Rays announce plans to leave St Petersburg for Tampa

Fenway

HF Bookie and Bruins Historian
Sponsor
Sep 26, 2007
68,589
98,267
Cambridge, MA
Now they have to figure out how to pay for new park.


Stuart Sternberg: Tampa’s Ybor City is top choice for next Rays ballpark


TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Rays decided where its future lies, and it’s in Tampa.

Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg announced Friday that the team wants to build its next ballpark in Ybor City, the historic Latin neighborhood near downtown with baseball roots that go back a century.
If it comes to fruition — and it is still an "if" — within five years the Rays could leave St. Petersburg, the only home the team has known since its inaugural 1998 season.

"Ybor City is authentically Tampa Bay," Sternberg said at a news conference at the Tampa Baseball Museum. "It represents the finest opportunity for Major League Baseball to thrive in this region for generations to come.

"This," he said, "is where we want to be playing baseball."
 

GIN ANTONIC

Registered User
Aug 19, 2007
18,786
14,617
Toronto, ON
When I was down in Tampa before new years all the locals said that Ybor City was the obvious choice and was just a matter of time before they move the team there. Apparently the city is seeing quite a bit of revitalization since Vinik started throwing his money around town and fixing things up.
 

Bjorn Le

Hobocop
May 17, 2010
19,590
605
Martinaise, Revachol
No progress on getting it funded though, lol. $150 million committed by the team is honestly nothing when a stadium and a redevelopment project is going to cost upwards of a $1 billion.

You're also going to get opposition from social activists who'll see the stadium as something that's going to significantly drive up the cost of living in the poor neighbourhoods surrounding the proposed site. Having to move or take down an expressway is also a challenge.

It's hard to be anything but cynical about this. To me, this seems like a wishlist. If Sternberg can get this, the value of his franchise will jump significantly and he'll get a lot more for them than he would if he sold them for relocation. Especially because Sternberg isn't ponying up the money if they build a stadium, it's the team, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Rays are more than half of Sternberg's net worth.
 

tony d

Registered User
Jun 23, 2007
76,589
4,548
Behind A Tree
Good to hear, that team has some good talent even post Longoria. Hopefully moving to Tampa will get more fans to the games.
 

Bjorn Le

Hobocop
May 17, 2010
19,590
605
Martinaise, Revachol
It's not ridiculous as far as public funding goes, but it's likely too rich for taxpayers tastes. The one article says that experts expect Sternberg to offer more than $150 mil but I'm not really sure why they think that. Sternberg doesn't have the money himself, so it's coming out of the profit that the team will be making. The other issue with agreeing to fund is that when costs inevitably overrun, the government is going to be on the hook because the team will have them over a barrel. If you have a stadium 60% complete, can you balk at paying another 100-200 mil to finish it? It's political suicide if you don't, because you wasted hundreds of millions, so the most expedient solution is to just pay it.
 

Mike Lowry

Registered User
Feb 23, 2018
258
166
Other then the fact those things are publicly owned and in the trains case used 7 days a week, those are definatly the same:sarcasm:.

Too embarrassed to mention those things don't turn a profit? Or that most of the taxpayers flipping the bill for those things never use them?

Many entertainment venues are used nearly 365 days a year.

So taxpayer's money is fine for a Library, but not for a stadium? Remind the last time you visited another city to go read a book. Opps
 

Melrose Munch

Registered User
Mar 18, 2007
23,546
2,006
Too embarrassed to mention those things don't turn a profit? Or that most of the taxpayers flipping the bill for those things never use them?

Many entertainment venues are used nearly 365 days a year.

So taxpayer's money is fine for a Library, but not for a stadium? Remind the last time you visited another city to go read a book. Opps
Yesterday I went to the next cities library to get a book because it wasnt at mine. And why should they turn a profit, they're public goods. And I am more then sure taxpayers use the library, commuter rail and other infratsructure that is necessary for municipalities to run.This goes into sternberg's pocketbook. If people want to give him money, fine. But don't make everyone do it.
 

Mike Lowry

Registered User
Feb 23, 2018
258
166
Yesterday I went to the next cities library to get a book because it wasnt at mine. And why should they turn a profit, they're public goods. And I am more then sure taxpayers use the library, commuter rail and other infratsructure that is necessary for municipalities to run.This goes into sternberg's pocketbook. If people want to give him money, fine. But don't make everyone do it.

So you went there, stayed in a hotel, visited shops, ate at restaurants? You know, added to their economy? No. So your example means squat.

Why should I as a taxpayer be on the hook to support things that others need and can't be sustained on it's own? Investment in infrastructure is apparently only a good thing when it helps the bottom of the population. Again, no one looked on a map, and decided to visit a city to check out a library or subway stop.
 

Melrose Munch

Registered User
Mar 18, 2007
23,546
2,006
So you went there, stayed in a hotel, visited shops, ate at restaurants? You know, added to their economy? No. So your example means squat.

Why should I as a taxpayer be on the hook to support things that others need and can't be sustained on it's own? Investment in infrastructure is apparently only a good thing when it helps the bottom of the population. Again, no one looked on a map, and decided to visit a city to check out a library or subway stop.
So everything has to be a vacation to count? Especially when most people in the US don't even leave their states that frequently to begin with. I don't know why you think investing in children's education is a bad thing, but every single study done on this issue concludes that tax money for sports arena's is a money loser and bad investment. The ROI is awful most of the time, and goes into some owners pockets. You're arguing against data here.
 

Mightygoose

Registered User
Nov 5, 2012
5,586
1,382
Ajax, ON
That is a very big price tag and with Sternburg only pledging 150 million, it's going to be a tall task to get the public to pay for the rest.

In addition, the Rays only have until the end of the year when their agreement with St. Pete's to explore within the Bay area expires. If it needs to be extended, what incentive is there for St. Pete's to let them walk knowing they have virtually no chance of keeping the team?

On the Rays perspective, if they can't get financing in time do they just stay in St. Pete's until the lease runs out or do they offer more money to St. Pete's to break the lease but also ask for the rights to look outside of Tampa Bay. They'll have leverage with Tampa/Hillsborough Co. as well by doing this.
 

AllAbout813

Registered User
Oct 8, 2007
2,118
275
Tampa, FL
I love the idea, but just don’t see the public funding this. As others have said, the Miami stadium disaster is very fresh in the minds of everyone. 900 million is a lot of cash - and I think that money is better spent elsewhere in the community at this moment. If Stu decides to pay for much more than he’s been leading on (doubtful) then I could see a chance.
 

Fenway

HF Bookie and Bruins Historian
Sponsor
Sep 26, 2007
68,589
98,267
Cambridge, MA
I love the idea, but just don’t see the public funding this. As others have said, the Miami stadium disaster is very fresh in the minds of everyone. 900 million is a lot of cash - and I think that money is better spent elsewhere in the community at this moment. If Stu decides to pay for much more than he’s been leading on (doubtful) then I could see a chance.
upload_2018-7-10_19-15-16.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: AllAbout813

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->