Re: Cubs to Leave Mesa for Florida?

[Derwood]

my limited experience with Spring Training in Florida was that the ballpark was a major pain in the ass to get to, almost no parking, etc. Not sure if it's that way at every site

[Guest]

Mesa/other Phoenix suburbs better get their act together.

[RedFlash]

I, for one, don't mind if the Cubs move to Florida.

[moochpuppy]

my limited experience with Spring Training in Florida was that the ballpark was a major pain in the ass to get to, almost no parking, etc. Not sure if it's that way at every site

 

Where was this?

[Derwood]

my limited experience with Spring Training in Florida was that the ballpark was a major pain in the ass to get to, almost no parking, etc. Not sure if it's that way at every site

 

Where was this?

 

Blue Jays park....can't remember which town....Dunedin?

[moochpuppy]

my limited experience with Spring Training in Florida was that the ballpark was a major pain in the ass to get to, almost no parking, etc. Not sure if it's that way at every site

 

Where was this?

 

Blue Jays park....can't remember which town....Dunedin?

 

I think it is Dunedin, just north of Clearwater. I haven't been there but it sounds like the same situation the Red Sox were in here in Ft. Myers. City of Palms Park is in the middle of the city with not much parking and it's an older facility. They are getting new digs in South Ft. Myers similar to the setup the Twins have here at the Lee County Sports Complex.

 

The Cubs are looking for 120-130 acres and a state of the art facility would be built. Depending on the property they buy it should be close to the inter-state and no problems with parking.

[Bruno7481]

n/m Edited October 27, 2009 by Bruno7481

[Bruno7481]

my limited experience with Spring Training in Florida was that the ballpark was a major pain in the ass to get to, almost no parking, etc. Not sure if it's that way at every site

 

Where was this?

 

Blue Jays park....can't remember which town....Dunedin?

 

I think it is Dunedin, just north of Clearwater. I haven't been there but it sounds like the same situation the Red Sox were in here in Ft. Myers. City of Palms Park is in the middle of the city with not much parking and it's an older facility. They are getting new digs in South Ft. Myers similar to the setup the Twins have here at the Lee County Sports Complex.

 

The Cubs are looking for 120-130 acres and a state of the art facility would be built. Depending on the property they buy it should be close to the inter-state and no problems with parking.

 

Yeah, Lee County is set up much better with the adjoining fields and location. You can be there from the beach in a quick amount of time, but not guarantees heading back with the beach bridge traffic.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

doesn't really sound like anything important to me. big deal, some town in florida discussed trying to get the cubs to move there. i just discussed trying to get the cubs to move spring training to my back yard with my brother. we both agree it'd be sweet.

.

 

Nothing important? Kenny and Ricketts have already met with the officials in Naples, twice. Kenney added the following:

 

"Collier County has a number of suitable locations for a world-class spring training facility."

 

This is legit from the people I have talked to that I know ho live down there.

 

Florida is not that bad for ST. I have worked that area several times during ST. If it happens, expect many games with the Red Sox and Twins who train in nearby Ft. Myers.

 

You're quoting a post from two months ago.

[Bruno7481]

doesn't really sound like anything important to me. big deal, some town in florida discussed trying to get the cubs to move there. i just discussed trying to get the cubs to move spring training to my back yard with my brother. we both agree it'd be sweet.

.

 

Nothing important? Kenny and Ricketts have already met with the officials in Naples, twice. Kenney added the following:

 

"Collier County has a number of suitable locations for a world-class spring training facility."

 

This is legit from the people I have talked to that I know ho live down there.

 

Florida is not that bad for ST. I have worked that area several times during ST. If it happens, expect many games with the Red Sox and Twins who train in nearby Ft. Myers.

 

You're quoting a post from two months ago.

 

My bad. Stupid old posts.

[UMFan83]

Weird most teams are moving from Florida to Arizona and the Cubs are threatening to do the reverse.

 

Oh well not a big deal to me...my mom lives in Phoenix so I usually take trips down there to see the Cubs, but my GF's uncle owns a condo in Bonita Beach (town next to Naples) that is unoccupied in March so I can just as easily go down there to see them. For the sake of tradition, I'd like to see them stay in AZ, but for the sake of cheaper plane tickets from Chicago I wouldn't mind Naples.

[jersey cubs fan]

Weird most teams are moving from Florida to Arizona and the Cubs are threatening to do the reverse.

