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Crist, MLB Support New Rays Stadium

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By CARTER GADDIS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 9, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - As the Rays opened their home schedule on Tuesday, Major League Baseball president Bob Dupuy joined Florida Gov. Charlie Crist in support of the team's proposal to build a $450 million waterfront stadium by 2012.

"Well, I'd love to see them be able to do it," said Crist, who threw a ceremonial first pitch before the Rays played the Mariners. "It's a great idea. Having a stadium on the waterfront in a state like Florida makes great sense. It's beautiful in San Francisco, the way they're set up there. And that the team is willing to contribute so much toward it, I think is wonderful."

The Rays have said they will contribute $150 million toward construction. The plan also would include development of the 86-acre Tropicana Field site after the current stadium is demolished.

Three developers have submitted bids to either purchase or lease the land, where they would build a mixed-use development for $773 million to $1.2 billion. Dupuy, second only to Commissioner Bud Selig in baseball's hierarchy, cited the claims that the new development would produce thousands of jobs and millions of tax dollars as a strong argument in favor of the plan.

"You know, the city of St. Petersburg is leaving a lot of money on the table in terms of sales tax and such, because there are no comparable commercial developments and they have to go across to the malls around Tampa International Airport," Dupuy said. "I'd like to see some of that happen here and see the community grow from the ballpark site at Al Lang Field out to this development site."

Critics have cited environmental concerns, from potential damage to the waterfront ecosystem to potential cleanup costs associated with the current Tropicana Field site.

Also, the three bids under consideration by the city - $61 million by Nashville, Tenn.-based Williams Quarter, which includes Tampa-based DeBartolo Holdings; $50 million by Houston-based Hines Interests; and a 98-year lease for $1-2 million annually by Alexandria, Va.-based Archstone-Madison - combined with the money promised by the team do not appear to cover the projected cost of the new stadium.

St. Petersburg mayor Rick Baker is expected to receive a recommendation on the bids by April 23. The Rays are expected to submit a financial plan to the city by June 5, when a referendum for November will be considered.

Dupuy said he "always has liked" watching games at Tropicana Field, and was impressed with the upgrades the building has received since principal owner Stuart Sternberg took over three years ago. But Dupuy indicated the Rays won't be able to compete long term as long as they play at the Trop.

"I think when you see what's happened in other communities," Dupuy said, "and you see what's happened in attendance, you see what's happened in enthusiasm and you see what's happened in the community, I think it's important to get that type of ballpark here."

Dupuy also said he admired the way the organization has constructed its major-league team, but he cautioned that it might take a new stadium to sustain any success the Rays might experience in the coming years.

"They're doing it with young talent that hopefully they'll be able to retain," Dupuy said. "And the way you retain them is to have a ballpark that generates enough revenue."

Reporter Carter Gaddis can be reached at (813) 259-8291 or

Reporter Carter Gaddis can be reached at (813) 259-8291 or igaddis@tampatrib.com.

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