Caution: LA is coming to steal your NFL team in 2011

[reednavy]

They have the mouse, they should be happy with that.

and the Magic

[Ocklawaha]

The new crap from the Orlando Skyscraper City pages is that the league is going to "SHARE" our team with Orlando. This ought to be pretty funny to watch, these bozo's are going for this story like they'll be selling Jerseys next week!

Anyway, what do we care, the Jags like us, nobody is doing really great right now and one of the first things to toss into the wind is entertainment, especially $50 dollar a pop entertainment. Not only that, but I hear that the CUBS are thinking of moving to town, now won't that be funny... Let's see do we keep em Cubs or change the name to "Red Caps..."

HA!

OCKLAWAHA

[reednavy]

Share? Well, before that is even a possibility, they gotta get the Citrus Bowl in better condition, and that is a few years away at the least. So, don't hold your breath Orlando, you'll be waiting a while.

[Ocklawaha]

Look for the long term dollar. No investor who wants a growth in his/her investment in a franchise is going to move to a dead market. Los Angeles, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Memphis, Birmingham, OKC, etc... these are growth regions. We have a great team and a great owner, he knows as Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati,etc slowly rust away, in a long deadly decline, the Sunbelt is still where it is at. In terms of growth, we are near the top in population growth, and THAT is where the future dollar is at.

OCKLAWAHA

[copperfiend]

I was at the game Sunday it seemed like more than 38 thou.

I am with you. It did feel like more. I sat in section 217 and it was packed. My whole row was full.

[tufsu1]

Share? Well, before that is even a possibility, they gotta get the Citrus Bowl in better condition, and that is a few years away at the least. So, don't hold your breath Orlando, you'll be waiting a while.

well they have passed a bond issue for the Civic Center area which includes a new performing arts center, a new arena for the Magic, and about $175 million in upgrades to the Citrus Bowl

[reednavy]

I'm aware that bond issue was passed a few years back, but they don't have the money right now to redo the Citrus Bowl. Building a new arena for the Magic was the main focus, with the renovations to the CB 2nd, and new performing arts center last. However, due to the recession, any talks of either are on the back burner for now.

http://www.clickorlando.com/money/18472089/detail.html?rss=orlpn&psp=news

[stjr]

I find it hilarious people in Orlando say they can have our team, um, that will NEVER happen, as Tampa Bay has a lockdown on the other pro sports. Orlando can keep dreaming more pro sports, it'll never happen, at least in our lifetime.

Don't laugh so hard about Orlando.  The Baltimore Orioles fought endlessly to prevent MLB returning a team to Washington, and, guess what, Washington now has a team.  Distance from Baltimore to Washington: probably a bit less than Orlando to Tampa.

Fact is, if the money, stadium, support, and demographics are present, sooner or later any sports league will tolerate a team in any city, no matter the proximity of another market. (See San Francisco-Oakland, NYJ-NYG, Baltimore-Washington, etc.)

[reednavy]

However, those markets mentioned are more able to handle such, but Tampa is having issues putting butts in seats for NFL and MLB.

[David]

They have the governator behind them now!

INDUSTRY, Calif. -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Thursday he has signed a bill allowing the construction of a 75,000-seat stadium that developers hope will lure an NFL team back to the Los Angeles area.

Schwarzenegger said he signed the environmental exemption bill last week but saved the announcement for a news conference in Industry, where the stadium would be built about 15 miles east of Los Angeles ...

Majestic (the developer) has targeted seven teams it plans to approach after the Super Bowl in February about move to the Los Angeles area: the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers.

http://www.nesn.com/2009/10/arnold-schwarzenegger-signs-los-angeles-football-stadium-waiver-bill.html

I was elected to leeeeead. Not to reeeeaad.

[mtraininjax]

Don't forget all the jobs that building the stadium will create! Maybe we should build a new stadium for the Jags and put people to work for a couple of years? Maybe we can add a convention center next to it and get a 2 for 1 deal out of it?

[stjr]

Don't forget all the jobs that building the stadium will create! Maybe we should build a new stadium for the Jags and put people to work for a couple of years? Maybe we can add a convention center next to it and get a 2 for 1 deal out of it?

Actually, building a convention center attached to the stadium, say where the Pepsi party area is, may be worth further thought.  You would have lots of parking, it might attract hotels that could serve all the venues (stadium, arena, baseball park, Jax fairgrounds), sustain year round food and entertainment establishments in the area, have access to the river front park across the street for complimentary river-oriented activities (such as the boat show, river boat rides, fireworks, etc.) and to the stadium facilities.  It would also have reasonably good  access from the bridges and interstate (via MLK Parkway).

And, the convention center could host tailgating,football rallies, and sports-themed events for big games at the stadium.  The only issue would be when un-realted events conflict with the stadium but how likely is that?

So... I say give this a better look!

[mtraininjax]

Since JaxPort appears to be the only ones getting state money, (600 million to dredge the St. Johns River), perhaps they can give the City a loan....Lord knows the taxpayer is tapped out with the new taxes, er fees.

[tufsu1]

Why would putting a convention center down by the stadium be any better than keeping it at the Prime Osborn....in fact, it would be further from the city center (although closer to the Hyatt) and not connected via the Skyway

[stjr]

Why would putting a convention center down by the stadium be any better than keeping it at the Prime Osborn....in fact, it would be further from the city center (although closer to the Hyatt) and not connected via the Skyway

I only brought the stadium location up because Mtrain speculated, in humor, on this idea, no doubt on the supposition that sooner or later a new and larger Convention Center will be desired.  If so, keeping the smallish Prime Osborn won't be an option.  Maybe you know otherwise?

As to the $ky-high-way, it may be news to you, but no one is using it at Prime Osborn (or anywhere else) so that won't be missed.