 

Oh well not a big deal to me...my mom lives in Phoenix so I usually take trips down there to see the Cubs, but my GF's uncle owns a condo in Bonita Beach (town next to Naples) that is unoccupied in March so I can just as easily go down there to see them. For the sake of tradition, I'd like to see them stay in AZ, but for the sake of cheaper plane tickets from Chicago I wouldn't mind Naples.

 

It makes sense for a lot of reasons. The Cubs benefitted from being the biggest fish in a small pond when in Arizona. But now that market is getting more and more crowded, and there is much less benefit to growing their brand. Other teams are getter sweetheart deals left and right to move, and the Cubs are playing in a dump. Florida is still the bigger league, but outside the Tampa area teams, it's really not that crowded. Mesa needs the Cubs more than the Cubs need Mesa, and if they can get Mesa and Naples competing for their business, they should.

 

Initially I thought it would suck if they went to Florida, but I only saw them in Az once, and I'd probably go more frequently if they were in south florida.

[fromthestretch]

For selfish reasons, I want them to stay put in Arizona. I have a lot of family out there. As my kids grow up, I'd like to be able to take them to spring training AND see some family all in one trip.

[Clem Fandango]

my limited experience with Spring Training in Florida was that the ballpark was a major pain in the ass to get to, almost no parking, etc. Not sure if it's that way at every site

 

Where was this?

 

Blue Jays park....can't remember which town....Dunedin?

 

I think it is Dunedin, just north of Clearwater. I haven't been there but it sounds like the same situation the Red Sox were in here in Ft. Myers. City of Palms Park is in the middle of the city with not much parking and it's an older facility. They are getting new digs in South Ft. Myers similar to the setup the Twins have here at the Lee County Sports Complex.

 

The Cubs are looking for 120-130 acres and a state of the art facility would be built. Depending on the property they buy it should be close to the inter-state and no problems with parking.

 

It's like that in Bradenton with the Pirates spring training facility as well. That was built in the early 90's, very limited on site parking, most people park in adjacent parking lots and streets. Unless that's changed... I haven't been to a ST game in my hometown in nearly 15 years.

[Derwood]

Yeah, it was Dunedin. The park is right in the middle of a residential neighborhood with nothing but traffic-light lined, two-way streets getting to it. The parking lot isn't much more than handicapped spots and maybe 40-50 more spots, and even those aren't enough (we went with someone in a wheelchair and had to drop him off and then park 4 blocks away).

[NCCubFan]

My home to Mesa: Almost 2200 miles. My home to Naples: Just under 800 miles. Make the move.

[Falling5tarr]

The proposal was discussed at the Collier Tourist Development council meeting on Monday. There is a video and article here : http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/oct/26/tourism-leaders-look-create-public-private-partner/. The board voted 7-1 in favor of setting up a public committee.

 

Also, there will be a press conference held by the group leading the effort to bring the Cubs to Collier on Thursday the 29th at 3:00pm EST at the Naples Bath & Tennis Club.

[bhogg]

I say make the move. The cubs haven't won a single world series since being in arizona!!

[MSG T]

While I fully understand the business side, and want the Cubs to do what is best for their business... I really hate Florida, and would much rather that they work out a good deal to stay in AZ.

 

It must be all those years at Ft Irwin, the tours in Iraq, Israel and Sinai that made really like heat and no humidity much more than heat and humidity.

[moochpuppy]

Also, there will be a press conference held by the group leading the effort to bring the Cubs to Collier on Thursday the 29th at 3:00pm EST at the Naples Bath & Tennis Club.

 

You can watch a live feed of the press conference on naplesnews.com.

[Sammys Boombox]

I say make the move. The cubs haven't won a single world series since being in arizona!!

 

I think they should just quit spring training. They haven't won a WS since before they started having spring training.

[Guest]

My home to Mesa: Almost 2200 miles. My home to Naples: Just under 800 miles. Make the move.

 

There are way more Chicago snowbirds in Florida than there are in Arizona. Good luck getting tickets.

[hardcorecubfan]

How many people moved to sun-city as well as all those trailer parks based on the fact then Cubs play there. I know my retirement plans are to get as close to a warm climate and my Cubs as I possibly can

[Soul]

Those are the breaks.

 

I thought you were already in a warm climate?

[Jehrico]

Please make this happen :beg: