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Business Leaders Assess Report On Rays' Economic Effect

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 11, 2008

CLEARWATER - A group of Pinellas County business leaders today picked apart a study that indicates the Tampa Bay Rays were responsible for drawing 5 percent of the county's expected 5 million-plus overnight visitors in 2008.

Members of the ABC Coalition, formed to find an alternative site to Tropicana Field as a home to the Rays, had a range of concerns.

Some wondered why the economic effect of the Rays – roughly $298 million – covered 12 months when baseball season is roughly six months.

The report's author, Walter Klages of Research Data Services of Tampa, said he was asked to "annualize" the numbers and that it would be easy to extract the figures sought by the coalition.

After his presentation, Klages told The Tampa Tribune that the $298 million figure would remain the same. If, however, an analyst used a shorter period, the $298 million would constitute a higher percentage of the county's economy.

Steve Raymund, incoming chairman of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the board for Tech Data Corp., wanted to know how the $298 million related to the county's entire economy, or gross domestic product. That information would help the coalition if and when it asks residents to support a new home for the baseball team.

Tourism's economic impact is an estimated $6 billion a year, officials say.

Klages also was asked about tax revenue generated by the $298 million.

Also in question was whether expenditures by fans – such as game tickets – were considered when calculating economic impact.

Klages said he would get back to the group with specifics and make a final report available.

Klages also was grilled on how visitors were questioned for the surveys that resulted in the report. Coalition members wanted to make sure those who included a game in their list of activities in Pinellas were differentiated from those who came to Pinellas exclusively for a game.

Klages assured them such a distinction existed in the questionnaires. His firm also calculated an economic impact for those who came just for the games: $192 million.

The $298 million includes visitors who also did other things in Pinellas, he said.

Many coalition members, as well as a Rays representative, noted the team's success provides additional economic benefits. City figures show ticket sales rose 33 percent in the first three months of the past season compared with 2007 and 45 percent during the final three months.

Klages' report, which was released Wednesday, shows that Rays games in 2008 attracted more than 252,000 overnight visitors to Pinellas. In addition, nearly 930,000 out-of-county residents took a day trip to Pinellas to watch major league baseball. The Rays drew nearly 1.8 million spectators in 2008.

The findings indicate a little more than one-third of fans who attended Rays games in 2008 were from Pinellas and a little less than one-third were from Hillsborough County.

The results were compiled from 1,714 surveys taken at Rays home games from June 17 to July 7 and 1,229 interviews from August through October throughout Pinellas.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or sthompson@tampatrib.com.

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