Stadium proposal heads to Atlanta

So the story is that it will cost a private developer $9.5 million in addition to what the land would be sold for? That's a way to say the land can't be sold to private interests, I suppose. It seems a stretch that a private buyer would have to pay the city back what it lost on the gardens. The Mayor is simply trying to paint a picture that only a stadium will work on the land. Like I said, I was in favor of a stadium there initially, but the finances simply won't allow it. The TEE money is paying to keep the buses running now. Augusta is downsizing and can't pay the bills.

Hmmm, the Commission members once again just choose to stay away from a situation where their vote is expected. Bunch of chickens. Mayor Deke--If the Commission is against it, it must be a good thing!

What in the heck is going on around here? An attached feature in today's Chronicle speaks of billing home owners an additional fee because we're in a financial crisis. Lake Olmstead stadium is a beautiful facility and rarely at capacity. I fully understand that good administrators must look to the future, but this is a baseball park. I say let's tighten our belts and put a hold on all cosmetic spending until the economy rebounds -- and it will, eventually. Deke is a good man, but this is one issue in which I cannot offer my support. The pols can slice and dice the numbers anyway they choose, but it still comes down to a taxpayer expense.

Deke STOP please. I like you but this is about to mess up your legacy.

Have you gone to a game at Lake Olmstead? It is a nice stadium, but the limiting factor isn't seats, it's parking. I can see how it could help. Greenville and Chattanooga did the same thing and it helped, it also has private money going with this too.

This is not a good idea. It is not a good time to build anything. What happen to the judicial center, TEE center and the Condo's. This money could go into public safety, fixing the inner city, and repairing roads. There are certain sides of the city that are in need of help and are being ignored like portions of south Augusta and the inner city.

Augusta is the modern equivalent of "Pandora's Box. Only hope survives.

Ever think people are staying away from Lake Olmstead Stadium because of the projects that surround the "beautiful" stadium? Or maybe its the hard metal bleachers that are often the only seats remaining on Friday and Saturday nights? Deke is doing the right thing, undergoing a major project to bring Augusta up to speed with our other Southern City Neighbors!!

No I don't think like that Johnny, it seems you select which part of the city you go in, I go in all parts of the city, I am an Augustan.

Personally, if the new ball park is built I would be more likely to go to a ballgame than where it is located now. Getting in and out of Lake Olmstead area is a pain and the parking is lacking. Jackfruitpaper, it may not be the way you think but yes there are areas of Augusta that some of us select not to go into late in the evening but that doesn't make us less of an Augustan than you, it's just being cautious.

However true, but you should be cautious at all times in all places even in your neighborhood, shouldn't matter where and the surroundings and the make up of people IMO. When I ride through Lake Olmestead, on the Hill, up Wrightsboro Rd, by Pendelton King Park, on Olive Rd, Washington Rd, Berkman Rd, Lumpkin Rd, Hyde Park, Gordon Hwy, 15 st, Laney Walker Blvd, Broad Street, 13th street, east boundary, central ave etc, I'm cautious, you see all types of people in each of these areas.

It is a shame that hometown Augustans are institutionalized. People that have moved here from other cities see the benefit of progress. In order to attract more business you have to have a good quality of life to sell. Deke understands that. I moved here from Mobile, AL two years ago. The Mobile Mayor had a similar vision and similar fight. He called his downtown projects "a string of pearls." He was widely critisized for the money it would eventually cost to make those improvements. Today, as a result of the improvements, Mobile has been able to attract several major projects and won the bid to build the new Air Force fuel tankers. None of that will be possible here if you just continue to patch the problems.

This idea is a good one and would ask everyone to look at the long term gains a project like this, linked to a mega-successful baseball corporation, for our city. I like Austin Rhodes idea to name it Ty Cobb Stadium. Plus, if you look at the plans Mayor Deke and his team have put forward it will be a mulituse facility with the Golf Hall of Fame incorporated into it. It would be a huge shot in the arm for Downtown Augusta, North Augusta, and it would keep Mr. Ripken interested in helping us help ourselves. Also, what the article says is that the property has to be used to pay back the debts it owes. That would be 9.5 million, but the city could release the debt I bet if the project won approval. Its been done before, plus another angle the city could take would be to force the State to either pay Augusta the SPOLST monies back or treansfer owenership to the city in return for the debt. I am no lawyer but it seems we have options if we really WANTED the property. The DDA could condem if it wanted to, it has the power to do that according to State law.

Build It Downtown!!!

Bring baseball downtown!!

Good job Deke, Augusta needs good leadership and someone who is willing to help spark development interests in the city. Too bad many of those wack commissioners won't

There are some people who "live" on these posts just to shoot down ANY project that might help Augusta. They openly "hate" the newspaper, "hate" the commission, "hate" progress & "hate" change for the better....they WANT everything to fail, otherwise they would have to look for something to gripe about !!

BUILD IT !!!!!

Great job Deke! Let's hope Sonny keeps it rolling. Can't wait for '09 to defend our title!!!

