Cubs to Collier County FL, for spring training?

Just wanted to let you in on some Cubs news happening down here in Southwest Florida. There is a gentleman in Collier County who thinks bringing the Cubs would stimulate their economy. Hopefully this link http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=10981699 will explain more. As a missed placed Chicago Northsider would love to see this. Comments please.....

over 2 years ago ChicagoRalph 29 comments 0 recs |

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I'm sure it would stimulate their economy

But that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.

I despise Florida. I think it is rednecks in the North, Disney in the middle and weirdness in the South. I think it is so humid as to be unbearable in the summer and so crowded as to be unbearable in the winter.

I love Arizona every time I go there.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Aug 25, 2009 9:59 AM CDT reply actions

You're almost right...

there are also rednecks in the middle and in the south, interspersed with lots of Detroit/New York implants and large alligators. And lots of mosquitoes. But to be honest, The top Northeast and Northwest have some nice college towns/beaches and it’s mostly Miami and Orlando that I despise.

by smash! on Aug 25, 2009 8:52 PM CDT up reply actions

Not gonna happen

Not to burst anyones bubble. But Arizona has proven to be a great place for Cubs Spring Training. For one thing, with teams exiting Tucson, travel between parks is minimal — which is the complete opposite in Graprefruit league. IF (And thats a BIG if) the Cubs chose to move away from HoHoKam, there is no way another community in the Phoenix area would not jump at a chance to host them and maybe even pull another team from Florida. Bottom line Cubs will not leave AZ.

"Ask Dad. He'll know. And on the off chance he doesn't, he'll make something up"

by StevenABQ on Aug 25, 2009 10:15 AM CDT reply actions

Only been to AZ

When I was in the Marine Corps. I was in YUMA during spring training and saw a game with the Cubs vs. Padres I think? I have pics somewhere? By the way I depise this place also. When I retire I’m moving back to Chicago.

by ChicagoRalph on Aug 25, 2009 10:16 AM CDT reply actions

Yuma was and is a dump.

That’s why the Padres left.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Aug 25, 2009 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions

Another question

Does anyone know if the Ricketts family has any ties to the Collier County (Naples,FL) area?

by ChicagoRalph on Aug 25, 2009 10:19 AM CDT reply actions

Marlins-Cubs Games May Have to Suffice

The 3 games the Cubs play every year around Miami against the Marlins is about the only Cubs-related baseball in south Florida. Further north, you’ve got the Daytona Cubs, and even further north, you could see the Tennessee Smokies visit Jacksonville. Daytona and Jacksonville are both a long way from Collier County.

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Aug 25, 2009 10:25 AM CDT reply actions

This will never happen.

Some guy had an idea to form a committee and they agreed to do it? That means it’d only be about 5-7 years before they could get financing, find land and build a stadium complex.

The Cubs will have re-upped with Mesa long before that. As I have written before, the Cubs bring so much money into Mesa and the Phoenix area during spring training that they can’t afford NOT to keep them.

Expect to hear a deal announced that will keep the Cubs in Mesa for decades to come, long before their opt-out clause kicks in in 2012.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Aug 25, 2009 10:43 AM CDT reply actions

ST STAYS IN MESA....

The Mayor of Mesa Scott Smith said he and the City want the Cubs to stay . The Phoenix area gets tons of $$$ from Cactus league baseball . Mesa is not going to let the Cubs slip away to Florida . I have been to both Grapefruit League games and games at numerous venue’s in the Phoenix area . Phoenix wins it’s not even close in my opinion .

by cubs north on Aug 25, 2009 11:30 AM CDT reply actions

I, too

would have to think the likelihood of the Cubs leaving Mesa would be very remote – but I have already seen things happen that I never thought I would see. The Dodgers leaving Vero Beach? No way.

So, who knows?

by azjazzman on Aug 25, 2009 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions

The difference is...

… Glendale ponied up the money for the Dodgers (and White Sox). Vero Beach couldn’t match it.

Mesa, as I said, cannot afford to lose the Cubs. They’ll figure out a way. Or someone else in the Valley will. Why are ST teams moving FROM Florida? Because things are better in Arizona.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Aug 25, 2009 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions

It also made perfect sense to get the hell out of Florida

…for the Dodgers…..“Dodgertown” was a relic of the Brooklyn days. I’m surprised this took so long to happen — to not let your fan base, a few short hours away… come, with money in hand to see the team…..

It was a major mistake on the part of post O’ Malley ownership (Fox) to not accomplish this.

The Dodgers will eventually be the prime draw in the Cactus League, surpassing the Cubs and Giants.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Aug 25, 2009 12:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Ditto on that

It made no sense for the Dodgers to be training in Florida, and it’s amazing it took Frank McCourt to realize that. On top of that, if Southern Californians move somewhere to retire, they move to Arizona (or Vegas), not Florida.

