A roof?

[spidernat]

Well, I'm no fan of rain delays...

As long as it's only used to prevent delays or postponements then it's fine. This way they don't have to hear any noise about them being cheap over Metro staying open late because of rain delays. 

I would say the line, but SF or Spider really should be the ones to do so.

You mean hammonds.

They want DC to pay for it

They will ask for the $300 million and then put this up and say it cost more than expected and they had to put up some of their own loot (PANatsFan will praise them for pitching in).

[RobDibblesGhost]

Story airing again right now on News 4

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

what he said

The only thing worse than retractable roof baseball stadiums is a crappy dome like Tampa has.

There is NOTHING good about retractable roof stadiums. They all blow.

[Mattionals]

I think certain retractable roof stadiums aren't terrible, but you have to design around it as an aesthetic.  Nats park was designed as an open field, not a retractable roof stadium.  It won't ever look right with a roof.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Indoor baseball is a crime against nature.  Kind of like skiing in Dubai or twerking in Utah...it's just, well, wrong.

[deeznatz]

This is the most disgusting thing Ive ever heard.  I'm serioulsy thinking about throwing in the towel.  Some billionaire that already given a $700 million dollar gift from they everyday taxpayer, asks for another $300 million so he can save what, a 4-5 million per year?  Are you kidding me?  I cannot believe this.  I don't know how I can give this jerk another penny.

[GburgNatsFan]

How about they just put up a roof that keeps the train from pouring in on the 300 concourse?

I'm hoping this is a bargaining chip to get Metro to stay open.

This really ticks me off for some reason.

[blue911]

If only there was a way to divert money from the widows and orphans fund

[Natsinpwc]

This is the most disgusting thing Ive ever heard.  I'm serioulsy thinking about throwing in the towel.  Some billionaire that already given a $700 million dollar gift from they everyday taxpayer, asks for another $300 million so he can save what, a 4-5 million per year?  Are you kidding me?  I cannot believe this.  I don't know how I can give this jerk another penny.

How do you think they got rich?

[spidernat]

This is the most disgusting thing Ive ever heard.  I'm serioulsy thinking about throwing in the towel. 

[Mr Clean]

I like the idea, although the Lerners should foot the bill. No rainouts. No cold April games.  Park can be used all year long too,

[PowerBoater69]

Cheap bastards need to sign Cano, a couple starters, a bench, and a pen, then come begging for a handout.  Field a team that can do better than winning a five team division once in nine years.

No comment to the press.  They'll ask for $300 million of taxpayer money but can't be bothered to make a public statement to the people footing the bill.

They'll probably want $50 million of the cash to go to their sham Dream Foundation where they can host a fancy party in their own honor so that all their fancy friends can tell them how generous they are.

[madj55]

The roof is probably for the One Direction concert. A wise investment.

[spidernat]

They'll probably want $50 million of the cash to go to their sham Dream Foundation

PANatsFan's trust fund.

[PowerBoater69]

How are they going to build this thing in six months? Start on October ~3rd, hope for a light winter, and be ready by early August?

[madj55]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/nationals-sought-a-retractable-with-taxpayer-money-district-mayor-vincent-gray-said-no/2013/11/26/48b7b8a4-56ee-11e3-835d-e7173847c7cc_story.html

[PowerBoater69]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/nationals-sought-a-retractable-with-taxpayer-money-district-mayor-vincent-gray-said-no/2013/11/26/48b7b8a4-56ee-11e3-835d-e7173847c7cc_story.html

In September, Forbes assessed Lerner’s net worth at $4 billion, making him the second-richest owner in Major League Baseball.

Nice of the Post to include that as the last line of the article, not directly relevant to the roof request, but certainly a nice bit of information.

So the old man met directly with the mayor and made the request, no sending in of Mark and some lackey like they did in Osceola, this was Werth contract big.

My question is why did the mayor's reps release this info this afternoon if the meeting happened earlier this year, what did the Nats do to piss off Gray and his staff?

[mitlen]

My question is why did the mayor's reps release this info this afternoon if the meeting happened earlier this year, what did the Nats do to piss off Gray and his staff?

Nothing  .... Gray's gonna run for re-election and he's gathering votes.

[RobDibblesGhost]

I like the idea, although the Lerners should foot the bill. No rainouts. No cold April games.  Park can be used all year long too,

I don't.  When I went to Marlins Park earlier this year, it felt more like being in a warehouse than a ball park.  I like the open-air feel of Nats Park and totally disagree that it needs a roof.

[PowerBoater69]

Nothing  .... Gray's gonna run for re-election and he's gathering votes.

The timing isn't quite right for that.  Having seen the letter listing the demands the team is making for the ballpark in Viera, I'm wondering if the Nats are pushing for an unreasonable number of upgrades to Nats Park beyond the retractable roof.

I'm still trying to picture in my mind how this would work.  Where would the roof go when it wasn't over the field and stands?  Over the team offices, that would be a bizarre sight. Beyond the field, what stands would it cover?  Just the lower level?  Just the infield?  It would have to be huge to cover all of the stands.  What kind of supports would be required to hold it up?  Could the existing stands behind home plate bear the extra load?  Would they need giant pylons in the outfield stands?  Would this be something that they could move while people are in the stands?  How long would it take?  How would this affect the existing lights? Would they need to lower the light stands?

[PowerBoater69]

I like the idea, although the Lerners should foot the bill. No rainouts. No cold April games.  Park can be used all year long too,

How would a roof prevent cold April games?  They aren't asking for a dome?

[mitlen]

The timing isn't quite right for that.  Having seen the letter listing the demands the team is making for the ballpark in Viera, I'm wondering if the Nats are pushing for an unreasonable number of upgrades to Nats Park beyond the retractable roof.

I'm still trying to picture in my mind how this would work.  Where would the roof go when it wasn't over the field and stands?  Over the team offices, that would be a bizarre sight. Beyond the field, what stands would it cover?  Just the lower level?  Just the infield?  It would have to be huge to cover all of the stands.  What kind of supports would be required to hold it up?  Could the existing stands behind home plate bear the extra load?  Would they need giant pylons in the outfield stands?  Would this be something that they could move while people are in the stands?  How long would it take?  How would this affect the existing lights? Would they need to lower the light stands?

I'm seeing a free standing roof separate from the stadium.   I'm thinking your pylons scenario along the "outline" of the stadium.   That's my post Wizard/Lakers game non-Holiday Inn Express opinion.

[PowerBoater69]

Admin official says Lerner plan for roof over Nats Park is "nuts."

Vince Gray: “If it's 300 million -- I don’t know where that number came from -- I’m not prepared to go ask the city for 300 million."

Vince Gray says he was asked to meet with Ted Lerner in mid-July & wasn't sure why. Was presented idea for roof. Thought it wasn't feasible

[PowerBoater69]

I'm seeing a free standing roof separate from the stadium.   I'm thinking your pylons scenario along the "outline" of the stadium.   That's my post Wizard/Lakers game non-Holiday Inn Express opinion.

Yeah, that would be lovely, from the guys who demanded parking garages in the outfield and put up a building to block the view of the Capital.

[mitlen]

Yeah, that would be lovely, from the guys who demanded parking garages in the outfield and put up a building to block the view of the Capital.

I'm with ya on that.   If it ain't broke, don't fix it.