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Share your ideas on Rays' plans

A meeting Wednesday will focus on the future of Tropicana Field.

By AARON SHAROCKMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published January 7, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - The public will get its first chance this week to weigh in on the Tampa Bay Rays' ambitious proposal to redevelop Tropicana Field and build a new baseball stadium on the downtown waterfront.

City and team officials have scheduled a public meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Tropicana Field to discuss the potential Tropicana redevelopment. Here's what you need to know before you arrive.

The specifics: The meeting starts at 6 p.m. Enter Tropicana Field through "Gate 1" or the main rotunda via Third Avenue South. City officials say the public meeting is tentatively scheduled to last until 9 p.m.

Reservations, please: City officials are requesting that people RSVP by today if they plan to attend. The phone number to call is 727 893-7100. Attendees can also send e-mails to business@stpete.org Organizers are expecting 100 to 200 people but said they will not turn anyone away, whether they RSVP or not.

What's going to happen: The city and the Rays will make short presentations. Then attendees will break into groups to discuss the potential redevelopment of Tropicana Field. Each group will develop a list of ideas for the redevelopment. The groups will share their results with the rest of the audience.

No stadium discussion: City officials say they will steer the discussion away from the proposed stadium at Al Lang Field, though it likely will come up. This meeting, they say, is designed solely to provide input on the possible redevelopment of Tropicana Field.

Results sent to potential developers: The city is considering whether to issue a "request for proposals" to developers nationwide for the 86-acre Tropicana site. If the city decides to move forward, officials say they intend to transmit the results of the public meeting to potential Tropicana developers as well.

If you can't make it: Results of the meeting will be made available by the city.

What's next: Based in part on Wednesday's discussion, the City Council will decide Jan. 17 whether to ask developers for redevelopment scenarios for Tropicana Field. However, council members have said that they will not finalize any plan unless voters approve plans for a new stadium in a referendum scheduled for November.

[Last modified January 7, 2008, 06:35:37]


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Comments on this article
by Mojo 02/05/08 04:37 PM
Lots of space out here along the I-4 corridor for a beautiful enclosed stadium with acres of parking. Come on St. Pete ..vote the new plan down..!
by kenneth ward stephens 01/10/08 06:53 AM
lets save our Dome noway
by Karen 01/09/08 08:31 PM
We need lower property taxes and insurance now! If the City Council members use hard-earned tax payer money to pay for a totally unnecessary, unwanted stadium, they should be considered thieves!
by Edward 01/09/08 05:48 PM
If St. Pete fills the residential vacancies that now exist or are currently in some stage of development in the downtown area, then add a new stadium downtown it will create a monumental traffic disaster. These people are morons.
by Kathleen 01/08/08 12:57 PM
City officials have no authority to conduct any such meeting. The city Council has not proposed any such policy that would interfere with an existing city contract. This is wrong. Kathleen Ford
by dino 01/08/08 08:23 AM
The Rays will have a better chance of getting this through if they start winning..Most fans I talk too like The Trop, but I understand the players don't like playing there. I won't pay a licensing fee to relocate to a new park.
by Mr. B 01/08/08 06:49 AM
Why spend that kind of money why not help the homeless in the area. They all are not bums as we tend to call them. Most are just down on there luck. and need a little help and PRAYERS
by Steve 01/07/08 11:08 PM
You all are so dumb. Its the greatest idea and it will happen
by el cid 01/07/08 10:41 PM
let them move to gateway or over to tampa bye bye
by joan 01/07/08 05:23 PM
I can't believe anyone in their right mind would consider an out door stadium in a state where most people don't go out on the hottest days of summer much less go to a baseball game without air conditioning
by Hoshi 01/07/08 04:24 PM
I agree with John, what a crime when the money is needed in so many other areas of the community.
by Orala 01/07/08 04:07 PM
Funny how we're just hearing about this now and reservations have to be made by today to attend?! I agree with Neil, these are a bunch of sneaky snakes in the grass who are just trying to squeak under the radar at the expense of the resident's of SP
by Craig 01/07/08 03:40 PM
The only thing to consider is who in the city administration, past or present, is responsible for allowing the "Devil" Rays the opportunity to present such a irresponsible idea. Accountability from the fallout for the "dome" fiasco is top priority!
by Lin 01/07/08 03:38 PM
Traffic is already bad enough on the maze of one-way streets downtown. I can't imagine trying to fight baseball traffic to go to Publix or the post office, on game days it's a crawl going past the Trop on those wide streets with all the parking lots.
by nowayman 01/07/08 03:19 PM
I'm hearing rumours of filling part of the bay to make parking spaces for the new abomination. You have a stadium - give us a winning team. 10 years and counting...
by Frank 01/07/08 02:09 PM
St. Pete doesn't need two ballparks. Get rid of one and remake the old into something amazing will just add to the flavor of the downtown area, plus the Trop. needs to go. The land can be rezoned into more low income housing or something beneficial.
by Daniel 01/07/08 02:08 PM
A stadium with a roof is a must but the facility there at Tropicana is by far the worst in the league. The Rays would be best served building a new, baseball only stadium that is more fan friendly than the Trop, then fill it with star players.
by HD 01/07/08 01:38 PM
we need "hometown democracy" for this one.
by wazzamattaU 01/07/08 01:22 PM
No matter how great the team may be, baseball should never become so important to anyone. We have real issues to deal with and the taxpayer should stay out of the sports and entertainment business.
by Eric 01/07/08 01:20 PM
Air Conditioning... Are you kidding me, an outside ball park for August??
by Jay 01/07/08 11:14 AM
Have them play in the current Al Lang Field maybe they could sell out a game. I say have the owners of the Ray's put a team on the field that is worth watching before they get a New Park
by David 01/07/08 10:47 AM
First they want to get proposals to redevelope the Trop site. Then they will use all those numbers and pretty pictures to wrest away the publics ownership of the Al Lang waterfront site. Anyone feel manipulated yet?
by Scooter 01/07/08 10:41 AM
If you build it they will come? Oh wait that is why we have an old outdated Tropicana Field. If the Rays want a new stadium let them build it. Last time I checked they have a long term lease at Tropicana Field.
by J 01/07/08 10:38 AM
Have you ever been to a rays game in July. Its a relief when you walk into the stadium to get out of the rain or heat. An outside stadium would be empty most of the time.
by mikey 01/07/08 09:50 AM
Lets see..put more money into Midtown or put more money into a new downtown stadium. Thats like choosing between a Stroke or a heart attack!!
by Bill 01/07/08 09:48 AM
I just love how we're already talking about what to do with the Tropicana site after it is torn down like it's already a done deal. What do they mean "No stadium discussion"??? Shouldn't we first talk about the viability of the Al Lang site???
by Randy 01/07/08 07:32 AM
So the city can afford to repair or build a new stadium but can't even offer the poor homeless a porta potti in front of city hall, much less a facility. Come on. No wonder the aclu lawyers are having a field day with the city.
by John 01/07/08 06:25 AM
I don't see how you can even think of using tax payer money for A stadium when there is such A greater need for the poor, children, medical aid etc.
by William 01/06/08 10:20 PM
Instead of going through the hassle of a public vote and asking for tax break, why don't the Rays just put those millions into refurbishing Progress Energy Park. You already have the structure and all you have to do is add more seating and amenities
by neil 01/06/08 09:49 PM
ALL!!!!! of the promoters' "predicitons" of how wonderful this will be are LIES!!! Beware of them!!!!
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