It doesn’t make sense for California teams to train in Florida and not Arizona. For a team in Chicago, it doesn’t really make a difference, although I prefer Arizona because of the tradition. But for the Dodgers, it sure did.

by Josh Timmers on Aug 25, 2009 12:34 PM CDT up reply actions

Cheaper

for its land.

by Slamdog on Aug 25, 2009 5:26 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree

With AL .. No team now { once Scottsdale is finished …. moving dirt now ] for Rockies and Dbacks will be more than 50 minutes away from each others camp .. Plus Goodyear is finished with the Reds Practice fields .. Sharing same ballpark with the Indians .. Nice stadium i might add ..

by CUBFANINAZ on Aug 25, 2009 6:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Glendale , Az

Is helping Reisdorf with his negotiations to buy the Coytes hockey club . Glendale and Surprise …. Where the Rangers / Royals workout have some major cash put away for more sports teams . And the Arizona Sports Authority will donate big money also .. Cubs are staying put .

by CUBFANINAZ on Aug 25, 2009 6:12 PM CDT up reply actions

The NHL now will buy the Coyotes

It will look for a buyer once it controls the team.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/2009/08/25/20090825nhlcoyotes.html

Reinsdorf is out.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Aug 25, 2009 8:13 PM CDT up reply actions

Why not?

The NHL has been paying the bills since last October, when the owner said he would no longer pony up.

BTW, Reinsdorf’s pulling out is all about what I wrote above re: Glendale concessions. Those concessions, which were a part of his bid to buy the team out of bankruptcy, were leaked to the press and that just bolsters the Goldwater’s Institute’s lawsuit to prevent Glendale from giving the concessions. Reinsdorf’s lawyers no doubt told him he was holding a losing hand, so he folded.

by azjazzman on Aug 25, 2009 8:18 PM CDT up reply actions

Not so

1) All Glendale is offering to Reindorf are concessions on revenue splitting and fees that the Hockey team would be obligated to pay under existing contracts. It remains to be seen whether they ultimately will be able to follow thru on said concessions – there is a pending lawsuit to prevent it as illegal government largesse. The organization that has filed the suit just won a judgement in a similar case against the City of Phoenix.

2) Don’t know where you got this, but no cities in Arizona right now have “major cash” to do anything. That includes Glendale and Surprise.

3) The AZ Tourism and Sports Authority is tapped out and projects that they will be unable to take on any more capital funding of projects for the next 5-7 years at a minimum.

by azjazzman on Aug 25, 2009 8:13 PM CDT up reply actions

Of course, now that one Native American group is now

into the AZ Spring Traing Biz….

The Cubs won’t leave Arizona. Doesn’t mean they might leave Mesa.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Aug 25, 2009 8:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Clarify

“But, they might leave Mesa. Unless, a Tribe could fund ;land and rebuilding elsewhere in Mesa.

That vacant lot (farm land) still sits one block south of the park, on Center St. Good site to build on…..

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Aug 25, 2009 8:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Clarify again

They could build elsewhere in PHX with the help of a tribe.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Aug 25, 2009 8:20 PM CDT up reply actions

Could

but not likely. The Pimas are the ones with all the bread and the desire to expand their holdings. The other tribes have much less revenue and are more cautious. The thinking is they will sit back and see how the Pimas make out with their project before they get in the game.

There have been studies that indicate that the Spring Training complex may not have as much of a positive impact on the Casino/Resort as the Pimas are counting on.

by azjazzman on Aug 25, 2009 8:24 PM CDT up reply actions

There you go, Al. Perfect opportunity for you and Jessica to help the team you love... ;-)

and seeing as how I’m an Indians fan, what the heck – I’ll chip in too.

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Aug 26, 2009 1:33 AM CDT up reply actions

That is true

the one group in AZ with any money is the Native Americans with their casino money. There aren’t any that are as flush as the Pimas (who are building the Dbacks-Rockies facility) but this does change the game somewhat.

by azjazzman on Aug 25, 2009 8:21 PM CDT up reply actions

Every negotiation needs a stalking horse.

The Bears used Gary and the White Sox threatened to move as well.

With the more consistent weather, reduced travel times and White Sox in Az, it’s doubtful they’d leave Az without opening negotiations with other Phoenix area communities.

As for the Dodgers, the tradition at Vero Beach kept them there past the time those facilities were obsolete.

if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand

by N Oakley on Aug 25, 2009 11:56 AM CDT reply actions

The

gov of Florida Charlie Crist says, “that if it comes down to a bidding war to get the Cubs to come to Florida, they (Florida) will not be outbid”. At one times other sites that were mentioned were Orlando, Tampa and Sarasota (which finally struck a deal with our trading buddies Baltimore). One could imagine trying to get a ticket to a Yankee or Red Sox game vs the Cubs which no other team in Arizona can match in stature or money for that matter. Might get interesting

by Slamdog on Aug 25, 2009 12:15 PM CDT reply actions

Why

would Cincy and Cleveland go to Arizona over Florida other than the land is cheaper, it for sure not that wonderful Ohio/Arizona connection the two states have going for it. When you can drive 15 hours from Cincy to Florida and about 263 hours from Cleveland to Arizona

by Slamdog on Aug 25, 2009 5:29 PM CDT reply actions

Land is cheaper?

Even if true, how does that affect the teams? They don’t own the ST facilities, the cities themselves do.

The main reason they move is to get better facilities, and a more favorable situation all around.

I doubt there are that many Cincy fans that drive 30 hours round trip to Sarasota – the vast majority fly. Air travel makes the distance difference insignificant.

As far as the AZ/Ohio connection, the Indians trained in AZ for 45 years before moving to FL in 1993, so yes, the ties are very strong.

by azjazzman on Aug 25, 2009 8:35 PM CDT up reply actions