From his current perch on CoolCleveland.com, Cleveland journalist Roldo Bartimole dishes out some color commentary on the Plain Dealer’s piece last week on who’s likely to foot the bill if Progressive Field gets a face-lift.
According to reports in the New York Times and Crain’s Cleveland Business, the cash-strapped Tribe recently asked design firms to “brainstorm” potential renovations. When the PD approached Indians officials about the possible construction, VP Bob DiBiasio shrugged it off, telling the paper “It’s not a question that needs to be asked yet.”
Bartimole was not too happy with that answer.
Doesn’t need to be answered? That is strict PR bullshit from someone who never gets challenged by the news media. A happy face he has but not a trustful one for me. If you believe him on this one I have some special mortgage bonds to sell you.
The newsprint vet says if the team goes forward with a renovation, taxpayer could end up shelling out for the work. There’s a growing pot of possible funding that the Gateway Economic Development Corp. — the nonprofit behind the stadiums — has an eye on, Bartimole suspects.