Nice job Brad Owens. I think you nailed it unlike some other fruitcakes.

i say go for it ,build the new stadium and then build a new civic center next to it ,this city needs improvments and this is a good start.remember you have to spend money to make money,columbia county should be proof of that.

This new stadium plan is just more confirmation of the stupidity of the leadership in Augusta. The existing stadium at Lake Olmstead holds simply magnificent charm, and would surely be the envy of any minor league team and any small city. Yes, Augusta is a small city, and should be proud of the current lovely stadium, but the dummies and yuppies pulling the strings for a new unnecessary must stand to make a profit some crooked how, and are determined to shove another stupid, costly, wasteful scheme down the already choking from debt tax-paying citizens throats. Augusta will continue to be a collossal failure because of the idiots in charge. What a shame.

why do we need this? how many times has the Lake Omstead stadium been packed out? Could this $$$$ be used for better things other than this. Since it has been stated that taxes will increase again in Richmond County, numerous departments over budget, gas prices, cost of living going up WHY WOULD ANYONE THINK A STADIUM IS NEEDED?? I believe libba is correct...another stupidity move by the leadership in Augusta. As far as progress "freedombelle" cities, states and the Country really looks like progress at this point....billions and millions daily. Maybe you do not watch and read the same newspapers everyone else does.....wait on the stadium....it is not the most important thing needed and who bothers to go anyway?

You can not move forward until you get your feet out of the past. Augusta may NEVER, EVER be able to move forward. They got Riverwalk, but at the price of water substructure, etc. How do politicians turn into idiots & egotists????

Hmmmm, Lake Olmstead is downtown not far from the Savannah River and as a crow flies the property once occupied by the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame's Botanical Gardens next to the Savannah River is a mile or so away (give or take) and. Proponents of a new baseball stadium and entertainment complex for downtown Augusta want to spend more millions on a site that Six million dollars in SPLOST and $6 million in private donations have been invested which included a state-financed tourism attraction that closed for lack of interest. Hmmmmm (lack of interest)

Regarding Brad's thought that the city could condemn the property. Much of the land Deke wants for the ball park is owned by state government. The DDA has authority to condemn PRIVATE property, but it would be an interesting fight to condemn STATE property. On our ballot this November is an interesting constitutional amendment proposal regarding eminent domain over these condemnations for private developments. We had best read the fine print carefully.

Captain Awesome and InChristLove “the limiting factor isn't seats, it's parking”, “Getting in and out of Lake Olmstead area is a pain and the parking is lacking” What in the world do ya’ll drive Yacths and you need the Stadium by the river so you can park them at the marina?

Lets see, he has the Aug Tom, DDA, Chamber of business people, CVB, Aug sport comm, but he dosen't say where the citizens stand on the issue. It appears his figures would add an average of an additional 1000 people per day (his figures not mine)and he dosen't address the thousands on the same street at the CVB. What he dosen't say is where they would park downtown! Additionally, he dosen't address entry and exit to the stadium, an important issue because there is NO major artery readilly accessible to Reynolds. A really desireable location would be the old property that Regency mall sits on. Not only would it be $millions cheaper, It abuts two major traffic arteries and has more than adequate parking space and could be expanded in the future if needed. I just don't understand the mind set that everything MUST be downtown. For the mayors info, we are a consolidated city and that means the street in front of my house is in the city also, even if they don't send the sweeper out here. In conclusion the Mayor appears to be committed to this issue and he dosen't want the opinion of commissioners (my elected voice) in this issue.

If Augusta doesn't do something to progress it will regress. I am very sure Deke understands everyone's pain as everything is tight and this seems on the surface not a smart thing but is the very smart thing. We have a riverfront and if we don't capitalize on that infrastructure then we are missing the boat!!! Augusta has got to find something to bring people into the city which in turn would bring revenue which in turn would bring in more taxes so hopefully the city wouldn't continually have to go to the tax paying residents and continually increase their taxes. Until you have a thriving city it will always rely on the home owners to cover the entire city's cost. It would be nice to see everyone just believe in this and support your Mayor. Sometimes you have to take a chance in life and Augusta is running out of chances. Support and trust your Mayor, have a little faith in him on this one. If Augusta as a whole will back him the state might see that Augusta is desperate for growth and back us as well. Everyone around Augusta is growing on both sides of the river, do you want to be left in the cold. Times are bad on both sides of the river, but we are growing

The City Augusta is blessed with owning riverfront property from the canal head gates to the airport. Unfortunately a levee, which could be cut down to 5 feet, is blocking all progress. You have some desperate finanacial problems and you dream of a stadium? All kinds of promised development is stalled. Castleberry is gone, the Perdue grants might not show up, the school and transport budgets are busted and the population is declining. Next year, if real estate is properly assessed, there will be a 7% decline, at least. One day the leaders will have to abandon their communist baseball park dreams and sell some prime riverfront to private developers. Only then will Augusta begin to thrive. If you don't believe me, climb up on top of that stupid levee and look across the river.

Yeah, look at them really nice houses across the river and when you get through looking do so research and see how much the taxes are on them. I really don’t think a new baseball stadium and entertainment complex will bring in near that amount.