Nashville Mayor...

[Lip Man 1]

Thought this might be of some interest. Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell was on the George Plaster radio show. He was asked about the entire MLB expansion/relocation issues with the city.

The interview ran about 15 minutes.

O'Connell specifically said Nashville (direct quote) "doesn't have the ingredients" for any public funded sports teams be it MLB, the WNBA or the women's professional soccer league because of all the public money already invested in the building of the Titans new stadium. 

He also said (direct quote) "it would be difficult to imagine" any public funding for that.  

Edited December 14 by Lip Man 1

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

54 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Thought this might be of some interest. Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell was on the George Plaster radio show. He was asked about the entire MLB expansion/relocation issues with the city.

The interview ran about 15 minutes.

O'Connell specifically said Nashville (direct quote) "doesn't have the ingredients" for any public funded sports teams be it MLB, the WNBA or the women's professional soccer league because of all the public money already invested in the building of the Titans new stadium. 

He also said (direct quote) "it would be difficult to imagine" any public funding for that.  

Haven't we closed the book on Nashville yet ?

[Texsox]

4 hours ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Haven't we closed the book on Nashville yet ?

On the Sox moving or MLB expanding there? 

 

[JoeC]

Pretty impressive to have JR be pre-emptively denied by a second government.

[Highland]

6 hours ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Haven't we closed the book on Nashville yet ?

This quote is significant. It just demonstrates that any threat to move made by the White Sox can be ignored. So, no new stadium unless the Sox pay for it. 

[nrockway]

I think funds would come from the state and not the city, right? I think if the mayor said something like, “yes, we’re ready to pony up $1bil in taxpayer funds”  it probably wouldn’t go well during his next election campaign. 

also, it’s a southern state, you already know they’re going to take money out of ‘Temporary Assistance for Needy Families’ to build it and somehow Steve Air McNair will be involved. 

[Balta1701]

44 minutes ago, nrockway said:

I think funds would come from the state and not the city, right? I think if the mayor said something like, “yes, we’re ready to pony up $1bil in taxpayer funds”  it probably wouldn’t go well during his next election campaign. 

also, it’s a southern state, you already know they’re going to take money out of ‘Temporary Assistance for Needy Families’ to build it and somehow Steve Air McNair will be involved. 

Also not just this…if he were to sell the team, a large chunk of the funds coming from the new owners who want to own their stadium and surrounding land for business development is also expected. In that case, helping procure land and transit access can be something that a city kicks in.

[Lyle Moooton]

If there’s anyone who you can take at their word, it’s a politician. 

[GreatScott82]

The whole Nashville moving threat is silly. Chicago is a perfect city to have two teams. We just have a really archaic owner who refuses to accept the reality of the modern baseball world. This is why the White Sox have fallen far off the map of relevancy.

I’m happy he’s open to selling (apparently?! And finally!) However, it seems like he is only open to selling to “his people” That worries me! No more Reinsdorfian owners! We’ve suffered long enough. 
 

Not to sound morbid, but the likely best case scenario for the White Sox faithful is for Jerry’s children to inherit the Sox and for them to be in charge of the sale. 
 

My question is, are there any billionaires out there willing to take on the challenge of being the next White Sox owner? Outside of the sketchy Dave Stewart group, I have no clue who would be interested? 🤔 

Edited December 14 by GreatScott82

[caulfield12]

3 hours ago, GreatScott82 said:

The whole Nashville moving threat is silly. Chicago is a perfect city to have two teams. We just have a really archaic owner who refuses to accept the reality of the modern baseball world. This is why the White Sox have fallen far off the map of relevancy.

I’m happy he’s open to selling (apparently?! And finally!) However, it seems like he is only open to selling to “his people” That worries me! No more Reinsdorfian owners! We’ve suffered long enough. 
 

Not to sound morbid, but the likely best case scenario for the White Sox faithful is for Jerry’s children to inherit the Sox and for them to be in charge of the sale. 
 

My question is, are there any billionaires out there willing to take on the challenge of being the next White Sox owner? Outside of the sketchy Dave Stewart group, I have no clue who would be interested? 🤔 

Air McNair might need to remove himself from the CSI Channel in order to participate ... but that would be par for the course with these White Sox.

[Chick Mercedes]

5 hours ago, Lyle Moooton said:

If there’s anyone who you can take at their word, it’s a politician. 

I’ve  found that humans in general are not very truthful or trustworthy. It isn’t a badge of honor not to belong to the  politician class, that’s for sure. Anyway, rant over. Don’t ask….

Edited December 14 by Chick Mercedes

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

On 12/14/2024 at 4:09 AM, Texsox said:

On the Sox moving or MLB expanding there? 

 

On the Sox moving since this is Soxtalk.  JRs been planning for his kids to inherit the team when he died for ages.

Sure he said he's open to selling but he's angling for funds for a new ballpark. There was never any real threat that he'd sell the team to Dave Stewart. Reinsdorf and Stewart both are full of it.

[Texsox]

21 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Also not just this…if he were to sell the team, a large chunk of the funds coming from the new owners who want to own their stadium and surrounding land for business development is also expected. In that case, helping procure land and transit access can be something that a city kicks in.

Is the stadium itself a money maker? It seems like owning all the land around a stadium you got for free with a thirty year lease is pretty nice. Your investment would be in the development which is earning you money quickly. 

If baseball stadiums actually earned the owners money every city would be tripping over themselves spending a billion or two opening one and reaping the financial rewards. 

[Falstaff]

37 minutes ago, Texsox said:

Is the stadium itself a money maker? It seems like owning all the land around a stadium you got for free with a thirty year lease is pretty nice. Your investment would be in the development which is earning you money quickly. 

If baseball stadiums actually earned the owners money every city would be tripping over themselves spending a billion or two opening one and reaping the financial rewards. 

I agree with you but JR is one of the few owners that has a sweetheart money-making deal on a publicly funded stadium.

[greg775]

Let's face it. The day the new Sox park opened (now G-Rate Field) is the day its expiration date became significant. The park is generally regarded as one of the most bland in baseball. Jerry got new spacious clubhouses for the players; he got such a steep, scary incline in the upper deck for ordinary fans who are not rich. Now the government ain't gonna help out so there will be no stadium as long as Jerry is owner. Way too expensive without government assistance.