Baseball in Charlotte, which will happen?

[CLT2010]

HAHAHA, yah I saw Jerry Reese's presentation on tv it cracked me up the random buildings he did decide to throw in the project.

[cltheel.sdl]

There's an article in the Observer today detailing the plans for the land swap and the "long road" for the Knights. Are they making it out to be more complicated than it really is?

http://www.charlotte.com/local/story/194082.html

[monsoon]

^It's very complicated because they are doing everything they can to hide the fact that tax money is going towards putting a minor league baseball team in downtown Charlotte. A simple deal would be just for the Knights to buy some land from a private developer, get the zoning changes if needed and build their stadium and pay taxes on it. However this isn't what is happening hence all of the complications and the lawsuit from Jerry Reese which contends the county should have opened the land up for bids instead of this private deal.

Bottom line is just another tax giveaway to line certain people's pockets for money and won't do much, if anything at all, for urbanizing downtown.

[schmopperX]

I for one could not be happier this is happening. I can't wait to take my kids to a ball game down town in the city I love, and at the same time afford it. Minor League downtown is a wonderful thing for this city and will serve the area greatly.

This is one decision the officials got exactly right.

[hueion39]

I would like to point out the the article mentions the stadium will be on 7.8 acres. Both Wrigley Field and Fenway Park are on roughly the same size lots, about 8 acres.

We should demand that this stadium be built to handle larger crowds (for future MLB use) given that tax money is effectively being used to build it.

Creative design comes from tight spaces.

[Raintree21]

Another Observer article talks about the size of the lot. We keep talking about wanting urban density downtown so I don't see what the big problem is. The article says that they "experts" recommend between 7 and 9 acres for a lot. The 7.8 acres that is planned for the Knights seems to fal right in the middle.

[charlotte49ersuptown]

We should start to see the Knights working on the site starting this week, working as much as they can.

[ChiefJoJo]

Again, it would be short-sighted not to plan for future MLB expansion in Charlotte. If they cannot do it on the Third Ward site, then don't build it. The city will have MLB eventually, and if there is no long term plan, it'll be another Charlotte Coliseum debacle. JMO.

[jednc]

I would like to point out the the article mentions the stadium will be on 7.8 acres. Both Wrigley Field and Fenway Park are on roughly the same size lots, about 8 acres.

We should demand that this stadium be built to handle larger crowds (for future MLB use) given that tax money is effectively being used to build it.

Creative design comes from tight spaces.

[charlotte49ersuptown]

It would be more expensive to build a stadium that could be expandable to MLB standards. Now why would the Charlotte Knights spend more money on a stadium that would not serve their product. I doubt, check that, almost certain that the ownership group of the Knights will even vie for a MLB franchise in Charlotte or anywhere else. Since they are building this stadium with there own money, no tax money, it makes no sense for them to build a more expensive stadium. I have also said on this forum that MLB is a product that is slipping and only currently works in the big markets. If you look at attendance figures for all the MLB teams in 2006, out of 30 teams 16 only filled 70% of their stadiums night in and night out. Of those bottom 16 four teams barely filled 55% of their stadiums. Even the NY Mets only filled Shea to 75% of capacity. In Atlanta in 2001 Turner Field was filled to 70% of capacity while last year they only filled 63% of their stadium. This is a team that has a storied history, winning record, and plays in a larger metro region and still has had declines in attendance. BTW, if we did get the Marlins, we would get them because they are at the bottom of the list at 39% with Tampa Bay. I hate to stay they would continue to stay near the bottom. I got all of these #'s from http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/attendance?s...mp;seasonType=2

[Raintree21]

When I look at this picture, however preliminary as it is and knowing that the designers haven't given their proposal yet, I still see a lot of space for expansion and the addition of seats. Given that it was submitted by the Knights to the Observer, I would think that it's somewhat similar to what they want to have built. What about the grass outside of the dirt track in the outfield? Also, plenty of blank space along the 1st and 3rd base lines. Anybody know what those structures are along the 4th Stree boundary?

[jednc]

It would be more expensive to build a stadium that could be expandable to MLB standards. Now why would the Charlotte Knights spend more money on a stadium that would not serve their product. I doubt, check that, almost certain that the ownership group of the Knights will even vie for a MLB franchise in Charlotte or anywhere else. Since they are building this stadium with there own money, no tax money, it makes no sense for them to build a more expensive stadium. I have also said on this forum that MLB is a product that is slipping and only currently works in the big markets. If you look at attendance figures for all the MLB teams in 2006, out of 30 teams 16 only filled 70% of their stadiums night in and night out. Of those bottom 16 four teams barely filled 55% of their stadiums. Even the NY Mets only filled Shea to 75% of capacity. In Atlanta in 2001 Turner Field was filled to 70% of capacity while last year they only filled 63% of their stadium. This is a team that has a storied history, winning record, and plays in a larger metro region and still has had declines in attendance. BTW, if we did get the Marlins, we would get them because they are at the bottom of the list at 39% with Tampa Bay. I hate to stay they would continue to stay near the bottom. I got all of these #'s from http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/attendance?s...mp;seasonType=2

[Guest]

Let Raleigh have MLB, I am more than satified with the knights. I don't understand why we have to have all of the major league teams. There are two major cities in NC, and Raleigh is as big as we were when we got our second team, so why not let them have it?

