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Seeking Win-Win Situation

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By MIKE SALINERO, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 20, 2008

Updated: 02/20/2008 12:28 am

TAMPA - Having the Atlantic Coast Conference football championship at Raymond James Stadium every year is too big an economic plum to let slip away, Tampa Sports Authority members said Tuesday.

The answer, the members agreed, is to resolve scheduling conflicts between the ACC title game and the University of South Florida's final home football game.

"This isn't all about USF; this is about the Tampa Bay community," Sports Authority member Tony Muniz said. "Let's do some planning so it can be a win-win situation for USF and the Tampa Bay community."

The authority's executive committee voted to create a group to study the issue and recommend ways to accommodate both games. The full authority board will consider the proposal for such a group Monday.

The ACC is to play its title game at Raymond James Stadium this year and next, followed by games in Charlotte, N.C., in 2010 and 2011. After that, the conference wants to find a permanent site.

Sports authority member and County Commissioner Jim Norman wants that site to be Tampa.

"You're talking about the operation of this facility and having a big game here every December versus zero," Norman said.

Economic development leaders have been giddy about the prospect of hosting the ACC title game permanently. Last year, the ACC title game generated about 9,500 room night visits in Jacksonville area hotels.

"Nearly 10,000 room nights is certainly a major economic engine," said Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. The commission worked for four years to land the ACC Championship Game.

"When you're moving it from Jacksonville," Higgins said, "it's obviously moving to a bigger market and different market, and it has an opportunity to grow."

But USF officials weren't happy when they learned the date they wanted for their final 2008 home game was off limits because of the stadium's prior contract with the ACC. The USF game against Rutgers was to have been televised on ESPN.

In a meeting Friday with USF and Sports Authority officials, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio urged both sides to seek a long-term contract that would give the university scheduling priority at the stadium behind the Bucs.

The mayor also instructed city officials not to pursue the ACC Championship Game beyond 2009 so USF could play a home game the first weekend in December.

Iorio said Tuesday she still thinks giving USF scheduling priority is the right move.

"It is our college team," Iorio said. "And it needs flexibility in its schedule so that, as it continues to gain in reputation - and the Big East and ESPN like highlighting USF with a big game - they have that flexibility with priority standing."

The mayor said she hasn't given up hope of landing the ACC title game, possibly on an every-other-year basis. Iorio said she talked to ACC Commissioner John Swofford after the Friday meeting, and he did not rule out the possibility.

For that to work, however, the ACC would have to talk to the Big East - USF's conference - about long-term scheduling. The Big East schedule usually isn't finalized until after the ACC championship date has been set.

Because the ACC title game only poses a problem for one of USF's games, Norman suggested the Bulls could play that game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.

Norman said such an arrangement would broaden the Bulls' exposure on the west side of the bay.

Henry Saavedra, executive director of the Sports Authority, told Norman that USF had talked to Tropicana Field officials, and the costs of using the stadium were prohibitive.

Iorio said she would be glad to serve on a study committee if the Sports Authority approves the measure Monday. Other members would be Higgins, Saavedra, Sports Authority Chairwoman Kalyn Brandewie, USF athletic director Doug Woolard or his designee; and County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan.

Researcher Melanie Coon

contributed to this report. Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com

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