Sart by tearing down the coliseum and putting in a parking garage. It will go perfectly with the rest of the area.....
The idea of a baseball stadium on the river is very exciting, but it shouldn't happen because it will fail. It will fail for one simple reason: parking.
Myself and anyone I have spoken with about the stadium have all said the same thing -- "There is no way I'm going to walk three or four blocks or more, at night, on Reynolds Street in Augusta." It is far too dangerous. Until downtown is made a far safer place to be, no one will go to the baseball games.
The bars get away with it because they are on Broad Street and close together. People feel safe in that situation. But walking on Reynolds for many blocks is a whole other thing. I'm not going to do it, and countless others won't either.
We have only one shot at making the stadium work: Use the old Golf Hall of Fame gardens for parking, and use the area across the street where that hideous metal statue is. If you don't do that, you can build it, but they won't come!
Jeff Brown, Evans
Comments
Sart by tearing down the coliseum and putting in a parking garage. It will go perfectly with the rest of the area.....
Parking downtown has always been an inconvenience. More parking ramps are always needed. My family and I have had no trouble walking on Reynolds or the levee. We are cautious, but we're always cautious. As far as the "hideous statue" goes, I think it's a tribute to a hood ornament...off of a wrecked vehicle. I like it. It makes a recognizable landmark. (I also us it to scare small children)
Oh what a shock someone in Columbia Co. scared of downtown. It is safer, we have CADI now, there are more cops downtown as of recent, and I'm sure that the stadium will have security, and maybe they'll have more golf carts to ferry people from distant parking areas to the stadium. That's what the Charleston River Dogs do for the people to lazy or scared to walk 4 blocks downtown.
Actually week....I have a huge problem with safety issues of downtown Augusta...Quite frankly not to realize the danger is to jump out of a plane without a parachute and hope to land unbroken....:-)
This argument is weak. How is it downtown has enough parking for the TENS of THOUSANDS that come down for fireworks shows and weekend festivals, but it's alluva sudden an issue for a baseball stadium?
Reynolds Street - dangerous? Yeah, ya gotta watch yourself around those high-end hotels, the fire department, WJBF studios and the Golf Gardesn. Gotta be some UNSAVORY characters lurking around those crime-magnets, right?
Please. If this were ANY other paper, I'd be shocked to see they allowed such a letter of mis-information to even be printed. But then this is the same paper who's owner influences his editorial board to pursue HIS financial interests, and we've not heard William S. (Billy) Morris even mentioned once in this proposed stadium's conception, have we?
This paper felt COMPELLED to write not one, but TWO "anti stadium" editorials on consecutive Sundays, too. Odd, eh?
I sent them a letter debunking their myths, but, strangely enough, it hasn't been printed, and I haven't been called yet to confirm this letter for publishing. Odd, eh?
I'm not surprised that the person that wrote the letter is from CC. STFU! Worry about CC. This is a ballpark for Augusta/RC, because it's our tax dollars that are going to pay for it.
Mr. Brown, It's obvious you haven't been to a Braves game in Atlanta. Even the parking lots are at least blocks away,,Everyone walks there and it's known to be in a bad section of Atlanta. Have you ever left ANY event ANYWHERE and NOT had to walk in the dark(or light)? Safety in numbers??? There are ALWAYS NUMBERS walking the same way. Get a GRIP !!
Hell of a difference in a Braves game and Jackets game. People come from all over the country (accrding to who's playing. Parking, rather the lack there of, IS a problem that can't be solved locating a stadium where it is proposed.
No need to park. Make it a PPV HD on Comcast.
I think the stadium is a bad idea if paid for by the city/tax payers, but not because of parking.
Christian, what are you afraid of downtown? Augusta has a very low crime rate when compaired to other cites in Georgia. I've been coming downtown to hang out, eat, see concerts, etc. since I was 13. Most bad things happen downtown after midnight, usually between people who know each other, or to someone who wandered off alone. Be smart, be aware of your surroundings, and use the buddy system, or just let someone know where you are, or where you're going to be. I will feel safer at the location for the new stadium than I do when I go to the one at Lake Almstead. More police are patrolling downtown (thanks DTDA!), we now have CADI (thanks downtown business owners), and the stadium will have security like they do now. There will be large groups of people going to the stadium before the game and leaving the stadium after (protection in numbers). You can buy a taser (just don't tase me bro!), or buy a hand gun & get a carry/conceal licence if it makes you feel safer.
I like downtown and all, but the current stadium is fine. Not a thing wrong with it. I've never heard of people ever being turned away for it be filled to capacity.
I think spending any public money on a new stadium elsewhere is ridiculous.
Am I missing something? What's wrong with the current stadium?
Its so funny that we have to pay for you being scared. We are not the one's who told you to be scared of people. Who look diffrent of dress diffrent from you. That's what happens when you only watch the news it controls the way you think. Its so funny because obama got into trouble. For saying some white americans are scared. When it comes to diffrent surroundings, or people they are not comfortable with.
Not to mention the watermark condos will be off reynolds st. How much safety or lighting could you ask for. First friday, border bash, 4th of july, its plenty of parking downtown. Downtown augusta is about to boom with over 300 condos coming. CADI and the business improvement district will all help downtown. People walk around manhattan late at night and you of scared to walk in downtown augusta. What a joke. You need to stop watching some much news. It controls that you think and act around others. The news is in the business of making money. You cant keep eyes on the tv with all postive things. Gangs, and crimes, and drugs keep whites glued to the tv.
Im sorry but the idea of a tax payer subsidized ballpark of any kind is rediculas in these current times with the economy, as far as feeling safe and secure downtown I dont not does my family and yes we are tax paying citizens of augusta southside to be exact. The impression given of the downtown area when traveling through is not good for any of us but back to the idea of a ball park id suggest that those that want one downtown take up donations and pay for it as it wont benifit me or my family one bit of course id suggest that maybe if it does go thru we get the collisium authority to be in charge and do as much of a wonderful job with that as they have done with the collisium......I digress
Jeff Brown = Lazy Wuss.
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