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4th Stadium Option Cited

Artist Rendering

Supporters and foes of the Tampa Bay Rays' downtown stadium proposal can sound off again at a public hearing tonight.

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By CARLOS MONCADA

The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 10, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Supporters and foes of the Tampa Bay Rays' downtown stadium proposal can sound off again Thursday at a public hearing, where three redevelopment proposals for Tropicana Field are expected to draw much of the comment.

Some stadium critics, however, say there is a fourth option that city leaders have ignored: Let the city, which owns the rights to redevelop most of Tropicana Field, do the work itself so St. Petersburg can share more equally in proceeds from the project.

"Why hasn't anyone from city staff or the city attorney's office informed council of this option?" said former city council member Kathleen Ford, a critic of the $450 million open-air waterfront stadium the Rays want to build by 2012.

The city's response: That's a question for another day.

"The opportunity is there," said Dave Goodwin, St. Petersburg economic development director. "It is an option, but it's not before us now."

A key component of the Rays' plan is raising money for a new stadium complex by selling and redeveloping the old one - 86 acres consisting mostly of parking lots. The new stadium, on the downtown waterfront, would rely on existing parking areas.

Rays Set June 5 Deadline

Goodwin denied contentions that council members have been left in the dark about the option of having the city direct the redevelopment and reap more of the proceeds.

"Everybody knows about it," he said. "So it's in the back of everybody's mind about that possibility in the future."

Since the first public hearing Feb. 21, the city has received proposals from three national developers to transform the 86-acre Tropicana site into a mixed-use project. A fourth proposal would generate the most cash for a new stadium but it was submitted after the deadline.

Thursday's hearing is at 6 p.m. at city hall. A final hearing is set for May 22.

The Rays have asked the council to decide by June 5 whether to authorize a referendum in November on a new ballpark at Progress Energy Park, home of Al Lang Field.

City Development Administrator Rick Mussett pointed out that the Rays came forward with a proposal that makes no provision for the team continuing to play at Tropicana Field.

The ability to exercise its jurisdiction for the parking lots is a provision of the city's existing agreement with the team, an agreement that envisions Tropicana as the Rays stadium for 20 years out.

The 1995 agreement allowing the Rays to use the publicly owned domed stadium says the team must sign off on any development there, Mussett said. It's unlikely the team would agree to city development while sticking to its new stadium proposal.

What's more, the current agreement requires the city to replace any surface lots lost to redevelopment, he said.

"At somewhere between $12,000 and $14,000 a space, that could get very expensive," Mussett said.

Tropicana Field has about 7,000 on-site parking spaces, so replacing them would cost nearly $10 million.

'Only One' Proposal

Under the current agreement, the city would be reimbursed for that cost from the proceeds of developing the lots. Any proceeds left over once costs are figured in would be split equally between the city and the team.

Ford and other critics contend the Rays are trying to change the current agreement so the team would get all the proceeds plus the property tax revenue from homes and businesses at a redeveloped Tropicana site.

Ford favors keeping Tropicana Field and building new garages for fans if the city is interested in generating revenue through parking lot development. This is an option used at other stadiums across the country.

Mussett said the city development option may be considered if the Rays' stadium proposal fails to get on November's ballot or is defeated at the polls.

"There are 20 years left on the Tropicana Field use agreement," Mussett said. "And if for some reason this proposal doesn't go forward or doesn't get approved, any conceivable option may be on the table.

"But there's only one in front of us right now, and that's the one the Rays have given us."

Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at (727) 451-2333 or cmoncada@tampatrib.com.

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