Padres owner pitches stadium near San Diego for AAA Portland Beavers

The owner of the San Diego Padres wants to buy the minor-league Portland Beavers and move them to Southern California, several sources said.

[El Paso]

El Paso baseball fans will only support if the parking and game tickets are cheap and/or free. During the season you can see a lot of fans in the stands, but if the team makes the playoffs and the tickets are not cheap and/or free, the so called fans stay away. Also, giveaways attract the fans. No giveaways, No fans.

I would like to see a AAA team in El Paso, but the locals will not support it.

[Mac in Austin]

There will be no free rides in AAA. I don't see El Paso being able to support it as it will be rather costly to the average El Pasoan.

Also, Cohen stadium needs about several $million in improvements to make it today's AAA/minor league standards. I don't see the city paying for that and the owners are not going to be interested in footing the bill.

The average reserved seat in Round Rock is $12 with general admission in the outfield berm being $6. There is no outfield berm or grandstand at Cohen Stadium....I just don't think it is financially viable.

[Stanman505]

Once again the owner of the Diablos is out there trying to convince people that a AAA team will not come to El Paso. He just wants to keep on taking money from El Pasoans for a bad product.

[Rick]

El Paso couldn't even support a AA team. One thing El Paso should not do is build a new stadium or improve Cohen stadium at taxpayer expense. I know the old argument that such an "investment" by the citizens will boost the economy and create jobs. Can't argue with that: "Waiter/Waitress Needed." Maybe we can get the drug cartels to invest in a AAA team.

[Northeast]

Cohen stadium needs more than just a major upgrade to attrach a AAA team. The Northest has been the forgotten part of the city for years. Around the stadium needs restuarants and maybe even a hotel for players to stay at. Can't see any of that happening unless the Northest is redeveloped to improve the areas image.

With the city needing apartments for the military, this might be a good time to plan the area with decent apartments, stores, landscaping and recreation but all I hear from the city is some wish full thinking. Robinson doesn't seem to have a clue in how to help the Northeast and Cook, the old Northeast Rep, has moved on and left the Northest behind.

Everytime I drive through the Northeast, all I hear is "help".

[wild west]

Its too ambitious for the City of El Paso to land a AAA professional baseball team. Its not in the city's culture/mind set to think "big time"....Yes, El Paso needs professional baseball but they need to be realisitic and go after a AA Texas league franchise, A level professional baseball team or get a AAA MLB sanctioned Mexican league baseball team to play in El Paso; Its been six years since the AA Arizona Diamonbacks left El Paso and was replaced with Independent league baseball...yawn, baseball lovers cant get excited about this and have to travel to other cities to see D1 College baseball or professional baseball teams or watch it on TV....frustrating

The city needs to plan TWO separate annual sun city bsaeball classic tournamnents in March; One a D1 tournament featuring the likes of ASU, TT, UH, A&M, UNM and another JUCO tournament featuring juco teams like Yavapai, San Jacinto, EPCC, Howard, etc....yes, every year bring top teams to El Paso, WOW.....We also need UTEP to field a baseball team in say five years...plan it now and make it happen

But no way these things will happen because of apathy, lack of leadership, lack of money, lack of interest, and too many people thinking about the way things use to be or could be.......

If there is a group of baseball aficiandos here is El Paso that want big time baseball, sign me up.

[_Arrrrrrr]

El Paso could support AAA baseball, but I dont see the city or city council pulling or even getting involed for this possibility.
It's a chance in a life time but we know the results,
I hope I'm wrong.

[Yeah]

EP would support a playoff team, because one thing that EP loves more than free tickets is a winner. Think about it, how many people wear orange when utep losses, how many cowboy fans are there when they dont make the playoffs. How many lakers fans were there 3 years ago when they lost to Boston? El Paso is a front running city. That said like Wild west said, there are plenty of us who travel to see quality baseball. I go at least 2x a year to see the dodgers play, at least 5-10x to Albuquerque to see the Isotopes play, and whenever I travel I try to catch a game. I drove from Chicago to St Louis to see a game because the Cubs and White sox were out of town. I will buy at least 4 season tickets and will do what I can to support an affiliated team. I will not however spend any money on the current team playing at Cohen.

[Rob]

Candlewood Suites going up across from Cohen Stadium. Why is the EP Times deleting posts!? If you don't want the link on this blog then tell everyone to Google it! Candlewood Suites El Paso! Super easy! Again the EP Times is slow to report stories about this Triple A team. Don't like the constructive criticism: Do a better job reporting.

[FactGuy]

Did you read the article on the Candlewood Suites? Here's what it says:

"We're pleased to announce the first Candlewood Suites in El Paso, Texas. The 92-room all-suite extended stay property will be located at Interstate 54 and Cohen Avenue, near the Fort Bliss military installation. Construction is expected to begin in Q4 2008, with an anticipated opening in Q4 2009."

It's 2010. Where is this hotel in the Northeast?

[Rob]

FactGuy wrote:

Did you read the article on the Candlewood Suites? Here's what it says:
"We're pleased to announce the first Candlewood Suites in El Paso, Texas. The 92-room all-suite extended stay property will be located at Interstate 54 and Cohen Avenue, near the Fort Bliss military installation. Construction is expected to begin in Q4 2008, with an anticipated opening in Q4 2009."
It's 2010. Where is this hotel in the Northeast?

It's probably pretty close to complete. The Carmike entrance off of Cohen goes right behind it.

[Real Morgan Jones]

I have never commented on a sports topic before, so this is my first. I just have one to say...

Ahem. "Baseball being berry berry good to me!"

Thank you.

[Yeah]

The hotel is probably around 45% complete. The structure is up, but I'm sure they're working on the inside. It is going up near Carmike in between the County offices and I think it's the Land & Cattle Co.

[wild west]

Forget about AAA baseball in El Paso. El Paso baseball fans, we are getting a 2nd independent level baseball team which will be part of the continental League(Las Cruces began this year) and be part of the the Pecos league. Beginning May, 2011 El Paso Dragons will play in the Pecos league against teams in Alpine, Las Cruces, Abilene, Del Rio and Roswell. Now we have two "NON MLB" affiliated teams in different leagues to watch, go Diablos, Go Dragons!!!......

[Vote for Pedro]

Who are these investors?? I want to my AAA baseball team dammit!!!!!

[Armando Martinez]

It's sad when a major league team thinks they should have a triple-A team 40 or 70 miles away from the major league franchise. Look at Arizona and Tucson, the farm team is too near to each other. Where is Tucson now. El Paso would be a great triple-A franchise, it's near San Diego, but far enough that the attendance will not be affected. San Diego needs to expand it's market to include El Paso. Only then can San Diego compete with the Dodgers, Angels, Arizona, Texas, Colorado and Houston.

[Mike]

El Paso needs AAA, AA or single A professional baseball with any one of the following teams MLB teams: San Diego, Arizona, Colorado, Texas or Houston; If that doesnt happen then we need MLB and the City of El Paso to schedule MLB exhibition games in El Paso with Texas playing Houston or Arizona playing Colorado,....El Paso, just make it happen!!

[History Buff]

I miss the Dudley Field days of affiliated ball.