Council rejects effort to scuttle Rays stadium

The city council this morning rejected a hastily proposed ballot measure for November that could have blocked the Tampa Bay Rays' plans for a $450 million downtown stadium.

This afternoon, the council was scheduled to consider a separate measure that would put to voters the question of whether to build a new stadium.

A majority of the eight council members said the effort to scuttle the stadium, proposed Tuesday by its opponents, could set an unwanted precedent of making land-use decisions by referendum.

It sought to protect the waterfront site of Progress Energy Park from development that was more intense than the current spring training ballpark, such as a hotel, convention center, condominium tower or the Rays' new stadium.

"What's being proposed is land-use and zoning by referendum," council member Jeff Danner said. "That is a path we do not want to go down."

Newly appointed council member Karl Nurse introduced the referendum question on behalf of stadium opponents, but it died for lack of support.

The "waterfront preservation" ballot question could have appeared alongside the Rays' proposal on the ballot Nov. 4. Some council members said the measure would only confuse voters.

"I think the issue on the table is confusing enough as it is," council member Leslie Curran said.

"This just adds to it. We don't need to do this."

Council Chairman James Bennett said the matter could be revisited "upon some sort of resolution of the Rays' proposal."

At 1:15 p.m., the council will consider a recommendation from staff members to take the first of three votes needed to schedule a referendum on the Rays' stadium plan.

Any council action taken this afternoon will not obligate the city to hold a referendum, city staff said. Council members would have to take two more votes, on July 17 and Aug. 7, to finalize the referendum.