viera.

Again, if they move to Ft. Meyers, the city MUST and i mean MUST improve that dump. Upgrade amenities, move the minor league complex, etc.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #98:** March 07, 2012, 02:17:50 PM »

Yes, they should hold out for a thorough modernization. I would think there is not much room for minor league fields near the park. As I understand it, they are about a mile from the park.

The one positive thing I've hear about City of Palms is it supposed to be close to downtown or a commercial area, or at least closer than the Twins complex and the new Jet Blue facility. The merchants were even talking about setting up a bus from Jet Blue to downtown to bring back the ballpark tourists.

Hammonds - have you been there or are you working off reports? For anyone who has gone to City of Palms and knows something about it, please chime in.

Glockypoo · « **Reply #99:** March 07, 2012, 02:20:25 PM »

The Ballpark Reviews guy seems like he dug it.

http://www.ballparkreviews.com/fmyers/fmyers.htm