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Is 'EcoVerde' In Trop Site's Future? Perhaps 'West End'?
News Channel 8 image by PETER MASA
The Rays are counting on money from the redevelopment of the 86-acre Tropicana Field site to help fund their proposed waterfront ballpark.
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Published: March 18, 2008
Updated: 03/18/2008 04:51 pm
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ST. PETERSBURG - The city posted on its Web site this afternoon the three proposals for the sale and redevelopment of Tropicana Field, which the Tampa Bay Rays want to replace with an open-air ballpark on the downtown waterfront.
All three proposals were submitted this morning before the 10 a.m. deadline. They are from Williams Quarter LLC of Tampa and Nashville, a group including DeBartolo Holdings, NRP Group and RGA Group; Archstone-Madison of Arlington, Va.; and Hines Interests Limited Partnership of Atlanta.
Click For Williams
Quarter, LLC Proposal
Some of the proposals even came with names. Hines calls its project "West End." Archstone-Madison's is called "EcoVerde."
Asked whether the number of proposals was what the city expected, city development administrator Rick Mussett said, "I didn't have an expectation. The market responds."
A provision in Florida statutes gives the city up to 10 days to make sealed bids or proposals available for public inspection or copying.
Officials will evaluate the proposals and make a recommendation to the city council by May 1. The Rays have asked the council to decide by June 5 whether to authorize a November referendum on a new downtown stadium.
Officials have emphasized the bid process does not commit St. Petersburg to proceed with razing the domed stadium on the southwest edge of downtown and replacing it with a massive mixed-use development, as the Rays have proposed.
Click For Hines Interests
Limited Partnership Proposal
The Rays are counting on money from the redevelopment of the 86-acre Tropicana Field site to cover a significant portion of the financing for a new 34,000-seat stadium at the site of Progress Energy Park by 2012.
A representative for the Rays said the team was pleased with the multiple bids and is prepared to work with whichever developer the city selects.
"Obviously, it confirms what we've been saying all along, that there will be significant interest on the site," said Michael Kalt, senior vice president of development and business affairs. "All three developers and development teams are national developers with reputations of having done projects like this before."
The Rays have partnered with one of the bidders, Hines Interests, a Houston-based real estate investment and development firm that submitted a proposal from its Atlanta office.
Click For Archstone-Madison
Proposal
Some critics have said that Hines has received an unfair competitive advantage because it was retained by the Rays to produce a site development plan for the Tropicana Field site, which was unveiled when the team announced the stadium plans in November.
In its request for proposals, the city seeks a pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use community that would be linked to the new stadium and would include a variety of housing and retail opportunities.
The city is seeking cash offers for the Tropicana Field site and financial guarantees that the development will happen.
Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at cmoncada@tampatrib.com or (727) 451-2333.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( bigbbfan ) on March 18, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I heard that part of the ceiling (near Gate 1) fell down. But I haven't seen any reports in the news.
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Posted by ( markyn11 ) on March 18, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Why should the city build them a new stadium they cant even manage a .500 season. I think the Trop is a great place to watch a game, lots of parking and no rain outs to deal with. Tell them to start winning then maybe.
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Posted by ( Doofy ) on March 18, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Maybe instead of redeveloping Trop Field they should redevelop the Rays.
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Posted by ( GF ) on March 18, 2008 at 10:47 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I thought the voters of St. Pete hadn't approved this redevelopment yet? Oh well, who listens to them anyway.
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Posted by ( northfla ) on March 18, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
VOTERS,
Heck, their not even allowed to pick a presidential candidate in this state, what makes you think what they have to say about spending money is going to count?
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Posted by ( GF ) on March 18, 2008 at 11:38 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
northfla, Good point!
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Posted by ( petepuked ) on March 18, 2008 at 11:57 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
northfla, Its the Democrats that can't get it together. They knew moving up the primary would cause them to lose there delegates but decided to do it anyway. Smart move guys.
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Posted by ( DarthRandall ) on March 18, 2008 at 11:59 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Here's a propsal: As we implode the Trop, let's have Rick Baker and his cast of cronies walk in through the turnstiles one last time.......
