Reds one step closer to Arizona

Goodyear city council votes April 7 on Reds spring funding

By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- All that stands between the Reds holding Spring Training in Goodyear, Ariz., is a city council vote.

On Wednesday, the city of Goodyear identified funding for the estimated $33 million it would take to bring the Reds to the desert town to share a spring complex with the Indians. The deadline to identify the money sources was Thursday.

"We don't have a done deal yet but it's an important step," said John Allen, the former Reds chief operating officer, and the club's point man in the negotiations. "If they didn't come up with the funding by Thursday, we both could have walked away or try to find alternative funding."

The Goodyear city council must now approve the measure. It plans to take up the issue at its April 7 session. A 75-day exclusive negotiating period between the city and club expires on April 11.

The Reds have made it known that if the city funds the move, they will relocate from Florida. If the April 7 vote is positive, the franchise would leave Sarasota, Fla., in 2010 to join the Cactus League.

"We're going to say yes, assuming the memorandum of understanding is on parity with the Indians deal," Allen said. "I've met with members of the council and I'm optimistic, but I don't have a vote."

The exact breakdown of Goodyear's funding plan remains confidential while negotiations are ongoing.

"They showed me the funding plan for the entire project -- for the Indians and a second team," Allen said. "It was certainly enough for us to move forward."

Goodyear is already building a $75 million facility for the Indians. It will open in 2009 when the team moves its spring operations from Winter Haven, Fla.

The additional $33 million would provide the Reds with their own clubhouse, offices and practice fields, as well as a Minor League complex, while the main stadium would be shared with the Indians.

With the exception of a three-year period during World War II, the Reds have trained in Florida since 1923. The club has called Sarasota its spring home since 1998 but Cincinnati's lease with the city and county expires in October. The Reds hold three one-year options that can extend the stay.

Sarasota's County Commission recently approved $17.6 million in funding renovations of Ed Smith Stadium. But this measure came only several months after delays in approval, and by that point the Reds had already entered into exclusive negotiations with Goodyear.

Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Source.

TV Tickers from Hell - Stop the madness!

I was snowed in for most of the weekend so I watched a lot of TV. However a serious problem quickly arose that drove me to post and rant.

The never-ending tickers that have overwhelmed TV shows. Not just one ticker, not even two but up to three tickers at a time!

I have made complaints to local stations especially when my favorite show, LOST, was over run with evil tickers. My complaints fell on deaf ears. So I decided to out them.

WCPO.com is the biggest problem. They even have sponsorship for their tickers, which I plan to promptly boycott.

I tried to watch my favorite NBA team, the Phoenix Suns, but ticker hell so overwhelmed the games I ended up switching to NASCAR! It was that bad.

Here's a for examples.



We still have to see a score so the game graphics have to go on TOP of those figgin tickers.


There's times when nearly half the screen is taken with graphics and those evil tickers.


Poor Shaq, he looks about five feet tall, thanks to those bastard tickers.


I call these the triple death tickers. The same two tickers that have been running 24hrs non-stop are now join with a third band of graphics. A quarter of my screen is gone! You would think when the news starts, the tickers would disappear, but noooo.


Why not, lets toss in a few more graphic elements.


Enough!

Heck with going to Mars. Google needs to sponsor a contest that allows consumers to remove the bane of my existence, tickers.

More details on Reds move to Goodyear

• Goodyear will pony up the necessary money.
• Have until Thursday (3/13) to submit its financial package of an estimated $32 million.
• "We are going to Goodyear," said Reds executive John Allen.
  
• Reds would have kicked in nearly $10 million in Sarasota, but in Goodyear, they would be required to pay an annual rental fee of $150,000, while pocketing all event revenue streams. - That is huge, what a potential savings and revenue making opportunity for the Reds.
  

There will be several free agent starting pitchers available in 2009. Jr's last year. The extra cash will come in handy. Full article below.

Goodyear's progress dampens fans' spirits

By Doug Fernandes

SARASOTA -- Friday, a splendid day for baseball was not matched in mood.

Fans ate their hot dogs and drank their beer, watching the Cincinnati Reds host the Pittsburgh Pirates, but for many, a sense of inevitability draped Ed Smith Stadium.

And sadness.

"This is a bad day, and look how nice it is," said Mike Wade, a former Cincinnati resident now living in Parrish. "It's a sad day for Reds fans, especially down here in Florida."

The question of the Reds remaining in Sarasota for spring training or bolting to the Arizona desert seemed answered Thursday with word that the city of Goodyear would pony up the necessary money.

Goodyear has until Thursday to submit its financial package of an estimated $32 million. Once in place, "we are going to Goodyear," said Reds executive John Allen.

"If Goodyear comes up with the money," said facilities manager Pat Calhoon, "I fully expect that the Reds will honor their commitment and not come back here."

For out-of-state fans who migrate to Sarasota for Reds spring training, and who might not otherwise visit, the news was not endorsed.

"I hate to see it," said Cincinnati attorney Hank Menninger. "I'm a traditionalist. All the teams should be in Florida.

"My understanding is the Goodyear package just blew this away. It was just a matter of whether Sarasota would do the little things it took to keep them here, and apparently they didn't want to do it."

