ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -The Tampa Bay Rays withdrew a proposal to have a public vote on a plan to build a $450 million waterfront ballpark and announced formation Wednesday of a coalition of political and business leaders to explore ways to broaden support for a new stadium.
“The public dialogue we’ve had throughout this effort has been very encouraging, but there has not been sufficient support for the timeline that we put forth that would have resulted in a November referendum,” team president Matt Silverman said.
“One important thing that this dialogue has confirmed to us is that projects of this magnitude can not be built alone. It takes an entire region to support a major league baseball team, and it takes community vision and leadership to build a ballpark. It must be a process that brings people together.”
The Rays unveiled plans last November to replace Tropicana Field with a 34,000-seat, open-air stadium featuring a retractable, sail-like covering. It would be build on the downtown site of Al Lang Field, where spring training games have been played for decades.
The team would pay about a third of the cost, with much of the rest hinging on the sale and redevelopment of Tropicana Field and the land surrounding the domed stadium that opened in 1990 – eight years before the expansion Rays played their first game.
But building on precious waterfront property that sits on the edge of Tampa Bay would require the approval of voters.
While the Rays haven’t given up on the scenic location, the coalition will examine alternative sites, as well as discuss other ways to ensure the “long-term stability and vitality” of the franchise, Silverman said.
“I think the waterfront stadium is a viable option. I wouldn’t foreclose that as an option going forward just because I think what we want to do is step back very broadly and try to identify all the possibilities,” said Progress Energy president Jeff Lyash, who will head the coalition.
St. Petersburg mayor Rick Baker called debate over the proposed stadium “healthy” and reiterated his support for the team.
“I think one thing that this has crystalized in my mind is that there is a unity in St. Petersburg, and I think in our entire region, that baseball is important to us and we want to make sure baseball continues to succeed in our community,” Baker said.
Lyash said the team deserves enhanced community support, noting the Rays have made significant strides – on and off the field – since principal owner Stuart Sternberg took control after the 2005 season.
The Rays have never won more than 70 games, but are off to the best start in club history this year.
“They have made the investment, they have made the decisions … that it takes to step up their game,” Lyash said. “I think we’ve seen that on the field. The challenge I think we all have is to see if the community can step up.”
Add A Comment