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Carillon Town Center would add about 10-15min more to my car ride, no big deal...as long as they keep the team in the area, I'm cool where ever they build it.

Very, very interesting. It's an easy off and on from I-275.

So is the Trop.

Yes, I've never understood why this isn't appreciated more.

More traffic on the Howard Franklinstein does not sound like fun.

if the rays do not have a substantial ticket sales increase this year they will for sure start looking to move elsewhere. In every interivew i have heard and seen of ownership, they say that everything they are doing is hope of having ticket sales increase in 2009, if that doesn't happen they will look to be get out.

Actually, I heard words coming directly out of Stu's mouth this morning on XM. He sounded VERY understanding of the situation. I think too many people want to portray our ownership as the type that will try to hold a gun to our community's collective head. It's not.

Sternberg said that the stadium effort is now in the hands of business leaders, not the Rays. He said it's not anywhere near the front of his mind, but that a new stadium is an inevitable need as a revenue-generator in order to keep up with the Joneses. He said the Rays were thrilled to see the team gain traction with the fans as the season went along. But he pointed out that the economic problems that are gripping the country and are expected to impact MLB this whole year were present in the Tampa Bay area for quite some time ... before the 2008 season even started.

Folks, we have ourselves an amazing owner. He's a baseball fan, an extremely smart guy, a tremendous leader and best of all, he really seems to care. I have complete faith that the Rays will be in Tampa Bay for a long, long time and will be a winning organization.

Besides, as I've pointed out every time this paranoia crap starts up, find me a realistic option for the Rays to move to that has the higher potential for revenue and attendance, a stadium deal, an actual willingness to do what it takes to bring in a major league team, no issues that will cause blockage from MLB or other teams (such as the gambling concern in Vegas, territory rights in New Jersey, etc.) and of course the cost of leaving the Tampa Bay area.

I won't hold my breath though since it's easy to sound a cry about something but much more difficult to back it up with proof. The Rays aren't going anywhere.

Try getting to the stadium an hour before game time. I went to the last game of the Yankees four-game series in May on a Thursday. Smooth sailing...until I hit I-375, about an hour before game time. From the MLK St. offramp, it was literally 45 minutes to go less than a mile to the parking lot. I was lucky the ticket line was fast.


The real problem isn't Howard Frankland... it's the bottleneck on the east side of it. They are working on fixing all that. That will be a problem for any site in Pinellas.

Besides: I know the Gandy shortcut to that site.

I have... and had to wait in traffic, too.

It's going to be hard getting to most any sporting event within an hour before the game without having to deal with some type of wait.

Still, the primary problem with the Tropicana Field site itself is that it has virtually nothing around it. Move it to Ulmerton, and you can develop more of the fun stuff you can find around a stadium.

And it's right by PIE, which teams will like because it will expedite departure when they get their asses kicked by the Rays.

Once you've been to the Trop, that's one of the worst exits to get off on. There's way too many easier ways (once you know the area) to get around and find parking. Guess that's like most stadiums, once you've been there a few times, it gets easier. I usually come into the stadium going east on 1st Ave. S. and park under the interstate (about 18th Street). Simple walk from there of about 3 blocks or so. If it's a busy game (and you don't get there early to get under the interstate), go east on 22nd Ave. N. down to 4th Street, go south til 1st Ave. S. (turn left), then into the parking structure between 1st and 2nd street ($5). Free shuttle from there.

I usually go over Gandy and down 4th St. myself. I-375 was purely a random choice, because I stayed on I-275 and I figured that close to a Yankees game I-175 would be packed. I should've just stuck with Gandy.

I just go up 19 and can get to the stadium in 20-30 minutes from my house off of Gulf-To-Bay and CR 1.

This is irrelevant to the conversation, but I just wanted to brag.

I take 4th street right out of my house, drive a few blocks, take 9th Ave up to 16th street and can make it to the stadium between 7-10 minutes. 5 minutes if I catch all the lights.