Tacoma Rainiers / Nick Lachey Follow Up (27. November 2006, 11:09 by Derek Young) ~ This Could Actually Be Big...
Confirming our previous story, there will be a Tacoma Rainiers press conference this Wednesday, November 29th at 9 a.m., over at the Tacoma Convention Center. All three new owners, including Nick Lachey of 98 Degrees / solo singer / Jessica Simpson fame, will be there.
A regular contributor just passed by and mentioned:
“Nick Lachey is probably one of the largest male vocalist out right now. I would say he is at the top of his career. He is on TV entertainment shows daily and his songs are in rotation on radio stations. This will bring a large amount of attention to Tacoma and the Tacoma Rainiers and I am guessing a renewed interest in the team and stadium.”
This could be huge for local sports.
Photos from the press conference on November 29th
Thank you for the photos.
Previously on Exit133
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Tacoma with postive national press coverage? Who would have thunk?
I am hoping all of this means big things for the Rainiers and Cheney Stadium.
1 | Posted by jake | Nov 27, 08:13 PM
I sense a little “small town” resistence to the notion that Mr. Lachey will have an impact on local and national press coverage regarding Tacoma and its local sports team. Don’t be so quick to dismiss this notion. I predict that the amount of coverage and buzz over this new “celebrity” ownership will be quite successful. Can’t get into specifics, but a few of the largest, nationally recognized publications are set to cover the story. Understand that Tacoma desperately needs this coverage to attract the residents, businesses and investment needed to finally make a city out of this town..and not just a vacuum to Seattle.
“Understand that Tacoma desperately needs this coverage to attract the residents, businesses and investment needed to finally make a city out of this town..and not just a vacuum to Seattle.”
Welcome Nick!
However, to Tony’s point, Tacoma doesn’t need this coverage. Celebrity ownership of a minor league baseball team won’t bring the businesses our city needs at this point in its development. Tacoma needs to figure out its parking needs and wants. Tacoma needs to improve its roads. Tacoma is building a lot of new and fancy condos that will be impressive some day. Tacoma needs to build more class a office space to attract more companies. Tacoma needs more vision. I don’t think anybody we know is dismissing the publicity. But this town is slowly moving along and making tough decisions. Most of those people involved on the ground stopped comparing Tacoma and Seattle a long time ago. Those same people also stopped looking for the silver bullet that is going to fix everything. Some people want to make Tacoma better one step at a time. No single event will enable us to skip those steps. The businesses we “need” are watching those steps already.
3 | Posted by Dann | Nov 28, 11:16 AM
Everytime Tacoma gets national headlines that don’t have to do with the police chief shooting someone, a rifle from Tacoma shooting someone, a certain smell, or that poor animal out in Enumclaw it’s a good thing.
We have plenty of issues, but I like the little reminders that Tacoma is here, doing well, and others recognizing us for both what we already have & our potential.
(but I’m still not listening to his music)
5 | Posted by DavidS | Nov 28, 01:02 PM
Tacoma had BIG positive national coverage when the Museum of Glass opened, including the cover of the NY Times Arts section.
Our press is definitely not all negative. But the squeaky wheel gets the grease…
Nick should hook up with MOG for a glassblowing photo-op while he’s in town.
6 | Posted by Laura | Nov 28, 01:28 PM
Good Job Derek!
You have once again beat the local and regional press to a story.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/story/6256256p-5460749c.html
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2003451643_webrainiers28.html
Also mentioned on King5’s 5pm newcast
7 | Posted by Jake | Nov 28, 07:40 PM
We DO need the positive press coverage here in Tacoma. I love my new home here. Unfortunately, our neigbors as close as CA have never even heard of Tacoma…yet.
Forget about back east, where “Takoma” is known as a town in Maryland and not as this incredibly creative enclave in the NW that we actually are…forgive my local pride, but from my experience (10 years on the east coast) Tacoma’s streets and parking (???) are fine…its this kind of press and more importantly, the talent behind the Rainiers Management that will contribute to attracting the right mix of business/residents to a town that has gone unnoticed for too long. Of course there’s no silver bullet, but there such a thing as “getting on the map”...we’re not there yet, but I’m hopeful!
Here the news results from google when you type in Tacoma.
Very encouraging.
We need to both work on building a great city and then letting others know about it.
Of course, few want to check out Tacoma because someone is hyping it up, they want to know of something specific that is worth seeing or experiencing.
The city now does a pretty good job of highlighting interesting events and developments in the city and especially downtown. (Spew, the BIA and Exit 133 contibute to the effort too)
(By the way, Join throngs of well-wishers for the performances of the Army Band inside the newly-remodeled lobby of the Pantages Theater at 5:00 p.m., followed by the lighting of the 55-foot tree at 6:00 p.m.)
I hope that the national press will inspire the local press to continue to write about the Rainiers in our local publications. Tacoma is the longest running PCL franchise in the PCL today. To think that we could not put together a local ownership group for this community institution was disturbing to me. Now however, with a well known owner we can leverage this to help continue promoting the team as the asset it is to the area. There have been many players who have put on a Tacoma jersey through the years that have gone on to great fame and to be honest great embarrassment too =) Tacoma needs to get behind the team and continue to promote and support it.
Perhaps this spring we can put together and exit133 night at the ballpark. I think it would be a great way for some of us to show or enthusiasm for Tacoma by showing up as a group at an event like a Rainiers game. Anyone else interested in a group event at a Rainiers game?
12 | Posted by Scott | Nov 30, 08:31 AM
hmmm…
If I remember correctly, Thursday night bocce just happens to coincide with dollar night at Cheney Stadium. $1 for either beer, hot dog, soda, ice cream, etc… Of course tickets to get in were still only $5 general admission or $7 for decent reserved seats.
Hopefully they will stick with the promotion this coming year. Nothing quite like a little baseball and a handful of ice cream sandwiches on a warm summer evening.
13 | Posted by DavidS | Nov 30, 08:56 AM
Anyone know of any condos left for sale downtown for our new resident? (is the Granville sold out yet?)
“Baseball is a true passion of mine, Tacoma is a growing city and I have every intention of playing an active ownership role in the Rainiers as we continue to grow,” Lachey said in a statement.
“It’s a very exciting day for all of us, and I’m very happy to be here in Tacoma,” stated Lachey”
Even for fans of the “old” days of the Rainiers (or Tigers) it is great to see new life and new improvements in store. The games are fun, affordable, you get to sit really close to the action, and it’s family-friendly. But you always have to discount those “I love (insert name of city here)” first-day speeches by new team owners. We all know they are saying exactly what new owners have to say. That’s not to say it can’t be true. They do have ambitious plans for improvements to the half-century-old stadium, including their own vision for improving business and fan relations. As much as I love the quaint stadium as-is, it is half a century old (and was even originally-built with some hand-me-down pieces from S.F.’s Seals Stadium). The $2.5 million influx from the state should help. But despite our good fortune for having such a winning team and stadium, attendance has been declining. And I believe the affiliation agreement with the Mariners is good for only a few more years. Is there a hard-core baseball fan out there in Exit133-land who can post the honest assessment of the new owners and the status of baseball in Tacoma? I’m just saying that while we can put a good spin on this, I don’t want us to be duped into thinking we’re home free. I like the idea of us having some Exit CXXXIII baseball nights. Maybe they’ll let of play bocce on the diamond afterwards. Or maybe not.
15 | Posted by Dave L. | Dec 1, 12:12 PM
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