Baseball writers hate Busch III. Don't want All Star game.

[mjohnson71]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/A9DD9AFF3A15CC20862572130016AE84?OpenDocument

 

Baseball writers ask MLB to put St. Louis All-Star Game on hold

By Joe Strauss

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Thursday, Oct. 26 2006

 

The Baseball Writers' Association of America moved Wednesday to request that

Major League Baseball withhold awarding the 2009 All-Star Game to the Cardinals

until significant improvements are made to a press facility the organization

considers unacceptable to host a special event.

 

Commissioner Bud Selig described the matter as "a real and valid" issue

Wednesday and acknowledged being made aware of the writers' concerns.

 

"It's always a significant issue. I'm sensitive to it, and I know the issues

are real and valid," Selig said. "The question is what can be done about it,

and I don't have an answer about it right now."

 

Major League Baseball is expected to award the 2008 All-Star Game to the New

York Yankees, who will move from current Yankee Stadium into a new stadium the

following year. The Cardinals have not hosted an All-Star Game since 1966 but

are expected to receive the 2009 event as reward for their new facility. Next

July's game will be played in San Francisco.

 

The Busch Stadium press facility has been criticized by media since the park

opened this April. During construction of the stadium, Cardinals officials

waived architect HOK's standard design, opting for a less costly, exposed press

box offering neither air conditioning nor heat. The club originally intended to

locate the press facility down the right-field line until Major League Baseball

mandated that it be situated behind home plate.

 

Journalists weren't the only ones subject to the spartan conditions. The club

placed its public relations offices in a windowless cinder block space also

lacking heat and air conditioning.

 

Other complaints include poor sight lines from the box's second row. Media

members not sitting in the front row are unable to see the stadium scoreboard

or follow fly balls unless they lay their heads flat on the table.

 

City fire marshals on several occasions ordered closed a media workroom when

smoke from an adjacent concession area permeated the wall separating the two.

 

Club officials have suggested improvements might be made to the press facility

but have not specified what those improvements might be or when they would be

made.

 

"I don't know what can be done about it," Selig said. The BBWAA "should send me

a letter about it, and I will see what can be done about it."

 

Cardinals president Mark Lamping said Wednesday night many of this season's

complications can be traced to the club not moving into its new front office

until earlier this month. Space dedicated for media use was assigned to the

public relations staff. Lamping confirmed that additional modifications are

being considered.

 

"It's been our desire from the outset to create as comfortable an experience

for our fans and media as possible," Lamping said. "After this season is over,

I'm sure we'll take a look at how to do that."

 

Lamping said a significant number of St. Louis media argued against a

permanently enclosed press facility. Few, however, have complained about the

possibility of installing retractable windows along with climate control.

 

The BBWAA added its complaints about the facility to its agenda Wednesday after

a number of its members were shocked by conditions encountered during the

postseason. MLB officials who were unimpressed on opening day remain so despite

minor adjustments that included removal of exposed insulation.

 

"I can't believe anyone would build a brand new ballpark with an open press

box," said incoming BBWAA president Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

"If you're going to play in October and get weather like this, you're going to

get this."

 

Similar complaints were made about the PNC Park press box before Pittsburgh

hosted this July's All-Star Game. PNC, like Busch, has an upper-level press

facility without windows.

 

Complaints were forwarded to the club; however, no significant improvements

were made.