2011 All Star Game in Cincinnati??

[CINCYREDS#1]

All-Star Game here long way off
By C. Trent Rosecrans
Post staff reporter

By the time the Reds get another All-Star Game, Great American Ball Park could be in need of a fresh coat of paint.

Monday night it was announced that St. Louis would receive the 2009 All-Star Game, meaning the next time the Reds would have a shot for the Midsummer Classic would be 2011.

The Reds had expressed their interest to Major League Baseball to host the 2009 game, said Reds Chief Operating Officer John Allen. The commissioner's office also knows the Reds are interested in 2011.

"We understand we have an uphill battle with a lot of other communities," Allen said Tuesday.

St. Louis hadn't hosted an All-Star Game since 1966. Cincinnati last hosted the game in 1988. Two National League franchises - the Arizona Diamondbacks and Florida Marlins - have never hosted the game. Major League Baseball is currently pushing for a new stadium for the Marlins, and could use an All-Star Game as a carrot to help bring the franchise a new stadium.

The Washington Nationals franchise hosted an All-Star Game when it was in Montreal, but with the Nationals scheduled to open a new ballpark in 2008, the Nationals could also be considered in front of the Reds in the All-Star selection list.

"We're making efforts. We understand it's an application process you go through," Allen said. "It's been a number of years since St. Louis had the All-Star Game, sometime in the '60s. We were not surprised they got the game. They have a new park and hadn't hosted for a long time."

This season's game is in San Francisco and the 2008 game will be held at Yankee Stadium. The game is usually alternated between National League and American League stadiums, but was altered for this season's game.

Both the Yankees and Mets are scheduled to open new stadiums in upcoming seasons, giving them an edge for future All-Star Game hosting duties.

"You've got to wait your turn," Allen said. "The 2011 game would be the next possible scenario, and we'll continue to make efforts."

[BoCcc2832]

I find it absolutely absurd and ridiculous that New York, Florida, and St. Louis teams get special treatment because they have new ballparks. Has the commissioner forgotten that Cincinnati also has a new ballpark? Sure, there's not a lot in downtown right now, but if I remember correct, that is supposed to change here soon with additions going where Cinergy/Riverfront used to be. Besides, we had one of the most classical Mid-Summer Classics ever back in 1970 (hint: Pete Rose and Ray Fosse). Who's to say that can't happen again?

[KronoRed]

Citi field, the Nats new park, the new park wherever the Marlins end up will all probably get the game first.

By the time the Reds have a turn it'll be time to build a new stadium

[rotnoid]

That huge gaping mud pit west of the stadium causes more wide ranging problems than anybody realizes. Hopefully Castellini will get someting done as head of the new Banks oversight group. Wait, I forgot about the Cirque Du Soleil,that was supposed to make us forget there was a void. At least they blacktopped some of the mud.

[ND_redsfan10]

The Banks situation has moved from disappointing, to infuriating, to ironically amusing, to..."let's not talk about it."

[rotnoid]

The Banks situation has moved from disappointing, to infuriating, to ironically amusing, to..."let's not talk about it."

On the upside, we know where we can build the next stadium.

[marcshoe]

Okay, no all-star game in the near future. How 'bout a string of World Series instead?

[George Anderson]

That huge gaping mud pit west of the stadium causes more wide ranging problems than anybody realizes. Hopefully Castellini will get someting done as head of the new Banks oversight group. Wait, I forgot about the Cirque Du Soleil,that was supposed to make us forget there was a void. At least they blacktopped some of the mud.

What exactly is going to go in that area?? Has the city made any plans for it yet??? I am sure the city wouldn't want to do something smart like put a few restaurants or bars in there and create some tax revenue for the city. I mean ya gotta just love seeing all that revenue go across the river to the bars and restaurants in Newport and Covington!!!

[ND_redsfan10]

Restaurants? Bars? Entertainment venues? Parking? Tourist attraction?

Tax Revenue?

NO.

Instead of trying to create a economic hotspot for the city and the region to be proud of, the city and county have spent the past five years bickering over who gets to run the project. Anyone with their wits about them is going to choose the Levee over a pile of dirt....The Banks have become a symbol of Cincinnati politics.

Then again, I'd rather leave a pile of dirt there if it's going to end up being some sort of subsidized, ahem, museum. Then again, the city would probably never use prime real estate to erect such a construction.

[Caseyfan21]

Yeah, at least St. Louis has a plan for their big mud pit next to the new Busch Stadium. They are developing it jointly between the city and team I believe. I think if we could turn that area into a Newport like area it could help keep Cincinnati people from heading straight across the river after games.

I would guess that there are more than a few restaurants or entertainment people that would love to get some riverside property near downtown. Why not get a few anchor commercial stores and a few hot restaurants and go for it?

[George Anderson]

Yeah, at least St. Louis has a plan for their big mud pit next to the new Busch Stadium. They are developing it jointly between the city and team I believe. I think if we could turn that area into a Newport like area it could help keep Cincinnati people from heading straight across the river after games.

I would guess that there are more than a few restaurants or entertainment people that would love to get some riverside property near downtown. Why not get a few anchor commercial stores and a few hot restaurants and go for it?

There was an article Sunday in "The Indianapolis Star" about all the businesses going in around the Colts new stadium. The planning stages are to have approximately 300-400 condos in the vicinity with 10 -15 different type restaurants and bars all within walking distance of the stadium. Their goal is to pattern the area after Wrigleyville in Chicago which if anyone has ever been there knows its a great time. A new stadium should be a boom to an economy, it appears to me that Indianapolis is taking advantage of this boom while Cincinnati stares at a mud hole.

It wasnt that long ago that you could go to Caddys and Flanagans and have a good time before the game, now it seems there is nothing to do in Cincinnati but park the car and head across the river.

[SirFelixCat]

Okay, no all-star game in the near future. How 'bout a string of World Series instead?

[GoGoWhiteSox]

I find it absolutely absurd and ridiculous that New York, Florida, and St. Louis teams get special treatment because they have new ballparks.

In all fairness, New York hasn't hosted the ASG since 1977, St. Louis since 1966, and Florida has never hosted one. I'd say that there's a good chance that Cincy will get the ASG before Florida though (because of their ballpark situation). Arizona, I'm not too sure.

With that being said, I thought that Pittsburgh getting the ASG last year was a total load of crap. Just a whopping 12 years since their last.

[StillFunkyB]

I believe one of the problems is Hotel space. Was that not one of the big things they talked about when there was that Olympics talk?

[Redsland]

I believe one of the problems is Hotel space. Was that not one of the big things they talked about when there was that Olympics talk?

The gripe I was hearing most recently involved the amount of convention space MLB needs for all of the pre-game festivities.

Of course, the convention center has been expanded since then.