You mean, he had experience using money from average people to benefit billionaires even before becoming governor.Though, you could correctly argue he had experience wasting taxpayer money even before becoming governor.
Sources: Texas Rangers, Arlington will announce plans for new retractable-roof stadium
- Thread starter canderson
- Start date
For those who don't know, the park is right behind Jerryworld. They share parking lots. It is, needless to say, in the absolute middle of nowhere, with no mass transit options. Not my favorite place to watch a game, but not the worst either. Really missed the whole open concourse fad by like four years, so it feels very closed off.
If I may, a lot of very good points have been made for and against the new stadium plan. My biggest complaint about the Ballpark - and one I've repeated since I attended my first game there in 2000 - is that it's hot and sticky and there's no bloody breeze. As Lefty pointed out (see you in a month, by the way!), it is still miserably hot by the end of the game in the summer. You don't know the true meaning of swamp ass until you've attended the Independence Day fireworks celebration game. It's arrive at 4:00 to tailgate in the middle of 100-110 degree temperatures, sit through a 3-hour+ ball game and then wait another 30 minutes for fireworks. By the time you get to your car at 11:30 - while it's still easily in the 90s, by the way - you've spent 7+ hours in unbearable heat. You could easily be getting home after 1:00 am because of how unbelievably brutal the exit traffic is and you desperately want to go to bed but you really have to take a shower.
I've done that dance dozens of times - minus the fireworks and tailgating on most occasions - and it's just not fun. But I love baseball and I was young at the time I did it the most, so I was able to suck it up. I can't imagine how older folks can manage that, particularly if they have season tickets. Throw a little climate control into the mix and you might actually increase attendance for non-premium games. Lord knows I'd be more willing to make the drive down for a Sunday afternoon game, knowing that I wouldn't be spending three of the most miserable hours of my existence.
One final thought: that right field porch is a fucking abomination. Unless you're in the first few rows, sitting anywhere on, below or near it completely obstructs your view. If you're below it, you completely lose the flight of the ball once it leaves the infield. If you're on it, the result of any ball being hit anywhere between center field and the right field foul pole is a complete mystery (and you can lose the flight of a high fly ball due to the roof). If you're near it but not exactly on or below it, there are blind spots all over the place as well. Not to mention the damn columns that are in the way.
I both love and hate that park and would be 100% in favor of a new park (tax increase considerations notwithstanding). But I'm no longer a resident of Arlington, therefore I have no say in the matter. And I live too far away to go to more than a game or two a year anyway. Also, fuck the Rangers and their fans. So whatever.
I've done that dance dozens of times - minus the fireworks and tailgating on most occasions - and it's just not fun. But I love baseball and I was young at the time I did it the most, so I was able to suck it up. I can't imagine how older folks can manage that, particularly if they have season tickets. Throw a little climate control into the mix and you might actually increase attendance for non-premium games. Lord knows I'd be more willing to make the drive down for a Sunday afternoon game, knowing that I wouldn't be spending three of the most miserable hours of my existence.
One final thought: that right field porch is a fucking abomination. Unless you're in the first few rows, sitting anywhere on, below or near it completely obstructs your view. If you're below it, you completely lose the flight of the ball once it leaves the infield. If you're on it, the result of any ball being hit anywhere between center field and the right field foul pole is a complete mystery (and you can lose the flight of a high fly ball due to the roof). If you're near it but not exactly on or below it, there are blind spots all over the place as well. Not to mention the damn columns that are in the way.
I both love and hate that park and would be 100% in favor of a new park (tax increase considerations notwithstanding). But I'm no longer a resident of Arlington, therefore I have no say in the matter. And I live too far away to go to more than a game or two a year anyway. Also, fuck the Rangers and their fans. So whatever.
Apparently the deal isn't actually 50-50 between taxpayers and ownership. It's more like 80-20 with the taxpayers getting completely hosed. This shit has to stop.
http://deadspin.com/unprecedented-clause-in-rangers-ballpark-deal-will-sn-1782420103
http://deadspin.com/unprecedented-clause-in-rangers-ballpark-deal-will-sn-1782420103
