Orlando Jumps Back Into Stadium Saga

Let's put aside the fact the last time WFTV-TV in Orlando reported the city could be pursuing MLB baseball, several teams laughed at them. Instead, let's pretend there's some credibility to Mayor Buddy Dyer's claim that Orlando would support the Rays better than Tampa Bay.

What Dyer fails to recognize is an appetite for another pro team doesn't equate to ability to pay for one. Even in the tourist capital of the U.S., Orlando is on the verge of being economically overextended.

When the bedtax didn't produce the same revenue the city expected the last few years, the city had to table part of a performing arts center project to pay for the bonds on Amway Arena.

Think all those tourists would snatch up Orlando Rays tickets? They didn't when the minor-league Orlando Rays played there. Plus, I can attest the drive from Disney to Downtown Orlando at 6pm is much worse than the drive across the Howard Frankland Bridge from Tampa to St. Pete. And how many Europeans do you know that flock to baseball games when they visit the States?

Then there's the question of whether Orlando residents would regularly go to games themselves. The metro area has significantly less disposable income than the Tampa Bay area and its a significantly smaller television market too.

The only thing Orlando could really provide the Rays right now is leverage. Because we all know the only way teams get publically-funded stadiums is by "blackmailing" cities with a competing city.

There is one more thing all this Orlando talk could provide.....laughs if "Baseball-to-Orlando" guy returns.

New Venture for "Baseball in Orlando Guy"

Armando Gutierrez may be moving on from his efforts to land minor-league baseball in Orlando. The Orlando Sentinel reports:

Businessman Armando Gutierrez Jr. is back, and he’s creating a federal political fundraising operation with Republican consultant Slater Bayliss called Maverick PAC Florida.

The effort is aimed at young-ish “Next Generation” Republicans, under the age of 45. Hopefully they can still write big checks, no?

MAVPAC Florida doesn't reference what's going on with "Baseball in Orlando," but conservative supporters of the committee had better hope it goes better than his bid for baseball and his bid for Congress.

Tampa Yankees Won't Move to Orlando

It seemed like a foregone conclusion (I wrote about it in this space a year ago), but the far-fetched plan to move the Tampa Yankees to Orlando appears dead.

Armando Gutierrez, the 29-year-old businessman who has held multiple press conferences promising Central Florida the moon (it started with a pledge to bring MLB to the area), has struck out. Time to roll back up the proverbial "mission accomplished" banner.



Despite an online campaign to urge Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs to support a land giveaway, "Baseball in Orlando" was rebuffed Wednesday as Jacobs terminated their quest for land next to the Orange Co. Convention Center. The mayor cited the group's inflated attendance projections and discounted rent offer.

You can read more about Gutierrez' struggles to bring the Yankees to Orlando here, but we probably still haven't heard the last from him. He's proven very stubborn in his attempts so far.

"Baseball in Orlando" Still Not Getting Anywhere Fast

Two months ago, we said "Promises of 'Baseball in Orlando' Empty So Far." Two months later, little has changed.

Despite the support of John Morgan of Morgan & Morgan fame, a 5,000-seat "Yankeetown" complex on I-Drive for the Yankees' Single-A team (now in Tampa) seems to be creating more baseball critics than baseball fans.

Heck, the brainchild of young rich guy Armando Gutierrez may not even be legal.

But don't sell supporters like Morgan short yet...he did, after all, help a major network buckle after reminding us, "you can't Tivo Tebow."

Promises of "Baseball in Orlando" Empty So Far

It's now been 16 months since former Congressional hopeful Armando Gutierrez promised to bring a Major League Baseball team to Orlando...a promise which eventually evolved into any professional baseball team.

And eight months ago, Gutierrez held a press conference implying the Tampa Yankees were ready to move to a new ballpark he was going to build in Orange County. Months went by with no progress.

Now, Gutierrez is proposing a 5,000-seat stadium next to the Orange County Convention Center (and away from Downtown Orlando). Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Thomas panned the proposal in no uncertain terms:

Former Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry once called us the "low-forehead, nose-picking yahoos of Orlando."

