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Rezoning Sought To Build Rowdies Soccer Stadium

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By MIKE SALINERO and BILL WARD

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 22, 2008

TAMPA - A 5,000-seat soccer stadium for the Rowdies could be coming to the Town 'N Country area of northwest Hillsborough County within two years.

Documents filed by an investment group planning to bring professional soccer here show a proposed stadium site between Veterans Expressway and Benjamin Road, just south of Waters Avenue.

The investors, who include Andrew Nestor and Hinds Howard of Boston and Tampa's David Laxer, want to rezone 15.7 acres for the stadium and an adjoining retail complex, according to a zoning application filed with the county. The investors plan to eventually expand the stadium to slightly less than 10,000 seats.

The privately funded stadium would be home to a United Soccer League First Division team called the Rowdies, the same name used by the North American Soccer League club that played in Tampa in the 1970s. The investment group hopes to have the Rowdies on the field in 2010, wearing the same gold-and-green colors as their predecessors.

County land records show the Laxer Family Limited Partnership owns six parcels, the largest about 8 acres, in the area where the stadium is planned. The area is zoned manufacturing and agriculture-manufacturing. The investors are asking to rezone the land to the planned development category.

"We've gotten very good feedback from the county staff; they're going to try to help us get it though the process," said Vin Marchetti, the investors' attorney. "That's been my direction: to have it in the ground, completed and ready for use in 2010."

A public hearing on the rezoning is scheduled to go before a zoning hearing master on Oct. 27. The hearing master will take testimony from the public, the applicants and county planning staff, then make a recommendation to the Hillsborough County Commission within three weeks.

The commission is scheduled to vote on the recommendation Dec. 9.

Workers at nearby businesses welcomed the idea of the increased traffic a new stadium would bring.

"A lot of people might be coming this way. They see this store; they might need tires. They'll come by," said Ruben Molina, a salesman for Kauffman Tire, at 5660 W. Waters Ave.

Hunter Bryant, assistant manager of the Arby's on West Waters Avenue, said that besides boosting business the stadium would be a welcome addition to soccer enthusiasts.

"I'm a soccer fan," Bryant said. "We haven't have had any soccer activity here since the Mutiny soccer team left town, and I think it might fill a void for that aspect of sports."

He also sees the potential for concerts and other events using the stadium.

Office parks and businesses surround the stadium site, with a few houses scattered between. Residents living closest hadn't heard about the stadium proposal.

Robert Glass and his wife, Teresa, live in a mobile home at 5702 Gardner Court Drive, across the street from a plot where the Laxers, owners of Bern's Steak House, have an organic vegetable farm that supplies the South Howard Avenue restaurant with produce.

The couple, who have lived on the block for 26 years, said all but two properties on their block have been acquired by the Laxers. Robert Glass said they haven't been approached by anyone to buy their property, but they would be willing to listen.

Essie McCants, of 8015 Benjamin Road, lives across the street from the organic farm. She said she doesn't care whether a soccer stadium is built nearby.

"I'm always for people being able to do what they desire to do, to make it better for themselves or someone else," said McCants, who has lived in the area since 1973.

The county's Planning and Growth Management Department has not finished reviewing the zoning application, which was filed July 14. Executive planner Brian Grady said the investors will need a variance for off-site parking and might have to pay for road improvements around the site.

"That's all going to have to be reviewed," Grady said. "There's likely going to be a road requirement."

The team hopes to begin exhibition play next year and join the United Soccer League's First Division in 2010. The USL First Division is one level below the nation's highest level of the sport, Major League Soccer.

There are 11 clubs in the USL First Division playing a spring/summer schedule, but one of them is moving to Major League Soccer next season.

The USL's offices are based in Tampa. USL officials say the typical operating budget for a First Division club is $1.2 million to $1.5 million.

Reporter B.C. Manion contributed to this article. Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com. Reporter Bill Ward can be reached at wward@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7456.

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