Sprindale Minor League Sports Complex and Minor League Baseball Stadium

[Mith242]

Well sorry to post more negative news. But even KNWA is reported that things aren't looking too good. They mentioned that while maybe it was okay to try to make some changes that the city officials went a bit overboard making changes. Someone also mentioned the ones making the most changes are people that haven't been very positve about this. They almost made it sound like some people could even be trying to sabotage this.

[Aporkalypse]

Well sorry to post more negative news. But even KNWA is reported that things aren't looking too good. They mentioned that while maybe it was okay to try to make some changes that the city officials went a bit overboard making changes. Someone also mentioned the ones making the most changes are people that haven't been very positve about this. They almost made it sound like some people could even be trying to sabotage this.

This story sure makes it sound bad...

Springdale Wranglers looking less likely

[Mith242]

I also heard mention that some of the Springdale officials haven't been very thrilled that they were more a part of the deal and such. I think the Riches and the Wranglers weren't expecting these type of 'amateurish' dealings that Springdale has been doing so far.

[KJW]

I also heard mention that some of the Springdale officials haven't been very thrilled that they were more a part of the deal and such. I think the Riches and the Wranglers weren't expecting these type of 'amateurish' dealings that Springdale has been doing so far.

I can respect the Springdale council members if they truly believe there are some serious errors to this deal.

Then again, news reports from this morning seem to make some council members look somewhat obstinate.

[Mith242]

I can understand Springdale wanting to have the naming rights to the stadium. The complaints from the city aldermen that the rent is too low seems unfounded to me. From what I saw they'd be paying more rent than most if not all the other Texas League teams. I imagine though that it's complicated and other teams may have other expenditures that may not be affected the same in this contract. I'm just getting the impression some city officials weren't happy about the whole Texas League team idea and are being difficult now. I do think that Springdale is going to have to change a few things in the deal or it probably just isn't going to work. I guess we'll just have to see how many things they'll try to get and if the Riches will budge at all.

[Aporkalypse]

I can understand Springdale wanting to have the naming rights to the stadium. The complaints from the city aldermen that the rent is too low seems unfounded to me. From what I saw they'd be paying more rent than most if not all the other Texas League teams. I imagine though that it's complicated and other teams may have other expenditures that may not be affected the same in this contract. I'm just getting the impression some city officials weren't happy about the whole Texas League team idea and are being difficult now. I do think that Springdale is going to have to change a few things in the deal or it probably just isn't going to work. I guess we'll just have to see how many things they'll try to get and if the Riches will budge at all.

Keep in mind what a huge issue the naming rights are. The most expensive naming rights in AA right now are at $250,000 a year. If Springdale is getting $350k a year in rent then total income before any other applicable expenses/profits from ticket sales/concessions is $600k a year. Looking at it the other way, were the Riches to get naming rights for that amount then the Riches would only be paying a $100k a year in rent if you subtract the amount they get from naming rights. The difference they make in this is huge.

I personally think if your city pays $50 million to build the stadium then you get to keep the naming rights, no question.

NLR gave the naming rights to Stephens because of a $9 million land donation.

[Mith242]

Keep in mind what a huge issue the naming rights are. The most expensive naming rights in AA right now are at $250,000 a year. If Springdale is getting $350k a year in rent then total income before any other applicable expenses/profits from ticket sales/concessions is $600k a year. Looking at it the other way, were the Riches to get naming rights for that amount then the Riches would only be paying a $100k a year in rent if you subtract the amount they get from naming rights. The difference they make in this is huge.

I personally think if your city pays $50 million to build the stadium then you get to keep the naming rights, no question.

NLR gave the naming rights to Stephens because of a $9 million land donation.

Good point. I guess it's no wonder they agreed to that high rent as long as they got naming rights. I do think Springdale should get naming rights but I don't think they'll be able to charge that high of a rent either in return. Honestly though I think Springdale shouldn't have allowed it to come to this though. Why did it take so long for them to realize they really should look into keeping naming rights now?

[masons_dad1]

Good point. I guess it's no wonder they agreed to that high rent as long as they got naming rights. I do think Springdale should get naming rights but I don't think they'll be able to charge that high of a rent either in return. Honestly though I think Springdale shouldn't have allowed it to come to this though. Why did it take so long for them to realize they really should look into keeping naming rights now?

Springdale officials must have got joy happy when they found out a minor league baseball team would actually consider their city worthy, then they came to the realization that noone in "ANY" NWA city governement actually knows what the heck they're doing. Just the consequences of keeping your city 20 years behind the rest of the country then realizing it's not so simple to just catch up on 20 years.

[Aporkalypse]

Good point. I guess it's no wonder they agreed to that high rent as long as they got naming rights. I do think Springdale should get naming rights but I don't think they'll be able to charge that high of a rent either in return. Honestly though I think Springdale shouldn't have allowed it to come to this though. Why did it take so long for them to realize they really should look into keeping naming rights now?

I agree, their position on all of these items should've been very clear up front. There were too many back room deals by people who didn't know what they were doing during this entire affair.

I am thankful for the arrangement that the Travelers have with LR/NLR. Since they are essentially nonprofit and all of their proceeds go to facility upkeep, these sorts of issues don't come up. I wish that someone in NWA could just buy the team and with local ownership I think there would be few if any problems.

[mcheiss]

I agree, their position on all of these items should've been very clear up front. There were too many back room deals by people who didn't know what they were doing during this entire affair.

I am thankful for the arrangement that the Travelers have with LR/NLR. Since they are essentially nonprofit and all of their proceeds go to facility upkeep, these sorts of issues don't come up. I wish that someone in NWA could just buy the team and with local ownership I think there would be few if any problems.

