Escondido Ballpark for the AAA Padres is dead
by athletics68 on Dec 29, 2011 12:12 PM PST
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The California State Supreme Court has ruled that the legislature can kill redevelopment agencies with AB 26 which they passed earlier this year. And the court further ruled those agencies cannot buy their way around the AB 26 dismantling as was allowed under AB 27. The court ruled that to allow that to happen would violate Proposition 22 which is supposed to protect local agencies funds from state government raids. All of this essentially ends redevelopment agencies in cities like Escondido, San Diego, San Jose and Oakland. One of the first projects that is a casualty of this change is the AAA Padres plans for a ballpark in Escondido which was wholly dependent on redevelopment money. The mayor of Escondido has already come out and said the $50 million ballpark (pictured below) is dead.
What is unclear is what this means for the future of the Padres AAA franchise which is currently housed at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium in Tucson, Arizona. Jeff Moorad has gone on record as stating that he doesn't want to own the T-Pads if they're not in Escondido and thus far he's owned them in Tucson in anticipation of that move which is no longer coming. He came out late Thursday (Dec 29) admitting that if he hadn't heard from anyone in the North County within 90 days with a plan to move the team there he'd begin the process of selling. He purchased the then Portland Beavers from Merritt Paulson last year for a reported $23 million dollars. Their value has presumably held during that time and there are takers out there in cities such as El Paso, Texas and Boise, Idaho that are trying to lure a AAA team to their potential ballpark (rendering below).
There are also potential takers in Tucson reportedly, though none have contacted Moorad as of yesterday. With Moorad still in the midst of trying to fully secure the Big Padres and our one field woes last year it might behoove him to let the Little Pads go now and put that 23 million toward his final purchase of the San Diego club or *gasp* into our payroll. However it doesn't appear he'll be hanging onto the AAA club if he stays true to his stated intentions.
This FanPost was written by a member of the Gaslamp Ball community and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Gaslamp Ball managers or SB Nation.
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This kind of sucks
Would have been sweet to see the prospects so close even though AAA prospects usually suck.
I’m looking forward to catching a bunch of Storm games next year, they should have an awesome team headlined by Liriano, Sampson, and maybe Spangenberg.
Mat Latos is the real deal...Go Lakers, Pads, and Bolts
by mrbarneydangles on Dec 29, 2011 4:45 PM PST reply actions
I too like driving up to Lake Elsinore to catch games
Still it always seemed a bit curious to be putting a AAA team so close to the MLB team. Particularly when the MLB team isn’t exactly an attendance juggernaut.
What this also impacts that I neglected to mention (on purpose) is that this death of redevelopment also impacts San Diego’s other team pretty badly. The Chargers stadium in downtown was in part dependent on redevelopment funding, while the competing AEG stadium in Los Angeles is not (the Industry stadium was dependent to some extent as well).
I will still be very surprised if the Chargers move
If only for the fact that everybody selling an NFL team will be trying to move it to San Diego.
Still need a stadium to move these supposed other teams too
Whether they stay or go will really depend on if Spanos wants to spend the hundreds of millions more for the new stadium, will revisit the cheaper “renovate Qualcomm” option, or is willing to sell part of the team to AEG.
Being from the Bay Area originally that is something that has always bugged me
Many people in San Diego act as though Qualcomm is a dump. They have no idea what a dump of a stadium really looks like. Try going to Candlestick Park or the Oakland Coliseum regularly then we’ll talk. Qualcomm is positively palatial by comparison. It just needs some TLC and some modern touches and it would be perfectly serviceable not unlike what they did to Lambeau. And I say this having seen games in “modern” football stadiums like Centurylink Field.
Just because one dump is dumpier than another dump
Doesn’t make the original dump no longer a dump.
"second base is the bizness." -jbox
Bolts from the Blue - San Diego Chargers Blog Created By The Fans, For The Fans
It might
And even if it is a nice dump, there is nothing structurally wrong with Qualcomm that can’t be fixed. And unlike those really dumpy stadiums up north, Qualcomm is actually not that badly designed when it comes to football. It’s the right shape, plenty big, etc…
by athletics68 on Dec 30, 2011 10:03 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I'd hesitate on using the word "perfectly"
It is usable. It is by no means perfect. Just ask the maintenance crew what happens when it rains. Not to mention the millions spent annually in general maintenance costs the city has to put up in order to keep that stadium in the workable shape that is in.
"second base is the bizness." -jbox
Bolts from the Blue - San Diego Chargers Blog Created By The Fans, For The Fans
Well that's true of any stadium.
The maintenance costs are always a killer. Ask the Padres how much they have to spend to maintain the 7 year old baseball park.
by athletics68 on Dec 30, 2011 10:05 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I wouldn't mind a new stadium, but we don't NEED one to have an NFL team
As evidenced by the last several decades. It hardly ever rains and even in the worst of it, the maintenance crew is able to drain the field to playable pretty easily.
