Tag: Florida

Ballpark

The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are not putting in $30 million into their ballpark, the city is doing that for them

According to the article, the Jacksonville Jump Shrimp discussed how the “team plans to build” a facility in right field and center field, a souvenir shop and a concourse level. Towards the end of the article, a fan is quoted saying that he loves the improvements because it shows that the team was “putting that type of money” into the ballpark. The team is really putting their wallet on the line. Except, they are actually doing nothing of the sorts. The minor league team is not putting anything into the ballpark, nor are they planning to build anything. The…

William Neilson Jr.
Stadium

Jacksonville Jaguars President claims a new stadium will bring “numerous benefits” to the area yet we still have no idea what they are

the Jacksonville Jaguars want to be paid in direct money yet want everyone else to be paid with this fantasy money that the Jaguars claim will be produced once their newer stadium is rebuilt. It has been stated so many times, but I will say it again. When cities pay for a new arena, ballpark or stadium, not a single economical stat will increase due to the new sports home. Nothing. It has been proven for years and years.

William Neilson Jr.
Ballpark

The Philadelphia Phillies will ask Clearwater for public money in two weeks. Two weeks after that. Some time later. Maybe?

The Philadelphia Phillies have a history with Clearwater, Florida. Since 1947, the Phillies spring training facility and ballpark has been found here. But over the last decade or so, the Phillies have struggled to get money out of local city leaders. In early 2019, the Phillies asked for $40 million from tourist taxes for ballpark renovations and were flatly rejected. But now they are trying again. Maybe. We think.

William Neilson Jr.
Stadium

Fort Lauderdale decides to build a previously agreed upon park and to bill Inter Miami owners

Now, Fort Lauderdale is getting ready to build a new $25 million park that will cost Inter Miami $13 million dollars (the city pays the rest) and should open by 2025. The park will include new fields for all sorts of sports and even a dog area. In addition, the city has now stopped the team from using the land for parking. The team was given a chance to pay the $1.4 million dollars in overdue building permit fees, but nothing was given, and the bills remain unpaid. Keep in mind that this is the same owner who has…

William Neilson Jr.
Stadium

Why in the world would the city of Jacksonville pay 70% of the stadium upgrades?

Jacksonville has already given so much to the Jaguars. Remember when the city hosted the Super Bowl in 2015? Around $40 million dollars in taxpayer money was given to the team to improve the stadium just for that game. In 2013, the city gave the team another $45 million for upgrades and renovations. In 2015, the city split the bill with the team on a $90 million project....so another $45 million.

William Neilson Jr.
Ballpark

The Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays are fighting each other for tourist dollars

When the Tampa Bay Rays do construct a new ballpark, it will be with a significant amount of taxpayer money. For years, it has been reported that the Rays are “willing to finance half of the cost of a new (ballpark)”. How nice of them. But the Rays couldn't build it on their own if they wanted to because their owner isn't wealthy enough to fund such a project. This means the Rays will need as much taxpayer funds as possible.

William Neilson Jr.
Stadium

Inter Miami continues making secret, non-written down agreements with former city officials

Maybe patience is the way to go. Inter Miami seems like a truthful organization. Even though they are a new MLS team, it isn't like this ownership group has already been involved in a major cheating scandal. Except two years ago, when they tried signing several world-class players and lied about their salaries. MLS would eventually penalize the owner of Inter Miami and other executives with million dollar fines.

William Neilson Jr.
Ballpark

The Tampa Bay Rays avoid almost all public records when negotiating their new ballpark

So even though this is public land and the parties will be receiving significant taxpayer support, the city of St. Petersburg is denying all interview requests or interviews in general. A big reason for the secrecy is likely due to the hope that the deal can be done as quickly as possible. Out of nowhere several weeks ago, the Tampa Bay Rays owner stated that if a deal wasn't done by the end of 2023, then there would be no deal at all.

William Neilson Jr.