Even Tom Shatel is throwing in the towel..
From the Thursday W-H on line addition:
'Tom Shatel: Royals vs. Omaha: a sensible divorce
BY TOM SHATEL
WORLD-HERALD COLUMNIST
I'm not an expert on the subject of divorce, nor do I ever plan to be, but sometimes the "D word" is just inevitable.
That's the case with the "Royals vs. City of Omaha."
OK, technically, the Royals could still be in "Omaha" and play in La Vista. Maybe they could take a cue from the Angels and call them the "Omaha Royals of La Vista."
As far as downtown Omaha, it's over. Draw up the papers.
Omaha has always made the College World Series its first choice. The city has never made that a secret. The Royals and their various owners have understood that fact of life for years. There are no hard feelings. The Royals are beyond feeling like a scorned lover. The new stadium was just the right excuse to break away.
Yes, the Royals had a "sweetheart deal." But that was arranged by previous mayors, along with Warren Buffett and Walter Scott, to keep the team in Omaha. Buffett recently told me that he would stand by whatever Royals President Alan Stein decided. So there you go.
The only losers are the few thousand Class AAA fans who gave their time, money and love to this franchise. Hopefully that loyalty will be rewarded by the Royals staying in the area, just to the west down I-80.
About that: If the leaders in La Vista are bold and smart, they will jump in and act as the rebound cushion for this divorce.
La Vista officials and voters would be crazy not to jump on this opportunity. With Stein's pledge to help finance a new park, along with ballpark naming rights, La Vista might have to divvy up $10 million to $20 million for a $30 million to $35 million park.
There are at least two reasons Stein might help make this work. One, he genuinely likes this area and thinks that Class AAA baseball can thrive here, in the right environment. Two, I think that there's a part of him that would like to put on a show during the CWS fortnight, with promotions and fireworks and little league parades.
Meanwhile, there's a lot of concern about what to do with a 24,000-seat stadium for 50 weeks a year.
Creighton will play there and won't care that the massive structure will dwarf Missouri Valley Conference baseball crowds of 1,000 to 2,000. It saves CU from having to spend money on its own stadium. And you can recruit to the home of the CWS, yada, yada.
There will be the occasional outdoor concert or festival. I've heard talk of an outdoor ice skating rink in the new stadium during the winter. Just watch that turn going into the outfield wall.
An American Association team, the lowest form of professional baseball, would not sell in Omaha. It would be downright lunacy to bring one in if the Royals remain in La Vista - wouldn't Stein love that battle for fans in the same community? Even if the Royals leave the area, I don't see many folks getting excited about a Saltdogs-level team.'..
The complete Tom Shatel column link:
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... d=10399876
..Ciao..LiO....Peace
:oops: ..