[schmopperX]

Let Raleigh have MLB, I am more than satified with the knights. I don't understand why we have to have all of the major league teams. There are two major cities in NC, and Raleigh is as big as we were when we got our second team, so why not let them have it?

[RaleighHeelsfan]

It would be more expensive to build a stadium that could be expandable to MLB standards. Now why would the Charlotte Knights spend more money on a stadium that would not serve their product. I doubt, check that, almost certain that the ownership group of the Knights will even vie for a MLB franchise in Charlotte or anywhere else. Since they are building this stadium with there own money, no tax money, it makes no sense for them to build a more expensive stadium. I have also said on this forum that MLB is a product that is slipping and only currently works in the big markets. If you look at attendance figures for all the MLB teams in 2006, out of 30 teams 16 only filled 70% of their stadiums night in and night out. Of those bottom 16 four teams barely filled 55% of their stadiums. Even the NY Mets only filled Shea to 75% of capacity. In Atlanta in 2001 Turner Field was filled to 70% of capacity while last year they only filled 63% of their stadium. This is a team that has a storied history, winning record, and plays in a larger metro region and still has had declines in attendance. BTW, if we did get the Marlins, we would get them because they are at the bottom of the list at 39% with Tampa Bay. I hate to stay they would continue to stay near the bottom. I got all of these #'s from http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/attendance?s...mp;seasonType=2

[charlotte49ersuptown]

When I look at this picture, however preliminary as it is and knowing that the designers haven't given their proposal yet, I still see a lot of space for expansion and the addition of seats. Given that it was submitted by the Knights to the Observer, I would think that it's somewhat similar to what they want to have built. What about the grass outside of the dirt track in the outfield? Also, plenty of blank space along the 1st and 3rd base lines. Anybody know what those structures are along the 4th Stree boundary?

[ES Charlotte]

are they really going to begin work in the next week?

[Raintree21]

I don't think they can begin next week. Not all of the properties have transfered hands yet.

[mjfhokie]

Just seeing that diagram of the park gets me so excited. Sure, I would LOVE some Major League Baseball in Charlotte, but it's not all that realistic yet. I currently live in Uptown, and plan on living there for the foreseeable future (maybe even buy a condo in one of the new towers in a couple years). I seriously can't wait to be able to walk to the stadium in the summer evenings to watch a little baseball!

[Rufus]

Personally I dont think Charlotte should even look into a MLB team. Just because the city doesn't have one, doesn't mean squat. To me a minor league team seems a little more authentic and genuine of what an experience a baseball game should provide. Just look at Victory Field in Indianapolis, often regarded as one of the best baseball stadiums, regardless of MLB or minor league, or at First Horizon Park in GSO and the DBAP in Durham. All provide an urban experience to an extent while also providing the ambiance of a time that once was, sort of like a view of the Golden Ages of baseball, before big name sponsors, huge stadiums, and of course the troubles of pro sports nowadays, steroids, greed, crime, and a tarnished image.

So the question is: Why should Charlotte look into a Major League Baseball team? Why not settle on a Minor League team?

[New Name]

This is going to sound silly, and I admit it is:

But when I was about 8 years old or so, everything I knew about the rest of the country outside my home in Boston was based on their baseball teams. So later in life, when I first drove down I-95 through Baltimore, and saw the city off in the distance, I was in awe. This was REALLY Baltimore, WOW! The Orioles! And to me, every important place in the country was defined by thier baseball team (I already admitted it was silly). Of course, now, I have been to every single American city that has a MLB team, and some are big and some are small, and whatever...but to this day I still think of how "important" a city is to the fabric of the country based on their baseball teams - I will admit this is a little part of me that says Kansas City is slightly more relivant that Indianapolis. I know it's silly, but I grew up with it. So if what I mean to say is that if we are interrested in being thought of being completely socially relivant, even to the mind of an 8 year old - MLB is a part of it.

(edited for spelling)

[dubone]

The article somewhat annoyed me. It is a tight spot if you trying to include thousands of parking spaces, but here, they aren't. I superimposed their Fort Mill building on this site, and there was some room to spare. They made it harder on themselves, as they want homebase to face the skyline, whereas if they made the 3rd baseline follow Grahm and 1st baseline follow MLK, with only outfield seating in left field, they could probably have an easier time. But I suppose they aren't really complaining, it is just the article that is presenting this as an obstacle.

[AMZIE]

Talking about how tight the 7.8 acre site is in Charlotte, The Twins are building a 40,000 seat stadium on 8 acre site designed by HOK. Seams they could use the Twins base level seating as charlottes stadium and have it where the upper level decks could be added in 10 to 20 years for a MLB.

Heres the article Twins new stadium

[AMZIE]

Talking about how tight the 7.8 acre site is in Charlotte, The Twins are building a 40,000 seat stadium on 8 acre site designed by HOK. Seams they could use the Twins base level seating as charlottes stadium and have it where the upper level decks could be added in 10 to 20 years for a MLB.

Heres the article Twins new stadium

[jednc]

www.ballparksofbaseball.com/future/twinsballpark.htm