Anyone been to a Blue Crabs game?

[MMDad]

Explain to her how other kids her age aren't going to get the proper elementary school education they need because of it. Overcrowded classrooms and understaffed facilities, going to be sucky next year.....ESPECIALLY at the high schools (minus North Point).

Look on the bright side. At least you guys have those really cool birthday cakes.

 

[Kittykat33]

The schools have been overcrowded for many many years now. I don't think a ballpark is the cause for that.

 

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

The schools have been overcrowded for many many years now. I don't think a ballpark is the cause for that.

No, it's gonna be a lot worse this year. We're shortstaffed at nearly every school - and no to hire. They're transferring teachers out of other schools for the new ES - but no openings expected as things stand.

 

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

Look on the bright side. At least you guys have those really cool birthday cakes.

Did you forget to insert in that post???

 

[OldHillcrestGuy]

No, it's gonna be a lot worse this year. We're shortstaffed at nearly every school - and no to hire. They're transferring teachers out of other schools for the new ES - but no openings expected as things stand.

Gosh they may have to start laying off IT Staff, so they can hire teachers.

 

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

I seriously doubt the schools will suffer because of the stadium.

I think thats horsecrap.

You're right. The stadium isn't the only waste of my money Charles County is conducting.

It's a damn fine example. At least this will bring in some revenue so pay up SMC citizens and enjoy the games. Go twice a week, helll, go three times a week.

There's not a budget problem, there's a spending problem and I've been equally critical of all sides. I think the new high school's $97 million price tag is ridiculous for ANY high school.

 

[MMDad]

You're right. The stadium isn't the only waste of my money Charles County is conducting.

Andy, you really need to look at the facts before going off all

Chuck Co. paid $19 Million for the stadium, and expects to receive about $27 Million per year in return on that investment.

The stadium has nothing to do with any budget woes the county or state have.

 

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

Andy, you really need to look at the facts before going off all

Chuck Co. paid $19 Million for the stadium, and expects to receive about $27 Million per year in return on that investment.

The stadium has nothing to do with any budget woes the county or state have.

I hope they do get return on that investment which is why you guys need to keep going.

 

[ImAChvyGirl]

You're right. The stadium isn't the only waste of my money Charles County is conducting.

It's a damn fine example. At least this will bring in some revenue so pay up SMC citizens and enjoy the games. Go twice a week, helll, go three times a week.

There's not a budget problem, there's a spending problem and I've been equally critical of all sides. I think the new high school's $97 million price tag is ridiculous for ANY high school.

If you do not like how Charles county is spending their money get on the board or move to a different county.

Granted I do not think we needed a ball park but that has nothing to do with the over crowded schools that have been that way for about 15 to 20 years. Not to mention there are more and more houses/apartments buldings going up every day for people to live in we do not need those either. If they stop building we will not get anymore residents to over croud the schools.

 

[OldHillcrestGuy]

Andy, you really need to look at the facts before going off all

Chuck Co. paid $19 Million for the stadium, and expects to receive about $27 Million per year in return on that investment.

The stadium has nothing to do with any budget woes the county or state have.

I could be wrong but I dont think Charles paid $19 million the county was to pay 1/3rd, the State 1/3rd and Maryland Baseball or whatever they call themselves that Brooks Robinson is with 1/3rd. Maybe after road improvements for Piney Chruch and a few other things it may have come to $19 million.:shrug:

I know at one time the total cost was about $21 million if it had been built in Hughesville, but once the old fuddy duddies, wined and fussed about Preserving Hughesville,(perserving what one run down main street) the cost went up for building. At one time I thought the 3 parties were chipping in $7 million apiece.

 

[vanbells]

I had a blast to the game I went to. It's great going to a sporting event and gettting home in a really good reasonable time. I hope it succeeds as a business.

 

[rich70]

Good for her.

Explain to her how other kids her age aren't going to get the proper elementary school education they need because of it. Overcrowded classrooms and understaffed facilities, going to be sucky next year.....ESPECIALLY at the high schools (minus North Point).

I'm sure the ballpark isn't going to make the schools overcrowded. That has been a problem long before the park was built. That would be from all the houses they keep building. And I don't think her education is going to suffer because of a baseball stadium. If anything it will bring money into the county.

 

[EvWill]

Blue Crabs' attendance issues already

Average attendance per home game through 6/20/08, courtesy AtlanticLeague.com:

Long Island 5,677
Somerset 5,316
Lancaster 5,223
York 3,954
Camden 3,451
Southern Maryland 3,111
Newark 2,785
Bridgeport 2,331

Excerpted from Mike Ashmore @ the unofficial Atlantic League Baseball News blog:

Southern Maryland has attendance issues. This is true. I'm of the opinion that an expansion team in a professional baseball league should be the hottest ticket in town.

It worked in Lancaster. Ultimately, it didn't work initially in York. Perhaps it was fans not buying the idea of seeing players play on a construction site with stands and grass that doubled as a baseball field for the first few months. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, said the writer who dabbles in cliches, and the Revs may have hurt their long-term future with their construction delays.

Not including last night, as I haven't seen the attendance figure, the club has drawn less than 2,500 fans in their last four games. A whopping 1,221 fans marked the low point on Monday...and keep in mind, that's paid attendance.

The cynical person will say that the Atlantic League flopped colossally in their first attempt in Maryland a few years back. The optimist will tell you that the ballpark they played in was a joke, and that eventually things will get better with a better league and a new ballpark.

Is the league disappointed? I'm sure they are. But do they still talk about expansion? Sure they do.

No joke, I honestly do not know if the Blue Crabs send out press releases. I don't even recall seeing them on OurSportsCentral, which is where I tend to go to make sure I didn't miss anything.

I don't buy the explanation that they're in a rough spot with media coverage. They were getting written up in the Washington Post semi-frequently this off-season, which was actually a pretty impressive accomplishment.

 

[vanbells]

I would imagine with gas prices being this high that most families wouldn't spend as much on entertainment.

 

[kelb]

The tickets are like $13.00

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

The tickets are like $13.00

How was your game?

 

[kelb]

It was fun. There were not alot of people in the stands though.. is it always like that?

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

It was fun. There were not alot of people in the stands though.. is it always like that?

attendence has gone way down.

I'm curious to see if this stadium even lasts...turns out they didn't pay the cleaning crew since the stadium opened and so everyone quit and now the company just dropped the contract cuz they had nobody to cover the stadium.

I didn't want to bad mouth the stadium, without knowing the situation first hand, but how do you open a stadium and not be able to/feel the need to pay the crew that cleans it nightly (when there are games)? :shrug:

 

[kelb]

Attendence has dropped? Didnt the stadium just open a few months ago? Thats not good. I hope it lasts!!

I guess that explains why the employees of the stadium were walking around with trash bags during the game and asking people isle by isle to throw their stuff away. How do you not pay a cleaning crew? LOL

 

[vbailey]

It would be a great place to hold High School Graduations.That way the Grads can have as many as they want attend instead of only a few family members each. It would also be a great place for big concert events.