That impression must still exist, because a developer from South Florida is making us an offer that only low-forehead, nose-picking yahoos would accept.

...

But this is his offer: If we give him a 65-year lease, he will give us 75 cents for each ticket sold. According to the proposal, we will keep getting 75 cents for the next 65 years, no matter how much the tickets go up in price.

The economic-impact study calculates ticket sales will bring in $183,750 a year, based on selling 3,500 tickets for each of the 70 games.

I wonder how many shots of tequila it took to get those numbers.

Of course, when the Orlando Rays (AA) existed, their attendance numbers were nowhere near 3,500 per game.

Right now, in a city similar to Orlando, the Tampa Yankees are right at the league average with 1,634 fans per game. The highest-drawing team in the league is Charlotte with 2,621 fans per game.

Gutierrez says convention-goers in Orlando would help fill the stands. But as Thomas suggested, that idea is drunk on something. I know if I flew in from Scranton, Pa. for the National Paper and Printer Convention, I wouldn't go watch minor-league baseball when I could do it at home.

Thomas continues:

No private landowners on I-Drive would do this deal or anything close to it. That's why Gutierrez isn't bringing it to them.

The odds of finding low-forehead, nose-picking yahoos are much better in government.

Only a yahoo would tie up such a valuable piece of land for 65 years based on phantom revenues. Do you know what that property would be worth if you could put a casino on it? And don't think that day isn't coming.

Gutierrez is using social media to urge fans to write their county commissioners in support of the proposal. And, as Thomas concludes, some good ole'-fashioned political strategies too:

Apparently, former Mayor Rich Crotty blew off the deal, but now Gutierrez is back with current Mayor Teresa Jacobs' campaign manager as his lobbyist.

Talk about inside baseball.

As I pressed him with questions, Gutierrez got flustered.

"It's obvious you're not a baseball fan," he said. "If you were a baseball fan, then you'd understand the honor that it is to have the Yankees in your backyard."

Baseball-to-Orlando Efforts Stalled

With their attempt to lure Major League Baseball to Orlando going nowhere, it seemed the folks with "Bases Loaded Orlando" were planning to hang a"Mission Accomplished" banner atop an acquisition of the Tampa Yankees of the Florida State League (high-A). They promised to build a new stadium in Orange County on their own dime - a deal described as "a bad one" by league insiders - but a possibility for young investors with disposable income.

However, it seems Armando Gutierrez and co. are learning it's a lot harder to land a minor league baseball team than they thought.

Wednesday morning in Apopka, Fla., at a press conference where Gutierrez had promised "a big announcement" and "once in a lifetime experience" that "is usually not even done outside of New York," all the investors had to show for months of work was a Yankees-sponsored youth baseball clinic.

The Orlando Sentinel writes that "their initial (stadium) proposal struck out with former Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty, and negotiations have fallen to newly elected mayor Teresa Jacobs...Jacobs and Gutierrez have not spoken since she was on the campaign trail."

Gutierrez says there's more coming from his group, which I can attest from conversations with him, is a very determined one.

Tampa Yankees to Orlando? The Story with Endless Punchlines

I'm kind of hoping Orlando businessman Armando Gutierrez, who promised to bring MLB to Orlando, hangs a giant "Mission Accomplished" banner today when he holds a press conference announcing negotiations with the Yankees to buy half their Florida State League (FSL) team.



The Yankees say the deal isn't done; Gutierrez says it basically is. Regardless, one baseball insider told me any deal that convinces the Yankees to move their FSL team out of Tampa will be a bad one for the investors.

FSL teams traditionally play in spring training parks because their sparse crowds don't warrant stadiums of their own. Simply put, FSL baseball is amazing baseball that nobody watches because Florida's summer weather is just miserable.

The same insider said the $25 million Gutierrez promises for a new stadium "won't go very far," but "good luck."