The big reasons for a new stadium:
1. The current stadium is too big resulting in too many blackouts. San Diego would consistently sell out a 60k to 65k seat stadium.
2. The current stadium keeps San Diego out of the running for future Super Bowls.
3. The owners can’t make as much money off of the current stadium as they could with a fancy new one with no obstructed views and tons of luxury boxes.
Since I only hit one or two games a year, only one of those reasons for a new stadium is significant to me, though it would be fun to host a Super Bowl too. Had fun volunteering at the last one we had.
by Dex on Dec 30, 2011 10:26 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Well some of those issues are easily addressed or not THAT big
Removing a few seats would deal with the capacity issues. Super Bowls are nice, but they’re also a luxury that isn’t necessarily needed. As for the luxury boxes and obstructed views, the latter is easy as it’s irrelevant. Even the two new “palatial” stadiums in New York and Dallas have obstructed views so they’re not a big deal. The luxury boxes are the main thing, but even that could be dealt with fairly easily. Qualcomm does have a fair number of luxury boxes now that could be renovated up to modern standards fairly easily. And as for putting more in, seems to me if they reworked the press box situation removing the old baseball pressbox area and putting luxury suites in there instead they’d be able to add a bunch more in there and relocate any needed press in that area to another part of the stadium. Also exploring putting lower level press boxes near what is now “field level” like end line ones at Seattle might also be doable. There is that big wall in the south endzone with the entry area in the middle. Seems to me they might be able to explore putting low level suites in there as well with minimal reworking required.
by athletics68 on Dec 30, 2011 10:37 AM PST up reply actions
I wasn't really referring to the playing surface when talking about the rain.
They seem to be able to handle that part well.
"second base is the bizness." -jbox
Bolts from the Blue - San Diego Chargers Blog Created By The Fans, For The Fans
The City Fathers and Mothers of San Diego
want a downtown stadium because they have long tried to pretend to the outside world that the city ends at I-5. They want aerial shots of the stadium to always include coastline or ocean water. Do you know how many people I’ve met over the years who are shocked to hear that you can still be in San Diego and have a 98 degree day, when they just read online or in the paper that it was 77? I had a boss once who moved to the East County from Phoenix and realized he was still in Phoenix after all. Everything he’d read focused on the coast line. THAT’S the real reason why Qualcommm is no longer viewed as serviceable.
by EvilSammy on Dec 30, 2011 11:47 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Actually
They wanted the stadium downtown because that’s an area that was eligible for state redevelopment money.
"second base is the bizness." -jbox
Bolts from the Blue - San Diego Chargers Blog Created By The Fans, For The Fans
Yet another reason to revisit Qualcomm or at least the site
Because downtown is now just a more expensive site that has no redevelopment benefit.
Oh and speaking of minor leagues and the Storm
Did everyone see we’re playing an exhibition game April 4th at the Lake Elsinore Diamond vs the Royals at 2pm?
It’s 40 bucks to attend but you get vouchers to 3 Storm games along with the Padres v Royals game ticket. If they’re half as fun during the Padres game as they are during Storm games it ought to be a good time.
Sadly it really is dead
Moorad came out and stated later yesterday if they don’t hear anything from the North Co. inside 90 days they’ll be selling. And that they’ve heard from no one in Tucson but have heard from folks in El Paso.
I remember that before the Escondido idea came up
There was talk of CSUSM expanding their stadium to meet AAA standards and upgrade their own facilities in the process. They obviously weren’t capable of paying for that all on their own, but I wonder if talks about that will resurface.
"second base is the bizness." -jbox
Bolts from the Blue - San Diego Chargers Blog Created By The Fans, For The Fans
They'll have 90 days to do so
Then Moorad dumps the team according to what he’s stating. And with the group in El Paso practically banging his door down (they’d been lingering since before he even bought the Beavers) I’d not be shocked if he doesn’t even wait the 90 days.
by athletics68 on Dec 30, 2011 10:06 AM PST up reply actions
Could be America's most dangerous city
Ciudad Juarez is in the running for world’s most dangerous, and it is RIGHT THERE next door. Makes our proximity to TJ look like a moat full of lava.
Yakety Sax: Making divisional matchups hilarious since 1963.