Cincinnati's proposed deal in Goodyear, according to Calhoon, indeed is sweet. In Sarasota, the Reds agreed to kick in nearly $10 million toward the $41 million renovation.

But in Goodyear, they would be required to pay an annual rental fee of $150,000, while pocketing all event revenue streams.

"I'm still hopeful that the money piece of this is going to be difficult for Goodyear," Calhoon said. "If I were them, I'd do it.

"They're not going to have an opportunity like this to bring in another club, probably at the cost that they're looking at right now."

"Money talks, no matter what," said Dohn Wiley, a Reds fan from Wabash, Ind. "That's the sad thing."

Calhoon does not expect Cincinnati to use a Goodyear offer as leverage to pry a better deal from Sarasota.

But he wonders what a relocation would do to a Reds' fan base that has come to embrace Sarasota.

"I think the big question the Reds have to entertain," he said, "is perhaps some of the things you've been hearing from the fans down here: Is it worth it to go 2,000 to 3,000 miles away from their fan base and jeopardize the ability for their fans to see them?"

"Instead of driving one day," said Cincinnati resident Glen Wermuth, "it's going to be like 21/2 for us. But if we had to go to Arizona, yes, we would."

Ever the optimist, Calhoon now must face the real possibility of the Reds leaving Sarasota, taking with them an 84-year-old tradition.

"All the naysayers that were out there that wanted to see this thing fail," he said, "they may very well see it."

Source.

Reds move determined by March 13th

Mark this date in your calendar. Goodyear will have to have all it's financing in order by this date or the Reds can keep on looking for another spring training home.

The Reds are ready to sign on the dotted line. Will Goodyear have it together by then? We will find out soon.

My annual trip to spring training is just around the corner and I can't wait.

If The Funding Materializes, Reds Likely To Move West

By ROGER DROUIN

Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Published: March 7, 2008

SARASOTA - A week before a major deadline in negotiations between the Cincinnati Reds and Goodyear, Ariz., both sides signaled their eagerness to cement the deal.

Goodyear has until Thursday to secure funding to build the spring training facility it has promised the Reds. If the city does not have the money by then, the Reds no longer will be bound by an exclusive agreement with Goodyear and can negotiate with other cities, including Sarasota.

On Thursday, the Goodyear City Council met behind closed doors before announcing its intention to come up with the money to bring the Reds to town.

The Reds, in turn, said once that funding is secured they are ready to make the move to Goodyear.

"If they come up with the funding, wherever they get it from, we are going to Goodyear," said Reds executive John Allen.

The news that the Reds' 12th season next year is more and more likely to be the team's last in Sarasota struck a chord among backers who fought to keep the Reds here.

"I think their fans have no interest in going to, as they call it, 'Where Is It? Arizona,'" said Virginia Haley, director of the Sarasota County Convention and Visitors Bureau. "And we clearly want this team here."

"Yes we came to the plate late, but there was total, solid support from people who live and work here, the fans and the players."

Her comments came just hours after the Reds defeated the New York Yankees 12-8 at Ed Smith Stadium before an overflow crowd of 6,980.

"It's a shame," said Steve Queior, president of the greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, of the possibility of the Reds leaving. "It's definitely bad news for the economy."

At least one Sarasota official said he is not ready to give up the fight.

Sarasota Vice Mayor Kelly Kirschner said he would try to set up a meeting with Reds' owner Bob Castellini for early next week.

"Now the Reds have two solid offers," Kirschner said.

Pat Calhoon, Sarasota's sports facilities manager, said he would try to keep baseball in town if the Reds leave.

Calhoon called the Baltimore Orioles three weeks ago to let the team know Sarasota can get a stadium deal done. Baltimore trains in Fort Lauderdale, but the team reportedly is looking to move if a stadium deal does not come through.

The team already has a presence in Sarasota with its minor league spring training games at Twin Lakes Park on Clark Road.

On Feb. 12, the county commission approved $17.6 million in bed tax money to fund the renovation of Ed Smith Stadium.

That decision came nearly two weeks after the Reds entered an exclusive agreement with Goodyear, meaning the team had to break off talks with Sarasota. Since then, Allen has visited Goodyear at least two times to talk to city officials and tour the spring training site.

The city needs to come up with $32 million to buy the land and build the clubhouse, practice fields, bullpens and offices for the Reds.

Goodyear's stadium is set up for one baseball team, the Cleveland Indians, when it opens for spring training play in 2009.

Goodyear already has issued $75 million in bonds for the stadium, and city officials said securing a second bond should not be a problem.

Kirschner said he understands why Goodyear is pursuing the Reds.

"They see this as economic development tool," he said. "And it is pretty smart. They have both teams from Ohio. I am assuming they are banking on getting all of Ohio's baby boomers to move there."

Sarasota's effort to keep the Reds hit several snags during the past year.

After city voters narrowly rejected a $16 million property tax increase in November, county commissioners thought that killed the stadium project and started talking about using bed tax dollars to pay for other projects.

The stadium rebuild was revived by city leaders, and the county commission ultimately voted 4-1 to allocate the $17.6 million in bed tax dollars.

"We belatedly got our act together," Haley said. "But we have a history. Look at how long it took us to get the library."

Calhoon said he is still hopeful the Reds will stay here.

"But I'm also a realist," he said.

Source.