MLB in Charlotte??

[Carowinds 73-03]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A $4 billion revitalization plan would bring major league baseball to uptown Charlotte.
The author of the proposal, Jerry Reese, said the Florida Marlins are strongly considering a move to the Queen City.

“Charlotte is very much a venue where folks are excited about being, and it is very much a viable candidate for a major league baseball relocation in the very near future,” said Reese, who presented his plan to Mecklenburg County commissioners Wednesday night.

A new stadium, which would be located in Second Ward at Stonewall and McDowell streets, is the focal point of a revitalization effort that would also include office space, 6,000 homes and retail space that is the size of Northlake Mall.

“This is a stadium that would have a retractable roof, seat 38,000 people -- which is about the size of Wrigley Field -- for baseball and about 40,000-45,000 for indoor basketball events,” Reese said.

Reese confirmed that the Marlins will visit Charlotte in late February or early March to take a look at the city.

“This is the future of Charlotte,” he said. “This proposal is meant to address the major public venue issues we have existing, and it would change the image and accelerate Charlotte into maturity as an urban center.”

Reese said the project pays for itself.

“It would be built basically with private funds because of the scale of the development around it,” he said. “You’re able to spread the cost over a number of development components. That gives you a lower cost per square foot for the facility, and therefore you can get the team in there at much less expense than if you’re having to do it as a stand-alone facility.”

This is the second time in five weeks that commissioners have listened to a baseball proposal for uptown Charlotte. The other one would build a ballpark for the minor league Charlotte Knights, who are currently playing their home games in Fort Mill, S.C.

The minor league proposal involves a complicated land swap between several entities. The major league proposal is pretty much just Reese himself.

Reese said the Marlins are also taking a close look at Las Vegas, San Antonio and Portland, Ore. But he said other teams are considering Charlotte, too.

“The major league teams are more interested in Charlotte than you may think they are,” he said.

[Cephas]

This stadium is being built in DOWNtown. Gosh...

Charlotte is a College Basketball/NFL town. There just isn't the market for an MLB team. Charlotte only has a metro population of MAYBE 1,250,000....100 of those people would actually come to games on a regular basis.

As much as I want a MLB team to come to charlotte (yes, baseball is the best spectator sport ever...), I would advise teams to stay away. After a few seasons of not being profitable, they'll just move somewhere else....just like the hornets...

I think the marlins should move to Las Vegas. It'd be fun to gamble on the game.

[Carowinds 73-03]

There are two different proposals. One is for The Chalotte Knights to move and the other is to bring MLB to Charlotte.

As is said several teams are intrested in moveing to Charlotte and the Marlins will be here feb-march to look at the city and the proposed site.

I would love it it both were built. More Center City activities.

[Cephas]

As is said several teams are intrested in moveing to Charlotte and the Marlins will be here feb-march to look at the city and the proposed site.

That dosen't make it a good idea...

[Carowinds 73-03]

I think it would be great for Charlotte to get a MLB team. Charlotte had no nightlife almost 10 years ago and slowly it's starting to grow and there just was never anything to do downtown so nobody ever went downtown.

If we get a MLB team then that football,basketball and baseball all uptown and imo would greatly improve the city. I think Charlotte could support a MLB team.

[Cobra]

The Marlins are exploring possible options in other cities, but are hardly "strongly considering" a move to Charlotte or to anywhere.

[Carowinds 73-03]

Jerry Reese, said the Florida Marlins are strongly considering a move to the Queen City.

I would love to have the marlins here. We'll have to change that name though.

[Komatz70]

I would love to have a baseball team in Charlotte. It would give me more reason to move there. And Charlotte could support a MLB team as baseball is much less expensive to go to a single game than football. Thw Marlins will be moving because nobody in the Miami area wants to pay for the new stadium they need nor is there much fan support there.

[Leo C]

The Florida Marlins might as well stay in the same market of a name and be labeled as a Carolina team if they move to Charlotte.

[Carowinds 73-03]

Sticking with the CATS theme Charolotte is trying to do i would say the name of the MLB team (if we get one) would be the Lions Or Jaguars.