The Big Story: 12 reasons against the Rays
January 16, 2008 at 2:23 pm by Wayne Garcia
My piece examining the Tampa Bay Rays new stadium proposal is on the streets and on our website:
I have a buddy who has been a baseball nut for decades, who knows the sport inside and out, a season ticket holder, a true fan. He’s also a successful business owner and civic leader. Two weeks ago, he sent me 12 reasons why the Rays won’t get a new stadium.
Twelve, count ‘em, 12. He didn’t even stop at 10. Surely it couldn’t be that bad? The Tampa Bay Rays’ new ballpark and vision for Downtown West (the new name for the Tropicana Field site if it is torn down) is ambitious and surprising and smart and visionary. It gives us a chance to revisit St. Pete’s biggest mistake — building a subpar indoor baseball stadium on spec, without a team to play in it, without the support of MLB, to the indignation of residents and beach businesses that saw tourist taxes sapped away to pay for it.
Finally: a remedy for one of St. Pete’s biggest municipal blunders.
But, unfortunately, my buddy may be right.
Where was this plan 20 years ago? Where was this ownership group 20 years ago? And why not put a winning team on the field before considering asking voters for their taxes to continue to chase the dream of baseball economic development?
I also gave the Rays their say, and they make a strong case for their vision of how a new stadium and redeveloped Trop site would work. Read excerpts of it here. The larger audio interview is also available.