Gutierrez quit his bid for Congress earlier this year (which was failing because of his "carpetbagger" reputation) to focus on bringing Major League Baseball to Orlando. Then he realized he was in over his head and focused on bringing ANY baseball to Orlando. But he's once again showing he's just a rookie in Central Florida:

"Until (Major League Baseball's) ready to send us a franchise," Gutierrez told the Tampa Tribune, "minor league will satisfy the sports fans."

Think Gutierrez knew Orlando had minor league baseball for more than 30 years before the Rays pulled their Double-A affiliate out after the 2003 season (poor attendance)? Or that the area has had the Gulf Coast Braves (which nobody watches) for a number of years?

I wish Gutierrez the best of luck in negotiating with the Yankees, but he may want to give Scott Boras a call. It's the only way he might make out in the deal.

Baseball-to-Orlando Guy's Back; Settles for Consolation Prize?

After getting laughed at publicly by several MLB teams for suggesting he might be able to lure the Brewers or Rays to Orlando, one-time politician Armando Gutierrez is back. Although it seems he has given up on his MLB-to-Orlando crusade and is willing to settle for ANY baseball team there.

WFTV in Orlando first reported that Gutierrez and Orange County were ready to make a major announcement regarding a relocation of the Tampa Yankees, the high-A affiliate of the big club.

The Yankees say things are very preliminary and a new stadium would be required, but Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty told WFTV that he could see building a $15 to $25 million stadium for the team. One baseball insider told me, "$25 million would be a pretty small stadium in Orlando."

WFTV also went a little too far by asking:

Another big question is, if the minor league team moves to Orange County, will the New York Yankees come to Orlando for spring training?

Not only did the Yankees scoff at that notion, but all logic (and the team's current lease with Hillsborough County) indicates that won't be happening this decade.

The big question WFTV may have missed is, "why would Gutierrez or Orange County want to bring the Tampa Yankees to Orlando?" The team is fifth in the Florida State League right now with 1,519 fans per game. While they might be able to fare better in Orlando, Gutierrez may be more satisfied with the potential Yankees fanfare than the financial windfall.

UPDATE: The Yankees released a statement that read, "Reports today that the New York Yankees are considering moving the spring training facility from Tampa are completely erroneous. The Yankees are in very preliminary discussions regarding the possibility of a partial sale of their Single-A Tampa minor league affiliate to a potential group of Orange County, Fla., investors. The investors will make an announcement tomorrow."

Baseball in Orlando Update

"Bases Loaded Orlando," the grass-roots group trying to lure baseball to Orlando, has updated its webpage with a personal message from one of its organizers, a gentleman named Chris Dosen.

He writes:

Baseball can’t come soon enough! I am an avid sports fan who recently moved to Orlando from Miami, and so far I love Central Florida. The one thing that I miss most about Miami though is the sports!

Miami sports?? I thought Dosen may have been talking about Miami, Ohio until I found his facebook page.

He lists his interests as, "Making Money, Spending Money, Sports, The Finer Things in Life, Constantly Trying to Improve Myself, Etc," which I guess is a good thing if Orlando is looking for a mover and a shaker to land baseball...but really? Miami sports??

Dosen continues:

I’ve already become an avid Magic fan, and now I hope to add a baseball team to my list. I can’t wait to get a team here. I think it is the perfect time. This city needs another team to cheer for, and baseball is the perfect fit for the size of the city. We don’t quite have the population for a football team yet, but we’re getting there! Baseball will fill the gap perfectly.

So Orlando wouldn't be able to sell 500,000 tickets a year to a football game but it can sell 3,000,000 for baseball? Maybe Jacksonville should get an MLB team too.

I’m counting down the days until the announcement is made as to which team is being brought here. Where will the stadium be built? What’s going to be the team name? How about the logo? How much will season tickets cost? How soon until we have games here? So much excitement. I can’t wait!!

Dosen's excitement is evident, but if he wants to make the argument that Orlando deserves a professional baseball team, he'd better start by showing why it's a BETTER sports town than Miami, a city that usually doesn't pack the house for Hurricanes games and hasn't done much to support its baseball team...well, ever.

