In Ga. …

Gwinnett and A-Braves sidestep naming rights issue, and the county gets its Sunday stadium beer sales permission.

It’s kind of amazing how headlong Gwinnett’s pursuit of the Braves and now of an on-time stadium construction has been.

Good Vibes

Reliever Zach Schreiber is disappointed to be playing in The Diamond again this year. Wes Timmons doesn’t think much of the playing conditions. Longtime GM is traveling weekly to Gwinnett.

Gwinnett Naming

Another goofy interaction with the 2009 Gwinnett Braves – this one dealing with the potential naming rights to the new park. The Braves want a say in the name; the county wants to sell naming rights to the highest bidder. It makes you realize that The Diamond is a pretty slick name. Anyone up for a family night of baseball at SunTrust-Georgia Pacific Field at the Coca Cola Complex? Sounds like a grand old time.

A Sunday Hedging

I know it’s probably not healthy to be spending too much time watching how the community that swiped the R-Braves away is doing with its new prize — kind of like keeping up with how an ex-girlfriend is doing in her new relationship — but it can be mildly amusing, especially when there’s any kind of wrench in the works. Right now, the Georgia governor and legislature are worked up about how allowing beer sales on Sundays at the new Gwinnett stadium should impact alcohol sales elsewhere. Only cities are currently allowed to permit stadiums to sell alcohol on Sundays, but the move is to allow Gwinnett to do the same for purposes of “economic development.” Some are wondering why if it’s OK to buy a beer in a stadium on a Sunday, it isn’t OK to buy one at the local grocery. Personally, I think if you’re going to be high and mighty about selling beer on a Sunday, you’ve got to go all the way. If they believe it so sinful, they can’t excuse it for a ballgame, especially in the name of something so worldly as “economic development.” Does that mean that other Sunday no-nos should also be excused if a little financial benefit for someone somewhere — or at least someone with the ear of the governor — can be found by allowing them? I’d give examples here, but I don’t know what else I’m not supposed to be doing on Sunday. I hope it’s not sleeping in, eating pancakes, chasing my kids around the playground, avoiding the shower and absorbing abuse from my wife about the chores I’ve yet again failed to do, or I’m definitely hell-bound.

Gwinnett Co. commits to keeping up new park — or else

This article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution details the Atlanta Braves’ deal with Gwinnett County concerning the upkeep of the $45 million ballpark the county is building. It’s a glance at how badly the county wanted to get the nod as the organization’s new home for AAA baseball. The county is on the hook for maintaining the stadium, and the A-Braves won’t have to contribute a dime to the park’s upkeep. And, if Atlanta decides the ballpark has not been maintained appropriately, the organization has the right to pull its team after 15 years – halfway through the county’s debt payments on the stadium. Needless to say, Mike Plant makes sure to explain that this part of the deal was due to maintenance problems at the Diamond. Read through the largely unhappy comments at the bottom of the article.

 

The paper also recently reported that the stadium could lead to a property tax rate hike.

The stadium recently secured a AAA bond rating.

 

Some links to kick off the spring.

Tickets go on sale next week.

Richmond’s moving on Boulevard revitalization plan – with or without the Diamond.

Old friend Chris Chambliss returning to Richmond – this time as hitting coach.

Some useful background on The Diamond and Chief Connecticut.

Some news about a couple of last year’s R-Braves. Blaine Boyer has regained his 96-mph fastball and he’s out of minor league options, so he might be Atlanta-bound. Brent Lillibridge, blocked at shortstop at the major league level by fellow ex-RBrave Yunel Escobar, is going to boost his big-league chances by learning centerfield.

Chesterfield Observer writer takes a few shots at coverage of county’s professed non-interest in professional baseball.

A petition to save the Braves.

Richmond Losing the Braves

Can’t say I’m surprised, but I am so disappointed. Everything started going downhill with those morons from RBI – Richmond Baseball Initiative. Get it? Real cool name, huh? Those – again – morons with their plans to put a ballpark in downtown Richmond, where there is no space, no drainage, and oh yeah, there are already about 50 tenants in buildings occupying the proposed land…these nitwits turned everything upside down with their lame plan to try and make money. After RBI’s foolish, foolish plan, the surrounding counties backed out of their proposed (and agreed upon) funding for the future Braves since they had nothing to gain since the city would’ve been the sole beneficiary, instead of the shockingly obvious plans to leave the ballpark at the intersection of two of America’s largest highways. I don’t know….I am so disappointed and angry. It just sucks. Who can blame Liberty? I guess they need to make money, as well. They know a good investment when they see one, and it’s painfully obvious that Richmond, with Wilder as our, uggh, Mayor, is not a good investment. And Wilder deserves plenty of blame, as well. He has done nothing but antagonize the Braves with his “they need us more than we need them” crap. Then, when it became plain to his press secretary that Richmonders who actually follow baseball voiced otherwise, he goes into his whole, “It’s not my fault” routine. What a great leader. Why would the Braves want to work with someone like this? I guess they didn’t.