Gaslamp Ball: SMELLS LIKE PROSPECTS IN HERE
Please, call me StrangeBro.
by StrangeBroP25 on Dec 30, 2011 11:33 AM PST up reply actions
That would be cool if they filled the Tijuana River with lava
The glow would be beautiful at night, and it would save power since they wouldn’t need all that stadium style lighting along the north bank.
by athletics68 on Dec 30, 2011 12:01 PM PST up reply actions
Probably true
Both weather and crime wise (and I say this knowing by brother had his sinuses permanently destroyed when he was jumped and beaten in Tucson). But El Paso also has an ownership group with fairly deep pockets ready to build a ballpark which can be customized to PETCO like dimensions. Only real issue I see with El Paso is the elevation. It’s over 1000 feet higher than Tucson is which makes it’s elevation even more of a factor in making it unlike sea level San Diego. That said since the ballpark will be new they can also offset that a bit in the setting of the dimensions in a way they weren’t able to do at the 15 year old Kino Stadium in Tucson. Same goes for Boise when compared to Tucson as it would again be a new ballpark.
by athletics68 on Dec 30, 2011 11:59 AM PST up reply actions
Pretty much yes.
Kino Veterans in Tucson is already too short being 340 down the lines and 405 to center compared to PETCO’s 334-396-325. As absurd as it sounds I’d suggest they make the park in El Paso a seemingly nuts 345-410-345 with deeper than normal power alleys as well.
Well, it'd prepare our guys for the Petco Effect if nothing else.
Yakety Sax: Making divisional matchups hilarious since 1963.
Gaslamp Ball: SMELLS LIKE PROSPECTS IN HERE
Please, call me StrangeBro.
by StrangeBroP25 on Dec 30, 2011 4:07 PM PST up reply actions
Well altitude is a bitch.
I mean El Paso is almost 2/3rds the way up to where Denver is elevation wise. And on top of that the air is even drier than it is in Denver. Those two things alone mean it’s not going to be atmospherically much like sea level damp SD. So yeah we’ll have to be extreme to prepare them. Because Kino ain’t getting it done if Rizzo is any indication.
I remember that as well.
If I recall they had contacted Carlsbad as well. Carlsbad has set money aside to build a park so it wouldn’t require any redevelopment funds, but would prolly require a vote to use those funds for a ballpark.
Not sure Moorad is going to wait that long.
And there’s not a great chance a vote would pass in the current climate either.
by athletics68 on Dec 31, 2011 11:49 AM PST up reply actions
Pretty much my feeling as well
And seeing people so gleeful over redevelopment’s demise is just mind boggling to me. Did they like the Gaslamp better when it was nothing but XXX shops and blight?
Only plus I see is that the stadium the have planned in Boise at least is nicer than the one they wanted to build in Escondido which looked pretty basic.
by athletics68 on Dec 30, 2011 11:06 AM PST up reply actions
I liked the Tivoli Bar
before it got taken over by hipsters
On the other hand, you have different fingers.
Don't know about that
Last time I went into Tivoli didn’t look like there were any hipsters in there. Maybe it was an off night.
But frankly hipsters are good for business. They buy more booze than the boobie loving drunks used to ironically enough.
by athletics68 on Dec 30, 2011 12:22 PM PST up reply actions
I like the planned Boise stadium too.
Is there a rendering for the El Paso plan?
Yakety Sax: Making divisional matchups hilarious since 1963.
Gaslamp Ball: SMELLS LIKE PROSPECTS IN HERE
Please, call me StrangeBro.
by StrangeBroP25 on Dec 30, 2011 4:08 PM PST up reply actions
Hang on, I just realized something
The Boise Plan (good band name, by the way) doesn’t have any leftfield seating… no wonder it looked weird.
Yakety Sax: Making divisional matchups hilarious since 1963.
Gaslamp Ball: SMELLS LIKE PROSPECTS IN HERE
Please, call me StrangeBro.
by StrangeBroP25 on Dec 30, 2011 4:09 PM PST up reply actions
Yeah the Boisey plan has something of a "Green Monster" out in left field.
Looks like there’s a street right there.
Not clear on if El Paso would be building a new park
Which is what they wanted when they were competing with Moorad to buy the then Beavers, or if they’d now be using the existing Cohen. Cohen was built in 1990 and seats 9,700 seated which is in line with what most AAA venues seat and 1700 more than the T-Pads current stadium seats.
My guess would be that if it is the same guys in El Paso, which I believe included Mark Foster, then they’d probably still want a new $50 million ballpark that they’d planned on previously. But time will tell. And they could always either kick out or play around the American Association El Paso Diablos at Cohen in the interim.
Somebody better water that outfield!
There are no apostrophes in plurals.
A lot is two words. Allot can be one word but it has another meaning.
The only time you really want to use "myself" is when you are the recipient of your own action. Usually you're better off using "me."
Your is not the correct contraction of you are. The word you're looking for is you're.
It's anyway, not anyways.
But if you only remember one thing...
There are no apostrophes in plurals.
I think that was taken in the offseason
Unless they keep tents or whatever that is in right field out there during the season.
RIP
Fire Bud Black.
Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser. -- Vince Lombardi
by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Dec 30, 2011 9:27 PM PST reply actions
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