My notes from Friday's Mike Dee interview.
Mike Dee interview with Dan Sileo (MP3)
- When Sileo asks Mike Dee if the Selig Plaza had anything to do with the Padres getting the All-Star Game he chuckles and says:
"Hey well listen, we're here today to look forward [laughs], but it was a long process and I think, listen, whenever you're able to secure something like this for the community, and obviously we're fired up about it, so many people play a roll in it and so many things play a roll in it, but we're just happy it came to closure and it came to closure in our favor yesterday and we're just really thrilled to have the game here in San Diego."
- The San Diego mayor and his staff were very instrumental in bringing the All-Star game to town. Teams and cities usually have three to four years to plan for an All-Star game but the Padres have less than two years notice. Business, conventions and hotel bookings need to be organized in a way to make room for the All-Star game. Dee doubts the Padres would have been successful at this if the mayor had not taken the role of leading the charge.
- The economics of the All-Star game is projected to have an $80M impact on the city. Dee thinks it could be more because people will want to spend more time in San Diego. As an example, Dee has friends with the Red Sox who are planning 12 day vacations here.
- Dee had front row seats to watching the Red Sox rebuild their organization with Theo Epstein. He sees similarities between Epstein and Preller.
- Dee came back to San Diego because he saw the commitment from Ron Fowler and Peter Seidler. He wouldn't have come back, despite his love for San Diego, if he didn't see the commitment.
- Dee thinks it's really important to get a new facility built for the Chargers.
- Sileo and Dee joke about the San Diego Chicken.