Reds move could be happening!

The tide could be turning. Yes! I will bet they just found out they wouldn't have to drop $9m to move to Goodyear like in that other town. Don't worry, I'll take plenty of pics, it be like your there your self. -SDM

Thursday, January 17, 2008
Allen on Goodyear

Just talked to John Allen about the Goodyear field trip.

It sounds likes the Reds were impressed. Bob Castellini was there for part of the tour.

“It was great,” Allen said. “It was very informative. They have a good plan.”

The group also went to Surprise, where the Rangers and Royals share a facility, to check out how the two-team thing works.

“Basically, you have a game at stadium everyday. The Royals and Rangers play each other four times, so you don’t have to worry about overexposure.”

In Goodyear, the Reds would share the stadium with Indians, but everything else is separate.

Allen said they didn't talk economic specifics. He said the economics of the Goodyear deal would be different than the new Sarasota plan. And you take "different" as more favorable to the Reds.

The earliest a second team would be able to use the Goodyear facility is 2010. The Indians go there starting 2009.

My early line: There's a decent chance the Reds make the move west. If the Sarasota city and county commissions don't vote to move on with the new plan to rebuild Ed Smith Tuesday, the chances of going west skyrocket. (I can only hope that the city and county are a lot like Cincys -ml)

posted by John Fay at 8:48 PM 2 comments

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