Rays planning a new stadium on St. Pete waterfront (1 Viewer)

[Capella]

http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/200...planning-w.html

ST. PETERSBURG - The Tampa Bay Rays are planning a $450-million stadium on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront site of Al Lang Field.

The stadium, with about 35,000 seats, largely would be paid for by the team, which might contribute about $150-million as well as the proceeds of the sale of development rights to Tropicana Field. The team hopes to attract a private developer to build a large retail/residential complex at the Tropicana Field site. The team also would seek as much as $60-million in future state sales-tax revenues, which would require approval by the Legislature.

St. Petersburg voters would need to approve the new stadium because it is public property. The city would attempt to sell the land to the county so it wouldn't have to pay property taxes. The Rays would ask for a longterm lease.

The new stadium would be open-air, but it could be covered with sail-like material on a cabling system. Some seating areas would be air conditioned.

The stadium would be built on the site of the longtime spring training stadium that the team is leaving next year.

The new stadium would be positioned so that balls hit over the right-field fence would splash into the water, similar to the Giants stadium in San Francisco.

-- Aaron Sharockman and Marc Topkin, Times staff writers

 

[Capella]

Going to be awesome if this happens. GB Al Lang.

 

[JaxBill]

The team also would seek as much as $60-million in future state sales-tax revenues, which would require approval by the Legislature.

Didn't the FL legislature balk in money for the Marlins?

 

[Capella]

The team also would seek as much as $60-million in future state sales-tax revenues, which would require approval by the Legislature.

Didn't the FL legislature balk in money for the Marlins?

I thought the Fish were asking for a lot more than 60. But I don't know the details.

 

[MrPhoenix]

Still in St. Pete, though. Is Al Lang Field more accessible than the Trop?

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

This would be such a great move by the Rays. I really never enjoyed attending games at Tropicana Field, regardless of who was playing.

 

[Capella]

Still in St. Pete, though. Is Al Lang Field more accessible than the Trop?

St. Pete's not the problem. That dump and 10 straight god-awful seasons were the issue.The Trop is plenty accessible.

 

[Dreamer]

Still in St. Pete, though. Is Al Lang Field more accessible than the Trop?

No. The Trop is on 275, Al Lang is a few streets off the exits. There will be more traffic, but the Trop is so depressing it should be worth it. Should be good for local business as well. In theory.

 

[MrPhoenix]

Should be good for local business as well. In theory.

Simply because it's doesn't look like a slanted concrete turd?

 

[Knightro]

parking will suck as it stands now. There is no parking out by Al Lang so they'll have to level some stuff to create some lots.

 

[Clifton]

Quick question, will this stadium include fans?

 

[gump]

I'll believe it when I see it.

This ownership group has not impressed anyone to date...this would be huge and a franchise-savior.

But like I said...

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Quick question, will this stadium include fans?

 

[[icon]]

So.. when this stadium goes up (whcih I hope it wil) and hte Rays actually pack the house for the first year... earning the club a ton of cash on top of the $30MM in revenue sharing checks they get every year... will they THEN start spending more than $8MM on total team salary or is this just going to be some more cash to pocket and not dump into the team?

 

[gump]

So.. when this stadium goes up (whcih I hope it wil) and hte Rays actually pack the house for the first year... earning the club a ton of cash on top of the $30MM in revenue sharing checks they get every year... will they THEN start spending more than $8MM on total team salary or is this just going to be some more cash to pocket and not dump into the team?

Everything Stu, Matt, and Co have done to date has been about making money. The new uni's are doing well by the way.But that may not be a bad thing. Like the Glazers, maybe Stu will believe that putting a winner on the field will be the BEST way to make money.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

Baseball will never thrive in Florida.

No one wants to sit and watch baseball in the summer (indoors or out) when they can watch good teams in the beautiful spring weather. It does not matter where games are played, whether it's in Trashicana or not.

 

[the moops]

Baseball will never thrive in Florida. No one wants to sit and watch baseball in the summer (indoors or out) when they can watch good teams in the beautiful spring weather. It does not matter where games are played, whether it's in Trashicana or not.

You are correct. If you look back at this past decade, both Florida teams are always at the bottom in terms of attendance.Luckily a few years back they had Montreal, so they were assured at not being 30th. Expos franchise drew nearly 4 times as many fans the first year they moved to the Washington area. Unfortunately their team also sucks and they have drawn fewer and fewer fans since that first year.

 

[Capella]

You are correct.

No he's not. Don't lump Miami in with Tampa. It's stupid, lazy and ill-informed. May as well lump Seattle and Atlanta or something. They're not even close to being the same.There is one reason the Rays have been a failure at the box office, and it's in the standings. No city in baseball (other than Cubs fans) would support 10-straight last-place finishes (well ok, one fourth-place) with something like six 100-loss seasons. Nobody.The Bucs and Lightning sell out routinely, and the Rays will play to full crowds as well when they decide they want to put out a decent squad. Christ, the Lightning were in the top-3 in the NHL in attendance last year; hockey can work in Tampa but baseball can't?Some of you people need to get a clue.