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| THE OLDEST STADIUM |
THE RED SOCKS BLOG
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
The oldest sports stadium in the world is located at the corner of via die Fori Imperiali and Piazza dei Colosseo in Rome.
It was built in 80 AD and is currently 1933 years old.
Considerably older than Turner Field.
The Atlanta Braves announced last week that they will be moving from Turner Field for the suburb of Cobb County,twelve miles up the interstate in time for the 2017 season. Turner Field is to be demolished.
As one pundit said last week,"It's not even as old as Miley Cyrus."
Then why are the Braves leaving ? Apparently,according to the Braves front office there are several factors. First,$ 150 million would be required to pay for seats and for other unspecified upgrades. Secondly,$ 200 million to 'improve the fan experience.' And finally a lack of mass transit options in the area,no parking and limited freeway access.
That's 'Bull' !
The real reason the Braves are leaving is that baseball owners want to control the surrounding areas of their ballparks. They want to make money on the drinking,shopping and entertainment around the neighborhood,if you have any money left after your fleeced at the actual game.
And the bigger reason - well you the taxpayer of Cobb County are paying for it. Never mind that schools in your county had to have five furlough days this year because the schools have no money.
Now here's the kicker. The City of Atlanta would have coughed up the money had the NFL Falcons not beat the Braves to the city's bank account using the same scam. There was no money left.
But this idea of generating development and creating jobs in neighborhoods around ballparks has been tried before and it doesn't work. What it ends up doing is getting a taxpayer 'paid for' stadium for a billionaire owner.
The Metrodome in Minnesota will be closing this year after 31 years. The only business that stadium has generated around the neighborhood is Hubert's Sports Bar.
In Queens,the only benefits of the New York Mets new $ 800 million stadium are a couple of auto repair shops and salvage yards.
And then there's Miami. Jeffrey Loria is the master of spending someone else's money.
Loria tried his scam first in Montreal during his brief attempt to run the Expos. Claiming he was to be 'the Saviour' of baseball in Montreal while trying to get the local provincial (state) government to build a new downtown stadium for the Expos.
What was needed was not a new stadium but for the Expos to put up some money and improve their team on the field. But this required Loria to 'put his hands in his own pockets',something you will never see Jeffrey Loria do.
So as the Expos received large payments from the other teams through 'revenue sharing' these payments did not go to improving the team.
They went in Jeffery Loria's pocket.
When the government in Quebec gave a final 'no' to Loria he abandoned Montreal and left the team under the care of the other baseball owners and with the help of MLB took his act to Miami.
Here he had more success.
Loria took over a Marlins team playing in a football stadium. While he negotiated a new stadium deal for Miami those 'revenue sharing' payments were still going in his pocket as the Marlins did not improve on the field. The website deadspin.com has obtained leaked documents that show the Marlins made $ 48 million in 2008 and 2009.
Loria was pocketing so much money that in January of 2010 the Marlins had to reach a agreement with the MLBPA to increase their payroll,as the union had complained they refused to spend and had the lowest payroll in baseball.
Loria's excuse was of course that he would not spend money until the Marlins had a new stadium,which at this time was under construction at a cost to taxpayers ( city & county) of $ 514 million to the Marlins contribution of $ 120 million.
The Marlins were forced to increase their payroll by $ 55.2 million for the 2012 season. Not because Loria had intention of improving the team but because he was forced to by the MLBPA.
The scam was completed when at the end of the 2012 season most of this payroll increase was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. Loria had his almost 'free' stadium and the Marlins finished 2013 with 62 wins and 34 games out of first place.The finger pointing is in full swing at city hall.
Now back to the Braves. The bottom line is they have gotten someone else to pay for their new ballpark.
What is a ballpark ? It is a place that is generational. A place where sons go with fathers who went with grandfathers. I remember telling my daughter,"When I was your age.." while pointing to a particular aspect of our local stadium.
The owners in baseball are 'greedy'. I have no objection to that - everyone is 'greedy' in today's 'I want it now !' world.
What I have a problem with is when people who are worth billions take away millions from our schoolchildren as in Cobb County.
It is a disgrace !
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