Squeeze play (Jack Bog's Blog)

I just got this urgent e-mail about the baseball stadium financing bill, which is coming up for the votes this week in the legislature:

Oregon Stadium Campaign Supporters: The time is here!
We anticipate a House vote today and a Senate vote as early as Wednesday, and we need you to flood the phones and e-mails of the following six Senators, depending on where you live:

Ginny Burdick, D-Portland (District 18)
503-986-1718

Avel Gordly, D-Portland (District 23)
503-986-1723

Rick Metsger, D-Welches (District 26)
503-986-1726

Ken Messerle, R-Coos Bay (District 5)
503-986-1705

Bill Morrisette, D-Springfield (District 6)
503-986-1706

Kurt Schrader, D-Canby (District 20)
503-986-1720

Check the maps provided above for the full area of each district. If you know of businesses and supporters in these areas, please forward this e-mail to them and ask for their help!

With this bill, we're confident of having Major League Baseball in Oregon. Without it, we're all but done. Your call or e-mail might make the difference. Don't be shy; don't be hesitant. Take the time to help -- and be positive in your correspondence, pointing out the benefits to Oregon economically and culturally.

Thanks for all that you've done so far, and thanks for this one last push.

David Kahn

Comments (3)

Let's say big baseball does come to Portland. How many years before the owners use their monopoly clout to force us taxpayers to give them an even bigger stadium (or whatever, internet-saavy stadium, electromagnetic rain proofing, guaranteed profit taking, I don't know what). My guess is 8 or 9 years. It's happened time and time again in other cities. It can't NOT happen, because the legal monopoly has so much power--media, economic, tribal. I want at least to see a deal in writing from the owners stating "I will not ask for taxpayer money for anything, ever, no matter what." That way, when he does indeed extort the city for big big money, it will at least give me an opportunity to roll my eyes. The last time I went to a pro ball game at a super duper mega stadium, in the cheap seats of course--well, the big TV set screamed Toyota ads at me, I ended up watching the plays on the TV, and wondered what I was doing there. I don't think the economic arguments are 100% convincing. I have the unprovable impression (telepathy?) that a lot of people want the baseball team first, then look for economic arguments supporting that conclusion second. And come on-- Look at the picture you've posted--sure, from an air plane you can see the green dot of the diamond, but citizens walking around, what do they see, a HUGE HUGE parking lot. UGLY!!! Noisy, trafficy, looks like a junky car depot. Really unappealing. Thanks for the blog opportunity for me to give my 2 cents. I would only support the baseball idea if the city of Portland owned 100% of it. But the cabal of owners has made that impossible. Big cheers for Portland, no thank you please for the big league albatross. Thanks again.

Posted by ILP I Love Portland More Than I Love Baseball | August 18, 2003 8:52 PM

You're welcome. Wrong, but welcome. 8c)

Posted by Jack Bog | August 18, 2003 10:29 PM

i didnt even know this was going on up there!

i say hell yeah!

Posted by tony | August 19, 2003 7:52 PM

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Monday, August 18, 2003

Squeeze play

Comments (3)

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