Probably the most reasonable compromise but I dunno how interested the Rays are.
Pat Williams is trying to massage the situation, but its not really working.
He hasn't talked to the Rays owner. That should give everyone a pause.
Hillsborough to St. Pete is still going to be a shorter trip than Hillsborough to Orlando. TB is also willing to build things that aren't roads. Maybe he's banking on I-4 Ultimate estimates, but that road will fill again.
He's expecting tourists to prolong their stay, or cut their park trips short to see baseball, especially if they've never seen it before (at MLB prices). This is the holy grail of pro sports, IMO, but I don't think it's even that important. No one has really ever done it. You can't build a true fan base on tourists. Orlando trips, especially international trips, like he wants to somehow target, are expensive and planned in advance. If they wanted to see baseball, they'd already plan for you.
In terms of getting Universal -or- Disney as a sponsor, that's easier in Orlando, but you only get one because you can't sign both. He hasn't spoken to Disney.
11k signups for season tickets are...good? I guess, but there wasn't a deposit. Sounds pretty low in that context.