Southpinellas: City sets stadium timetable

ST. PETERSBURG -- The city hopes to select a developer for Tropicana Field by May 1 and approve a fall stadium referendum a month later, according to an aggressive and detailed timetable released by the city on Friday.

The schedule calls for the city to begin soliciting proposals from developers for the Trop site next month, with responses due March 18.

The city timeline lays out the path toward a possible November referendum on the Rays' proposal to construct a $450-million waterfront stadium. But it does not guarantee it, city officials insisted Friday.

The project could be halted or postponed at any point, officials said. And the city has not committed to supporting the project.

City Council chairman Jamie Bennett said Friday he believes the city's timeline is tight, but achievable.

"We don't have much of a choice," Bennett said. The city "is working with the time frame the Rays gave us."

The Rays announced late last month a proposal to build a new 34,000-seat stadium on the current site of Al Lang Field, which largely would be paid for by the simultaneous redevelopment of the publicly owned Tropicana site. The plan was first revealed by the St. Petersburg Times' Web site, tampabay.com.

The team says that between the sale of the 85-acre Trop site, and the city and county property taxes generated from its redevelopment, more than $250-million could be generated for the construction of a new stadium.

City officials will solicit developers' bids in the form of a request for proposals, or RFP.

City senior development administrator Rick Mussett said the request will be written broadly to attract the most ideas.

One developer could imagine a residential community. Another could envision a International Plaza-type mall.

The Rays already have lined up one developer, Hines Interests of Houston, which may bid on the site. But Bennett said he believes other national developers may be interested as well.

The first public discussion will come Jan. 10, during a City Council work session.

"I'm very hopeful that we'll be able to get all the information that the citizens of St. Pete will need to make a proper decision," Bennett said. "There's some very exciting things about this process. But we have to make sure people have ample opportunity to study and examine the issues -- good and bad."

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Comments on this article

by Kris	01/11/08 07:11 PM
I bet if you actually research the pro posting listings, you would find the pro comments are from within the devil rays organization. Lets face it, just like before we are going to get stuck paying for a minor league quality team...

by Paul	12/13/07 01:30 PM
That's just it, Mark. Most of us in St. Pete could care less about baseball and therefore don't 'want to be a big league city', especially while WE still owe 100 million flippin dollars on the Trop that was voted down, but built anyway.

by Mark	12/11/07 01:34 PM
Stop the freakin whining! This is a no brainer people. If you want to be a "big league" city, a big league stadium is a must. What this will do to downtown St. Pete will be mind boggling!

by Delap	12/11/07 12:09 AM
This would be like trying to stop Walmart. The public has no power. But upside is that this could be one of the most beautiful stadiums in baseball. Private shrines built with public money, might as well make them look nice.

by Paul	12/09/07 06:04 PM
Our City Council hid the real issues during the elections, how do we have a recall so we can VOTE for a candidate based on fact, not hidden agendas. This is the sleaziest deal my city has ever done. I am voting NO and I am a citizen of St Pete.

by Bill	12/08/07 11:23 PM
What happened to the balance of what the Rays owe St Pete for thier present location? Put some $ into the Trop and stay in one place. A new stadium will not make the team win any more games. Pay up first, move second.

by Pete	12/08/07 09:53 PM
Parking ! Parking ! Parking ! You can't find a spot downtown as it is. Wait until patrons of a new ball field take all the available parking spaces. Colossal mistake, Rays.

by Harry	12/08/07 07:07 PM
Lets see for 450 million you can buy season tickets for 35,000 people for 20 years at an average of $600.00 per. That would fill the stadium!

by John	12/08/07 04:28 PM
Would passing "Hometown Democracy" have an affect on the Ray's stadium deal? Is this the type of voters vs officials issue that "Hometown democracy" is designed for?

by Ed	12/08/07 02:27 PM
Sorry stadium opponents, the fix is in. The city buys in to taking 100% of the cost and risk for a new stadium and will not pursue alternative uses for the Land site. Too bad. Taxpayers will have a say but the information they see will be biased.

by VOTE NO	12/08/07 12:02 PM
what a colossal waste of space and an idiotic idea. like sandy said: do NOT let some NYC business dudes come down here and try to run OUR CITY for their profit. VOTE NO, PEOPLE. this plan is ROTTEN and IT STINKS.

by Mike Creyton	12/08/07 11:48 AM
If the people of St. Pete are dumb enough to vote this down, then they better let them out of their lease so tht they can build a stadium in downtown Tampa. This is the best idea in Bay area history, don't blow it St. Pete. GO RAYS!

by Kyle	12/08/07 11:04 AM
The Trop was built in haste and aged for years before we ever received a team. Are we now going to let Al Lang field go unused on that beautiful piece of property? I think this plan has potential to be great. Can't wait to hear the developer's ideas.

by William	12/08/07 10:47 AM
The new stadium would be great for Downtown, St. Pete and the Tampa Bay area as a whole. Our taxes wouldn't be paying for it like we are paying for Albert Whitted Airport......which only a select few with planes get to use. Stop whining!!

by john	12/08/07 10:31 AM
can't wait to start paying for this losing season

by Sandy	12/08/07 09:36 AM
To Jamie Bennett: excuse me sir, but we tell the Rays - they don't tell us. You have the tail wagging the dog here.

by Jerry	12/08/07 06:50 AM
Sounds to me like Baker, the council and the rays are going to force this down the taxpayers throats like it or not. City and developers work on poposals take a lot of time and money all wasted if the referendum fails. Not on my dime.

by Peter	12/08/07 02:22 AM
Jamie Bennett told voters at public forums just four short months ago that the Rays franchise had not met its Economic Development claims, that a new stadium was not in the cards, and that he would not support such an endeavor. It was all BS.

City sets stadium timetable

A developer for the Tropicana Field site would be picked May 1.