If only John Q. Hammons had started on the baseball project a bit sooner. I still say that Rogers would have been a much better city, especially in the Pinnacle area. Still, I would like to see it in Springdale. I hope these problems can get resolved, and we can start construction.

[Mith242]

If only John Q. Hammons had started on the baseball project a bit sooner. I still say that Rogers would have been a much better city, especially in the Pinnacle area. Still, I would like to see it in Springdale. I hope these problems can get resolved, and we can start construction.

As far as that is concerned I wished one of the Tyson's would have simply taken a bigger role in all of this. They seem to have nothing to do with this even though it's in their hometown. I think that would have been Springdale's best option.

[KJW]

If only John Q. Hammons had started on the baseball project a bit sooner. I still say that Rogers would have been a much better city, especially in the Pinnacle area. Still, I would like to see it in Springdale. I hope these problems can get resolved, and we can start construction.

Matt, respectfully asked, what makes you think he's still not "in" (this) baseball project?

[mcheiss]

Matt, respectfully asked, what makes you think he's still not "in" (this) baseball project?

I never said he wasn't still in it, I just stated that I wished he would have started sooner on it.

[Aporkalypse]

As far as that is concerned I wished one of the Tyson's would have simply taken a bigger role in all of this. They seem to have nothing to do with this even though it's in their hometown. I think that would have been Springdale's best option.

I agree. I don't see why everyone in Springdale is so set on following the George plan. The George family has a lot to gain from this at the expense of Springdale taxpayers and people act as if they should be thanking him. The Tysons are laying low on this whole thing, probably because of the George family's involvement.

[masons_dad1]

I agree. I don't see why everyone in Springdale is so set on following the George plan. The George family has a lot to gain from this at the expense of Springdale taxpayers and people act as if they should be thanking him. The Tysons are laying low on this whole thing, probably because of the George family's involvement.

All this talk of NWA family owned corporations makes me think NWA would make a great locale for a new Dynasty or Dallas type of tv series. Imagine the episode titled "Who Shot S.R.?" That's Samuel Robson, the current head of the clan for anyone unaware. I doubt the Waltons would allow that kind of show, but it could be "loosely" based on the Walton family and completely fictionalized the way Dynasty and Dallas were. There could be an episode where a certain eccentric art collector of one family has a steamy affair with the younger blacksheep of the very wealthy poultry family down the street.

What ya'll think?

[mcheiss]

I never watched Dynasty, nor would I have remembered it. I would have only been in my early years when the show was going on.

[masons_dad1]

I never watched Dynasty, nor would I have remembered it. I would have only been in my early years when the show was going on.

Well if that doesn't show my age! I still think that the next new "Dynasty-like" tv show should be located in NWA. The 80's had the best tv shows and after being subjected to family dramas like 90210 and Dawson's Creek in the 90's it's time to bring back some of those great family epics.

[Aporkalypse]

I don't think you could ever make a show like that about a real family or even loosely based on one.

[KJW]

Weird (sort of) front page story in today's Morning News...from the Wichita point of view. One would almost think this was a done deal.

[mcheiss]

Weird (sort of) front page story in today's Morning News...from the Wichita point of view. One would almost think this was a done deal.

I saw that. Those stands looked pathetic. I can't even imagine what it's going to be like next year.

[masons_dad1]

I don't think you could ever make a show like that about a real family or even loosely based on one.

Sure you could it's done all the time. All you'd have to do is change names of people and places and voila, you just did what they did with Dynasty and Dallas and throw in that one family heads a retail giant and the other families head a poultry and a trucking giant, respectively. Just film on location somewhere that at least looks like Northwest Arkansas. I think people would pick up right away which families the tv show is really about. It would all have to be made up much more glamorous than the real people and places involved, much the way Dynasty and Dallas were done up.

It's just a thought and off-topic. I doubt anybody would even watch it unless of course there was tons of deceipt and betrayal depicted, which would make it a huge success. Again, much like Dynasty and Dallas.

[Aporkalypse]

Sure you could it's done all the time. All you'd have to do is change names of people and places and voila, you just did what they did with Dynasty and Dallas and throw in that one family heads a retail giant and the other families head a poultry and a trucking giant, respectively. Just film on location somewhere that at least looks like Northwest Arkansas. I think people would pick up right away which families the tv show is really about. It would all have to be made up much more glamorous than the real people and places involved, much the way Dynasty and Dallas were done up.

It's just a thought and off-topic. I doubt anybody would even watch it unless of course there was tons of deceipt and betrayal depicted, which would make it a huge success. Again, much like Dynasty and Dallas.

Who were the families these were based on? I live in Dallas and I've never heard that the Ewings were based on a real family.

[KJW]

Well...any news on what happened during tonight's "make or break" meeting?

[masons_dad1]

Who were the families these were based on? I live in Dallas and I've never heard that the Ewings were based on a real family.

It's possible the Ewings were based on a real family, but how many billionaire oil tycoon families are there in Texas? A lot, but none anyone has ever heard of anyway. My guess is the Ewings were based on a generic Texas billionaire family. I'm not sure which family Dynasty was based on and I never even understood how they were so wealthy, but I was too young to really care. Anyway, it was just a thought and may just have come from my wife subjecting me to so many daytime soaps. I could relate more to a soap based on a real family, especially one that has a bad rap because of the company their name is synonomous with.

[slyder1]

Well...any news on what happened during tonight's "make or break" meeting?

Well here in Springfield KY3 said that the Springdale city councle approved the lease. Congrat's to NWA and Springdale!