Battle for a Ballpark: Knights vs. Mecklenburg Co. Commissioners

sds70 · Aug 10, 2004 at 8:56 PM

Hmmmmmm, I wonder if the team officials have already spoken in front of the Meck. Co. Politicos about building a ballpark in Third Ward where the county owns the land (its 8:50pm as I type this)? It sounds like most of the commissioners are going to say Nyet to the Knights, which stinks . . . I think they are pretty adamant in having another Marshall Park on the westside of Uptown . . .

Knights Want Third Ward Ballpark: Meck. Co. Commissioners Likely to say No

sds70 · Aug 12, 2004 at 1:19 AM

Bump . . . Mecklenbug Co. Commish send the Knights Ballpark issue to subcommittee for 'further study' . . . i.e. 'We ain't chipping in any money to build a ballpark, but we'll find a site for you to consider' . .

Meck. Co. Politicos Cool to Idea for Uptown Ballpark

two-six · Aug 12, 2004 at 9:17 AM

how about a copy and paste since i don't wanna sign up.

The Brain · Aug 12, 2004 at 9:28 AM

two-six said:

how about a copy and paste since i don't wanna sign up.
Click to expand...

Here... I gotcha... but I mean damn it IS free, and you don't have to sign up again in the future.

Board cool to baseball stadium
Knights propose county give land earmarked for park in Third Ward
EARNEST WINSTON
Staff Writer

• POLL: Uptown park or Knights stadium?

Mecklenburg County commissioners were cool to the idea of building a baseball stadium in uptown Charlotte on Thursday, but they did not completely shut the door to the possibility.

In a 7-2 vote, commissioners directed a committee to study where the Charlotte Knights could build a 10,000-seat stadium on county-owned land, including the site where an urban park is proposed in Third Ward. The committee is expected to make a recommendation at the commissioners' Sept. 8 board meeting.

Democrat Valerie Woodard and Republican Bill James voted against the motion.

Chairman Tom Cox told the consultants he did not sense much support from commissioners for a stadium at the Third Ward location, where the county paid $24 million for the land.

"There's not a whole lot of support being expressed up here," Cox told the Cleveland, Ohio-based consultants following a presentation they made to the commissioners.

The consultants, who work for the firm Gateway Consultants Group, said they were pleased with the discussion their presentation sparked.

"We didn't expect them to say yes (to the Third Ward site tonight), but we did expect that we would advance the issue because it was sort of dangling out there," consultant Thomas Chema said after the presentation.

In a related matter, commissioners took another step toward putting a referendum on a $69 million parks bond on the November ballot. It would include $24 million to turn the Third Ward land into a park. A Sept. 8 public hearing was also scheduled for the referendum.

Commissioners discussed -- but did not decide -- putting language on the ballot that would exclude the bond package from being used for certain things such as a stadium.

The consultants asked the county to donate the land and to leave the $24 million on the ballot but not earmarked for a park.

"We ask you essentially not to view this as an either-or proposition," said consultant Patrick Zohn.

James said he would campaign against the bond issue if he believes it would later be used to help build a stadium.

"We've told the public ... that the land bonds would go for a park and a variety of other things," James said.

Democratic commissioner Norman Mitchell said he worried the county would lose residents' trust if they agreed to let a stadium be built on the Third Ward site.

"I hope you understand the dilemma that we're in," he told the consultants.

Richard West, a member of the Third Ward Neighborhood Association, pleaded with commissioners to build a park on the site in question.

"Baseball is not the thing to do in this area," he said.

But Beth Springston, another Third Ward resident, voiced support for a stadium -- if the site could also incorporate a park.

Republican commissioner Ruth Samuelson expressed concern that $24 million is too much money to include in the bond referendum to develop the park.

In other business, commissioners:

• Appointed Dr. Wynn Mabry as interim health director, effective Sept. 1. Mabry, the county homeland security director, will replace Peter Safir. Last month, County Manager Harry Jones asked Safir to resign because he was concerned about Safir's leadership of the department he has led since 1999. Safir agreed to step down about two weeks ago.

• Directed Jones to work with the city of Charlotte and developers seeking to revitalize Midtown Square. Developers want to build a $116 million complex featuring a second-floor Target store, a 12- to 15-story condominium tower, two parking decks and a faux Main Street lined with restaurants and small shops.

Earnest Winston: (704) 358-5108; [email protected]
Click to expand...

two-six · Aug 12, 2004

thanks brain. preesh. i just hate junk email.

fuck county commissioners and stupid people in general.

The Brain · Aug 12, 2004 at 9:40 AM

two-six said:

thanks brain. preesh. i just hate junk email.

fuck county commissioners and stupid people in general.
Click to expand...

for what its worth I don't get junk mail from them

two-six · Aug 12, 2004 at 10:05 AM

cool

sds70 · Aug 26, 2004 at 12:19 AM

Bump . . . It looks like the Mecklenburg Co. Politicos will spend more time looking at a 3rd Ward site for a proposed park as the future home of the Knights . . . . A right step in the right direction :thumbup: :thumbup: !!!

Mecklenburg Co. Commissioners to look further at 3rd Ward Site for Knights Ballpark

NCBBallFan · Aug 30, 2004 at 11:49 AM

Shoot ... add another 30,000 seats to the plan and make a bid on the Montreal Expos. You know Peter Angelos would rather have them down in Charlotte, pulling fans from the Braves than in Washington DC robbing the Orioles.....

The Brain · Aug 30, 2004 at 12:12 PM

Charlotte can't support MLB baseball yet.

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Battle for a Ballpark: Knights vs. Mecklenburg Co. Commissioners

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Battle for a Ballpark: Knights vs. Mecklenburg Co. Commissioners

sds70 'King Kong Ain't Got **** On Me!!!!!'

sds70 'King Kong Ain't Got **** On Me!!!!!'

two-six yes, i carved this

The Brain Defiler of Cornflakes

two-six yes, i carved this

The Brain Defiler of Cornflakes

two-six yes, i carved this

sds70 'King Kong Ain't Got **** On Me!!!!!'

NCBBallFan Retired ex-moderator

The Brain Defiler of Cornflakes

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