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Rays' New Ballpark Plan Falling On Deaf Ears

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 24, 2008

Not Even In The Park

Regarding "Rays Pitch Logical Finance Plan For Waterfront Ballpark In St. Pete" (Our Opinion, May 17):

Your editorial is so off base it's not even in the park.

The one question that Rays' management has wisely refused to answer is: In what year and in which city was the last baseball stadium built for $450 million? Until that question is answered there's nothing to discuss.

Here's a reality check - if the Rays say the cost is $450 million, you can bet the true cost is $600 million to $750 million. So where will the money come from? Wake up, folks.

DAN CALABRIA

South Pasadena

A Harebrained Idea
The fact that St Petersburg City Council would give any credence whatsoever to the harebrained idea of a monster stadium on our waterfront is beyond comprehension.

If the Rays had any real concern for local taxpayers, they would not be asking for tax dollars. When deep cuts are being made on essential services because of budget shortfalls, the thought of using tax dollars on something as unessential as the proposed new stadium is ludicrous.

The Rays have Tropicana Field and should learn to live with it. City council could, and should, put an end to the issue by voting to make Al Lang Field permanent park land.

RICHARD PRESTON

St. Petersburg

Corporate Welfare
Once again, the Tribune's editorial board has endorsed corporate welfare. The last time the Tribune took this position relative to sports was for the Community Investment Tax; say what you want, the CIT has been a disaster for the taxpayer and the average sports fan. When youth and high school athletic teams cannot afford to play in the stadium because of the Glazer family-written Tampa Sports Authority contact, something is terribly wrong.

The only folks who have benefited from Raymond James Stadium are the Glazer family. The TSA went bankrupt; we are on the hook for their expenses. The taxpayer and average citizen has achieved no quantifiable benefit from Raymond James Stadium.

To think a similar situation will not happen with the Rays' proposal is naive. Stuart Sternberg and Andrew Friedman of the Rays are looking out for their organization solely.

As is the case with many Bay area residents, I enjoy sports, but corporate welfare is dead wrong. If the Rays want a stadium, let them build it and take all the financial risk.

DICK POWERS

Tampa

Issue Stock Certificates

So the Tampa Bay Rays' owners want a new stadium and the team is on a winning streak. What a coincidence.

If the Rays' owners really want the taxpayers to build them a new ballpark, I suggest the owners offer something tangible in return: stock certificates. That's right, give part ownership of the team to the people who are investing in it.

That way, when, not if, the team's management wants to move the team to another city, the rest of the owners - the taxpayers - will have some say in the decision. Also, the taxpayers who don't like the idea of building an outdoor stadium in hot, humid, lightning-prone Florida can sell their shares.

RON POIRSON

Tampa

What About Hurricanes?

"As Trop Rocks, Rays Make Stadium Bid" (Nation/World, May 16):

Perhaps I missed it in the thousands of column inches devoted to the new Rays stadium over the past few months, but I do not recall seeing two words which would seem to have some bearing on deciding whether or not the waterfront stadium should be built.

Given that baseball is, for the most part a summer game, those two words are - hurricane season.

JIM LYMAN

Lutz

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