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Fans, Foes Speak On Rays' Plan
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Published: April 11, 2008
ST. PETERSBURG - People on both sides of the Tampa Bay Rays' downtown stadium proposal continued their arguments Thursday night, with supporters slightly outnumbering opponents.
There were many familiar faces and few new issues during the 3
1/2
-hour
public hearing that packed the city council chambers.
Nearly 200 people signed up to speak, but many left as the meeting drew on. In their absence, a city clerk announced whether they were for or against the Rays' proposal. The team wants to replace Tropicana Field with a $450 million ballpark on the waterfront site of Progress Energy Park, home of Al Lang Field.
Council members took no action after the meeting and adjourned without comment. They will hold a third and final hearing before deciding by June 5 whether to authorize a referendum in November on a new downtown stadium.
The final hearing is set for May 22. The first hearing in February drew a similar crowd, although most spoke against the Rays' plan.
This time, about 115 people favored the team's plan, while about 90 were against it. Many supporters echoed a common refrain: Let the people vote, something they did not get to do when the council decided to build Tropicana Field two decades ago.
"I hope the voters, all the voters in the city, get to cast their ballots and decide the future of the city, not just a small group," said Mike Comber, a 45-year St. Petersburg resident.
Among the supporters were members of Fans for Waterfront Stadium, which presented council members with a petition signed by 100 business owners who want a referendum on the Rays' plan.
Businesses owners said waterfront baseball would attract more than 2 million visitors annually, with many coming during the summer when tourists are in short supply.
Proponents touted the project's benefits, including creating thousands of jobs in a declining economy and showcasing the scenic downtown waterfront to a nationally televised audience.
Critics raised a host of issues, from possibly hefty costs to clean up contaminated soil underneath Tropicana Field, a former gas plant, to whether voters would get the needed information in time to make an informed decision.
"So many people are so unknown about all this," said Betsy Burgess, a self-described baseball fan. "Many people feel the council and the mayor are representing the Rays' interest and not ours. We want this to stop now and that you get back to the business of running the city."
Stadium foes stressed that they do not oppose a referendum, just holding one without all the facts being known.
Some also fear the Rays will pump millions into a pro-stadium campaign in an attempt to win over voters.
The Council of Neighborhood Associations, an umbrella organization of St. Petersburg neighborhood groups, opposes holding a referendum in November on a new downtown stadium, testified Barbara Heck, the association's president.
The association said more analysis should be given to alternative sites for a new Rays stadium. It also said the three proposals the city received to redevelop Tropicana Field into a massive mixed-use project appear to fall short of meeting the Rays' financing needs for a waterfront ballpark.
Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at (727) 451-2333 or cmoncada@tampatrib.com.
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