A roof?

[madj55]

I just wanna see some renderings of the damn thing. I'm really trying hard to picture it but I can't realistically see a retractable roof going anywhere.

[PowerBoater69]

The Washington Business Journal just stepped it up a notch. 

The Washington Nationals pitched the District government on a $300 million plan for a retractable roof over Nationals Park, but city officials say the idea was quickly dismissed.

Ted Lerner, Nationals owner and Washington-area development mogul, pitched Mayor Vincent Gray on the idea and it didn’t go well. A source in the mayor’s office said Gray “started laughing.”

A second source in the executive office said the stadium wasn't designed for a roof, so it "would be cost prohibitive and butt ugly."

NBCWashington and WNEW reporter Mark Segraves first reported the roof plan.

“Great idea, but the Lerners would have to pay for it and I think there are creative ways to do that,” said D.C. Councilman Jack Evans, D-Ward 2, a leading proponent of sports and entertainment facilities in the District.

Evans suggested, if the Lerners want a roof, they should leverage some of their many real estate holdings to cover the debt, and then use the incremental revenue generated by the roof — with off-season events and such — to cover what's due, instead of asking for D.C. taxpayers to foot the bill.

The Nationals declined to comment on the report.

Four of the 81 Nationals home games were postponed due to weather in 2013. A fifth was postponed after the Navy Yard shootings.

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/2013/11/nationals-pitch-300m-stadium-roof.html

[PowerBoater69]

From @DCSportShopped:

[Lintyfresh85]

There's literally nothing to be gained by the city to having the roof added, so why should they pay for it?

And yes a roof would make the stadium warmer, much the way the roof makes the BOB cooler when its 110 in Arizona. Once the roof is on, the turn on heat/air conditioning.

[PebbleBall]

*ahem*

What the freak?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

wipe out that last sliver of a view of the capitol and the left field corner view of the washington monument.  This has all the feel for the city that Disneyworld had for what preceded it in Orlando.

Why not a hydrogen filled flying saucer shaped dirigible?  store it over the Anacostia and float it in during a storm, like they did with the Hindenburg?

[PebbleBall]

Timeline of the key elements of this story:

Early May: Nationals change raincheck policy minutes before a rainout in hopes of maximizing sales for later games, are forced to reverse decision after fan uproar.

July: Nationals ask the city to fund their $300 million plan to help prevent future postponements.

[PowerBoater69]

There's literally nothing to be gained by the city to having the roof added, so why should they pay for it?

And yes a roof would make the stadium warmer, much the way the roof makes the BOB cooler when its 110 in Arizona. Once the roof is on, the turn on heat/air conditioning.

Unless they plan on filling in all of the open air gaps around the park this will be like an umbrella, heat and AC won't apply.

[PebbleBall]

Unless they plan on filling in all of the open air gaps around the park this will be like an umbrella, heat and AC won't apply.

$300 million leads me to believe it's not an umbrella.

[comish4lif]

What kind of freaking roof would be built? The stadium is so damn open in the OF I can't possibly picture what it'd look like. And $300 million for a roof...holy freak

$300 million for a retrofit-roof on a stadium that was not likely to have been built with the idea of later adding a roof.

[PowerBoater69]

$300 million leads me to believe it's not an umbrella.

How would they fill in the gap from section 400 around the loft and over to the scoreboard?  For that matter how would they fill the gaps between the levels?  If the roof is retractable would the walls have to be retractable too?

[Lintyfresh85]

How would they fill in the gap from section 400 around the loft and over to the scoreboard?  For that matter how would they fill the gaps between the levels?  If the roof is retractable would the walls have to be retractable too?

The back end of the stadium would have a wall completely around it with a track on it so the roof could slide on the track. It would all be enclosed, but on nice days the field would still get sunlight.

Edit:

On second thought, Safeco is an umbrella type roof that doesn't control temp. That's probably what the Nats would have.

Safeco Field has a unique retractable roof that only acts as an "umbrella" for the stands and field rather than forming a complete climate-controlled enclosure, as is the case with all other retractable roofs in Major League Baseball.

[comish4lif]

From @DCSportShopped:

(Image removed from quote.)

That looks like a mash up of Nats Park and Miller Field in Milwaukee.

[PowerBoater69]

On second thought, Safeco is an umbrella type roof that doesn't control temp. That's probably what the Nats would have.

Look at that monstrosity, there's no room outside of the ballpark to fit that thing for the majority of the year when it is not in use unless you cover South Capital Street.  They'd have to design a fold out cover like a hide a bed.

[mitlen]

Look at that monstrosity, there's no room outside of the ballpark to fit that thing for the majority of the year when it is not in use unless you cover South Capital Street.  They'd have to design a fold out cover like a hide a bed.

Will the National Capitol Planning Commission have veto power over this?

[spidernat]

Why not a hydrogen filled flying saucer shaped dirigible?  store it over the Anacostia and float it in during a storm, like they did with the Hindenburg?

Submit a plan where the dirigible can be used to created added revenue when it's sunny and the Lerners will jump on board.   

[PebbleBall]

Would someone please save these people from themselves?

[Displaced Bucco]

Words fail me

[PowerBoater69]

Would the National Capitol Planning Commission have veto power over this?

I suspect so but it appears that it never got further than Gray. 

Can you imagine the meeting where Mr. Burns pitched the rest of the Nats board on his magical roof with all of his yes men enthusiastically nodding their heads?

[Displaced Bucco]

If this is their pitch to DC, can you imagine what the new pitch must be for a spring training facility...and I thought they were pretty ballsy in Kissimmee

[Slateman]

That would be awesome. No more going to games in 95 degree heat

[Nathan]

Imagine how much improvement you'll see from Strasburg from not having to pitch in the heat!

[madj55]

If done before the stadium was built a retractable roof would be dope. Now? Nah. Has a retractable roof ever been added onto a stadium that's already been built?

[rbw5t]

Timeline of the key elements of this story:

Early May: Nationals change raincheck policy minutes before a rainout in hopes of maximizing sales for later games, are forced to reverse decision after fan uproar.

July: Nationals ask the city to fund their $300 million plan to help prevent future postponements.

I think you hit the nail on the head pairing these two together.  The Lerners are pissed that the weather dares interfere with their baseball revenue ("We don't have this problem with the malls!), and were annoyed when fans didn't just quietly accept their attempt to do away with the longstanding custom of the rain check.  I'm sure they knew the stupid roof idea was a crazy nonstarter, but now they can say "Hey, we tried to work with the city on a solution to the 'rain issue', but they wouldn't cooperate.  So... no more rain checks, but we aren't the bad guys here."

[Slateman]

https://mobile.twitter.com/SegravesNBC4/status/405455586914885632?screen_name=SegravesNBC4

They want the city to pay for it?!?