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Rays stadium in Hillsborough might draw more fans

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By DENNIS JOYCE and MARK DOUGLAS

Published: July 16, 2009

Updated: 07/16/2009 05:46 pm

CLEARWATER - If population centers drive the decision, the top three choices for a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium are all in Hillsborough County, according to a committee exploring a replacement for Tropicana Field.

Any new stadium should feature a retractable roof, fewer seats than Tropicana Field and a mixed-use area nearby with entertainment, dining and retail, committee members said during a meeting today.

A Baseball Community, also known as the ABC Coalition, pegged the Raymond James Stadium area as the closest 30-minute drive for the largest segment of the population among five places studied.

The population within that 30-minute radius would be 2.8 million in the year 2035, according to the group.

The other population centers, in order, are downtown Tampa, at 2.23 million; the Florida State Fairgrounds area east of Tampa, at 2.2 million; the Gateway area in central Pinellas County, at 2.17 million; and downtown St. Petersburg, at 1.54 million.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, who empanelled the ABC Coalition to develop ideas for a new stadium, said the group is only empowered to make recommendations.

"Right now, downtown is where it's located, and that's where I have consistently supported it," Baker said in an interview today.

Baker said he'd be willing to consider the Gateway area.

Still, the population findings raise further questions about downtown St. Petersburg, the location pushed by the Tampa Bay Rays before the team's plan was derailed by mounting criticism.

Downtown doesn't measure up in other ways, either, including overall economic activity nearby, according to reports the committee released Today.

The reports came from subcommittees of the ABC Coalition: the Data Research and Realities subcommittee, led by Sean Lux and Scott Geiger of the University of South Florida, and the Design and Development subcommittee, headed by Alan Bomstein of Creative Contractors.

John Schueler, president of the Florida Communications Group, which operates The Tampa Tribune, WFLA-TV and TBO.com, also serves on the design community.

Here are other highlights from the data committee's report:

* The ratio of businesses to individuals in season ticket sales is 2-1 in most Major League markets. That's reversed, though, in Tampa Bay.

* Hillsborough and Pinellas fans account for about 25 percent each of individual ticket sales. Pinellas, though, accounts for 47 percent of season ticket sales, and Hillsborough's share, about 25 percent, fell slightly in the past year.

* Compared to the Tampa Bay market, Rays fans are more likely to be educated, wealthy and homeowners.

The design subcommittee's report recommends:

* Parking for every 2.7 fans at stadium capacity, or 13,704 spaces

* Seating capacity of 37,000 and no more than 40,000. The Trop seats as many as 41,000.

* 45 to 60 suites, compared with about 60 at the Trop.

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