So where do the Rays play after Milton?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Would Lakeland be neither fish nor fowl?  Inconvenient for everyone? Or would it draw from both Orlando and Tampa (maybe not St Pete). Is there a location near I-75 and I-4 that would make going there from Orlando like Camden Yards is for DC, but still accessible to car-culture Tampa?

[HalfSmokes]

I wonder if Orlando would be a draw for opposing fans building a trip around Disney

[Elvir Ovcina]

Would Lakeland be neither fish nor fowl?  Inconvenient for everyone? Or would it draw from both Orlando and Tampa (maybe not St Pete). Is there a location near I-75 and I-4 that would make going there from Orlando like Camden Yards is for DC, but still accessible to car-culture Tampa?

Lakeland is neither fish nor fowl.  It is is a place from which to GTFO as fast as humanly possible.

[Natsinpwc]

Lakeland is neither fish nor fowl.  It is is a place from which to GTFO as fast as humanly possible.

Yeah I mean there is really nothing there between Orlando and Tampa including Lakeland.

[Natsinpwc]

I wonder if Orlando would be a draw for opposing fans building a trip around Disney

Maybe.

This is the website of the group.  The late Pay Williams was behind it.  I’m not aware of the city or county doing anything officially. You would think that they would be in touch with the Rays owners if they wanted to make something happen.

https://orlandodreamers.com/

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Yeah I mean there is really nothing there between Orlando and Tampa including Lakeland.

but isn't it turning into a suburb? Traffic seemed bad when I drove through on  a Friday afternoon.

[Natsinpwc]

but isn't it turning into a suburb? Traffic seemed bad when I drove through on  a Friday afternoon.

Yea traffic is bad there. People headed to Disney and other attractions.  I-4 is a mess.  Should be about 50 minutes for me to get to the Lakeland stadium but always takes longer.  I don’t think people from Orlando would regularly fight traffic to get to a stadium there.

[Natsinpwc]

This says they have an investor but not much else.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/orlando-s-bid-for-major-league-baseball-team-is-gaining-momentum-more-financial-support/ar-AA1BajKn

It also looks like the Jags might play Orlando for a year or two while their stadium is being renovated.

[imref]

Looks like the Bananas won't be playing any more games in Savannah, so that's a possible move spot for the Rays.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

That would be the smallest MLB market by a vast margin, do it Manfred Mann

[HalfSmokes]

MLB is determined to be proven right about baseball in Florida despite all evidence that it doesn’t work

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

It is remarkable that a baseball team in Hialeah isn't viable.  I've never been to Cuba but from everything I've read the game is coded into the DNA. 

[machpost]

The Marlins can't even fill up that beautiful retractable roof stadium when they're winning. Seems unlikely to me that it would work out better anywhere else in Florida.

[Natsinpwc]

The Marlins can't even fill up that beautiful retractable roof stadium when they're winning. Seems unlikely to me that it would work out better anywhere else in Florida.

I dunno. Miami is more of a Latin American city.  Of course the Dolphins draw. The Marlins have never had a long run of competence.

[Natsinpwc]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LBvopod0G0g&pp=ygUabWlhIGluIG1pYW1pIGJydWNlIGhvcm5zYnk%3D

[welch]

MLB is determined to be proven right about baseball in Florida despite all evidence that it doesn’t work

It has only been about 35 years. All it needs is another 30 year comittment to a new stadium, somewhere in Florida.

(And, yes, I've been angry ever since MLB chose to put an expansion team in Miami, as it skipped Washington. Even though The District had a ballpark that was ready to go as soon as they rolled the LF seats back under the stands along the 3B line. The Nats and the Redskins had coexisted until the end of the 1971 season.

[imref]

I absolute think a downtown stadium in Tampa would draw. The hockey team almost always sells out.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Lots of recent retirees from the Midwest, baseball *should* be an easy sell

[imref]

Lots of recent retirees from the Midwest, baseball *should* be an easy sell

Yep, tons of Chicagoans in Tampa from my experience.

[HalfSmokes]

Lots of recent retirees from the Midwest, baseball *should* be an easy sell

You could say the same for St. Pete’s

[imref]

You could say the same for St. Pete’s

Tampa has about 2x the population of St. Pete.

[Natsinpwc]

St Pete is just hard to get into and get out of.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

That causeway may have the world's most unappealing bike path.  Perhaps there's a worse one in Mariupol.

St Pete is just hard to get into and get out of.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

That causeway may have the world's most unappealing bike path.  Perhaps there's a worse one in Mariupol.

is it protected or just a painted lane on the highway for however many miles?

Ironically, the first travel for my job in 1989 or 1990 was to a bankruptcy law CLE in St Pete near the southern end of the city. I think I went over the causeway to get to & from the airport

[nfotiu]

Lots of recent retirees from the Midwest, baseball *should* be an easy sell

The indoor aspect seems so unappealing.   If I retired to Florida as a life long fan of another team, I could see myself going to some games for a local team if it meant sitting outside and enjoying the atmosphere.   Even if it wasn't going into the world's most unappealing sports venue, going inside for baseball to watch a team I have no rooting interest in is not something I could ever see myself doing.  If they can't make it work outside, it won't work IMO.