TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Rays' New Stadium Plan May Be 'Challenging'
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Published: April 18, 2008
Dozens of changes are needed to shoehorn a new Rays stadium into a busy corner of downtown, including more parking closer to the site and a different location for team offices, says a review of the proposal released today by St. Petersburg city staff.
The review, sent to city council members by Mayor Rick Baker, turned up no deal breakers, but does say "it may be challenging to accommodate the proposed stadium on the Al Lang site."
It also says the stadium must be redesigned to keep off a piece of property that is subject to a deed restriction the team failed to notice. And it suggests that if the project moves forward, the Tampa Bay Rays take steps to "encourage national awareness that the team plays in St. Petersburg."
The review was done to help the St. Petersburg City Council decide whether to put the stadium proposal to a voter referendum in November. The council is scheduled to reach that decision by June 5. A council workshop on the proposal is scheduled Thursday.
The Rays submitted a preliminary plan March 11 for moving the stadium from Tropicana Field west of downtown to a bayfront site centered on the team's former spring training location, Al Lang Field, home of Progress Energy Park.
The open-air stadium would have 34,000 seats; "one of the smallest upper decks in major league baseball," according to the city review; and a unique design featuring a retractable fabric roof to shield players and fans from rain and sun.
"When you build downtown ballparks, there are issues in every one of them. You have to build around them and accommodate them," said Michael Kalt, Rays vice president of development and business affairs. "We expected issues to come up, and we're looking forward to working with the city."
Among the changes recommended in the city review:
The deed restriction that was turned up in the city review covers water lots that were conveyed to the city in 1917 by Marguerite Cook. It prohibits structures on upland areas in a portion of what is now the Al Lang site.
The southwest corner of the proposed stadium could be affected by the Cook deed restriction, the city review says.
Neither the Rays nor their architect on the project, HOK, were aware of the deed restriction, the city review says.
"Staff has recently advised the Rays … and they believe the proposed stadium design can be modified …"
Reporter Josh Poltilove contributed to this report. Editor Dennis Joyce can be reached at (813) 259-7604 or djoyce@tampatrib.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( markyn11 ) on April 18, 2008 at 10:10 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Why do they need a new stadium they cant win in the one they have now and it's protected from the elements. I like the Trop plenty of parking, easy to get into, and out of the heat in summer. I hope none of my tax dollars are going to this huge waste of money.
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Posted by ( ski ) on April 18, 2008 at 11:31 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Agreed I love the enclosed tempered atmosphere but take another look at the new stadium. How beautiful would that look to the world when they show the Gran Prix from St. Pete not to mention games. We would be the bell of the ball and property values would soar!
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Posted by ( masterzvoice ) on April 19, 2008 at 1:40 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Anyone suggesting we buiild a new stadium of ANY kind while we have a perfectly wonderful state of the art air conditioned stadium right now, should be lined up and shot.
Well, maybe tarred and feathered would suffice.
If someone wants to build a stadium out of their own pocket book and not try to use what belongs to the taxpayers already to finance it, I wish them well.
NO OPEN Stadium will ever succeed in Tampa Bay during the summer. That is why Miami has such a failure.
The dangers of mosquito born encephalitis should be reason enough to arrest these planners as 'terrorists'.
Average game time temperature May 15- Oct1: 86F
Average game time humidity June 15 - Sep 15: 92%
Average number of games with thunderstorms occuring during the game & 60" before/after while fans are having to WALK across town to get to the games: 50 out of 81 games
Rename the Trop and call it the Tropicana Thunderdome. Spend some money on the team (they only traded tit for tat this last off season again) so we can win.
The Yankees still pack their stadium and it is older than Methusalah.
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Posted by ( moey ) on April 20, 2008 at 2:39 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The Rays either should renovate the Stadium with THEIR own money or go elsewhere. They should not steal a precious piece of waterfront from the citizens & taxpayers of St.Pete period. It is that simple, we don't want it & it is a ludicrous plan anyway.
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