Rays homegames put kink in Pinellas graduation plans
By DONNA WINCHESTER, Times Staff Writer
Published November 11, 2005
Just as most Pinellas County high schools were warming to the idea of using Tropicana Field for graduation ceremonies, Major League Baseball threw them a curve.
Baseball's decision to schedule a mid-May 2006 series of home games for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays has forced nine schools that held commencement there last year to scramble for other venues.
Five schools have opted for Progress Energy Park, which is close to Tropicana Field and near the downtown waterfront. One school will host graduation at its home field, and one will use Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. Two schools will travel to the University of South Florida Sun Dome in Tampa.
It will be the first time Pinellas schools have used Progress Energy Park for commencement, said Jan Rouse, an associate superintendent who is overseeing graduations this year. It also will be the first time a school has held a graduation outside of Pinellas County.
Devil Rays officials told the district about the scheduling conflict in August.
"It was the second call we made," said Rick Vaughan, vice president of public relations for Tropicana Field. "The first was to the league to see if there was any way it could reconsider."
But while the league has tried to accommodate the school district in the past, it has 30 ball clubs to satisfy, Vaughan said.
"Some years we've gotten that window granted to us and certain years we haven't," he said. "Unfortunately, 2006 is one of those years when we didn't get it."
To provide an alternative, the Devil Rays helped arrange for schools to use Progress Energy Park, the club's spring training complex.
"It was kind of like saying, "My living room is taken, but maybe you can use my back yard,' " said Caren Gramley, Tropicana Field's booking coordinator.
Long a graduation venue for a few schools, Tropicana Field became the location of choice for nine of the district's 16 high schools last year after the Times Arena at Bayfront Center, another popular graduation site, was demolished in 2004.
The 1.1-million-square-foot "Trop" met the schools' two main criteria: adequate seating and shelter from unpredictable spring weather.
Dixie Hollins High assistant principal Deb Fabrizio said she was disappointed the school couldn't get Tropicana Field this year. But she is pleased with Progress Energy Park.
"Other than the air conditioning, it shouldn't be one bit different," she said. "There is plenty of parking, plenty of seating, and it's got a beautiful setting right on the water. It's perfect."