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Posted by ( northfla ) on March 18, 2008 at 12:05 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Actually the republicans got in trouble too, they lost half their delegates, guess they were only half as ticked off.
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Posted by ( DennyPCrane ) on March 18, 2008 at 12:22 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I find it quite interesting that St. Pete has opened these proposals even though nothing can take place unless the voters approve it in an election. Let's not forget this is simply a loosing ball team trying to take advantage of the public's money for their own purposes.
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Posted by ( Bill_H ) on March 18, 2008 at 1:33 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Okay, someone please tell me why it matters if the Rays have a "winning" team or not. Either this proposal makes financial sense or it doesn't.
"Winning" will not make the dollars/parking/sail work or not work. I just don't get how one is or should be tied to the other.
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Posted by ( dpw1983 ) on March 18, 2008 at 2 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Tampa already has a West End urban development under construction.
http://www.westendtampa.com/
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Posted by ( dpw1983 ) on March 18, 2008 at 2:03 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
If the site is redeveloped, it should definately include in addition to residences a large park or parks, sports fields, etc.
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Posted by ( atrulyconcernedcitizen ) on March 18, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
This project of course is insane for St. Petersburg Residents who will foot the bill and have their waterfront desecrated!
Please remember that the city has the right under the current lease to redevelop the tropicana site without moving the Rays at all. Ohhh but wait that means the Rays wouldn't swindle us out of a quarter of a BILLION dollars in projected profit and the residents wouldn't have to gamble on a developer's projections (educated guess)to help pay for it all. See Centro Ybor on this site. If you not simply a baseball fan(atic) and want to know the actual truth visit this website. The piece is from ten years ago and even more valid today than back then. http://www.heartland.org/pdf/madness.pdf
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Posted by ( demum ) on March 18, 2008 at 3:39 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The gang-bang of the taxpayers continues!
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Posted by ( KynNole91 ) on March 18, 2008 at 4:57 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The Rays can hardly fill the trop, why build a staduim out in the heat. One of the best things in no rain and no heat. Who ever decided this has never been in South Florida over summer. With dark blue jersey's the players will melt.
Keep the game at Tropicana Field, new turf, and lets play ball!!!
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Posted by ( larrylarry ) on March 18, 2008 at 9:50 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Wow! These plans are awesome. Congrats to the management of the Rays for bringing forth an outstanding plan that benefits all of the citizens of St. Pete!! Way to put a huge section of town back on the tax rolls. VOTE YES!!
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Posted by ( BSU1 ) on March 18, 2008 at 10:05 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Some of you people amaze me! St Pete is a small time city over-run with bums. We are so lucky to have a pro baseball team, yet you won't support them. Who cares if they win? It's fun to go to the games if only to watch the visitors play. The new stadium will be the nicest stadium in the country and could really help draw fans to the games -- we have absolutly zero upscale retail in the city, which would be a large help in the old Trop site -- they have already said the tax payers will not pay a dime -- yet some of you still fail to get behind this project. Unless we support continued development of this city, we are going to be nothing but old people, condos, and bums!
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Posted by ( Claylisa ) on March 18, 2008 at 11:53 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( IREADER ) on March 19, 2008 at 12:33 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I can see why Florida is the joke of the nation.
No one here can see further than their nose.....let-a-lone have a positive vision for the future.
Raymond James was built for the Bucs, and they won a Super Bowl. The Ice Palace was built for the Lightning and they won a Stanley Cup.
The Trop was voted....by the major league players.....as the worst baseball venue in baseball. I vote with them. It's a horrible venue for baseball.
Only the wimps that are afraid of a little rain or sweat support this white elephant of a ballpark.
Get real. A new ballpark would be a beautiful addition to AGING St. Pete.
The Trop is fake all the way "around"......fake field....fake atmosphere.....a tent roof instead of a real sky......
If you want a real baseball team that wins.....then start with real ingredients!.....A REAL BALLPARK!!!
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