Grass-Roots Orlando Group Mobilizes

The far-fetched MLB-to-Orlando effort has introduced a new website. Former Congressional candidate, Armando Gutierrez, thinks he can help lure the Rays or another team to the nation's top tourist city...but if you remember back to January, several teams laughed at the notion that deals were already in the works.

It's great Gutierrez wants to be proactive, but he named his group "Bases Loaded Orlando," which implies the "team" is close to scoring. However, as far as Orlando is from ever getting major-league baseball, his group would have been better titled "Bases Empty Orlando."

The site also features my favorite movie misquote, "If you build it, they will come." The correct quote is, "If you build it, he will come."

It's the "Baseball in Orlando" Guy Again!

It appears the no-name Congressional candidate, Armando Gutierrez, who made the laugh-out-loud claim he could bring MLB to Orlando, is dropping out of the race.

St. Petersburg blogger Peter Schorsch tweets:

"Just got off the phone with a staffer for Gutierrez. He says reason he dropped out is to lead the effort to bring baseball to Orlando."

I don't know which surprises me more - that anybody really thinks they can get a MLB team in Orlando or that Gutierrez has staffers.

His "Baseball in Orlando" fan page on Facebook thriving, but the emails going out to "fans" are little more than half-desperate pleas for more fans.

Again, baseball isn't coming to Orlando unless the good folks at Disney decide to chase Milwaukee Brewers' spring training.

Baseball to Orlando? One Team Laughs Out Loud

It didn’t take long for the Milwaukee Brewers to rebuff a story by WFTV-TV in Orlando that the team could possibly relocate to Florida.

"The reporter or whoever else is putting that out there should do his homework," said Tyler Barnes, VP of Communications for the Brewers. "It's irresponsible. We just finished ninth in attendance, we have one of the best ballparks in baseball and an owner who is totally committed to the [Milwaukee] area.

"That report is beyond hilarious. I needed a good laugh today, and I got it."

The Friday night story was about the attempt of Armando Gutierrez, a candidate for Congress, to bring a Major League Baseball team to Orlando. Reporter Mark Boyle said in his report, “no one is saying right now exactly what MLB team would even consider the proposal.” But in his live tag, he said the Brewers could be one of the teams in the mix.

I’ve met and watched Mark and he's good, so I don’t think he just pulled the Brewers’ name out of thin air. But it is a bit sloppy to throw the speculation out there without citation (or thorough research). Not only are the Brewers doing well at the gate in Milwaukee, but their lease at the state-of-the-art Miller Park doesn't expire until Dec. 31, 2030.

Maybe the rumor came from an ill-educated Gutierrez, who obviously doesn't mind the publicity. The guy may mean well - with his grass-roots Facebook group - but he clearly doesn’t know how this game is played. He’d have an easier time getting an affordable meal at Disney than he would a full-time baseball team there.

MLB has federal anti-trust protection, which means it operates as a single business, not 30 different competitors. So even if a team wanted to move to Florida, they’d have to convince MLB that it was a good idea (Peter Gammons explains why it won’t happen here).

[My guess is that either Gutierrez or WFTV got their rumors mixed up. I’ve heard from inside baseball sources that the Brewers could relocate their spring training home from Arizona to Florida in a few years and that Orlando could be in the mix, along with Ft. Myers and a couple of other cities.]

There’s also the issue with proximity to the Rays and the hell they’d raise if another team moved into their television market...UNLESS, the team Orlando tried to lure WAS the Rays.

Could the Rays threaten to leave St. Petersburg for a new, privately-funded super-complex in Orlando? Sure. But I doubt it, as the only purpose it would serve would be to leverage St. Pete/Pinellas Co. into building them a new stadium.

The team would never really entertain the idea since all the problems they have in downtown St. Pete would be magnified in Orlando.

Don’t like Tampa traffic? Orlando’s is worse.

Don’t think enough fans live within 30 minutes of The Trop? Any Orlando location would be worse.

As long as the Rays are committed to The Trop, there’s no point to getting excited about MLB in the Orlando area. Unless you’re counting down the days for Braves’ pitchers and catchers to report.