Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Rays reps ready to rub many an elbow

A flurry of community meetings will gauge interest in the stadium.

By CRISTINA SILVA, Times Staff Writer
Published January 23, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - City officials have declined to publicly discuss a proposal to build a waterfront major league baseball stadium, but that doesn't mean the Rays themselves are keeping mum.

Rays officials have scheduled meetings with more than 40 neighborhood and community associations between January and April in an effort to sell their proposed $450-million baseball park to potential voters. More discussions will probably be added.

"The premise of these is to hear ideas from the community," said Rick Vaughn, a spokesman for the Rays. "We have said right from the beginning that this is going to be driven from feedback from our fans and the public."

The 12 well-attended meetings held so far have featured discussions - about expenses, parking and team performance - not elaborate PowerPoint presentations, residents said.

"We had to bring in extra chairs," said Marilyn Olson, for an overflowing crowd that showed up for a Rays meeting with the Downtown Neighborhood Association two weeks ago. "They tried very hard to answer the questions that they could and they offered to come back. Everyone, even if they didn't agree, felt at least the Rays had been open to their questions."

Jim Pelletier, president of the Venetian Isles Homeowners Association, said Rays representatives called him this month to see if they could attend the group's annual meeting Thursday.

"I said, 'I have no idea what kind of response you'll get, but you're welcome to come,'" Pelletier said. "I am open to their pitch, but they may get some animosity. I haven't met anybody embracing the idea anywhere."

Although city officials have agreed to eventually hold three public hearings on the stadium proposal, the Rays' discussions, scheduled to be held at community centers, churches and intimate restaurants, are among the first forums where residents can voice their support or opposition of the stadium.

The first public hearing on the Rays plan will be held at 6 p.m. Feb. 21.

The city hosted a public meeting to discuss the redevelopment of Tropicana Field this month, but city officials discouraged discussion of the proposed stadium.

The City Council also opted to solicit developer proposals for the Tropicana Field site without public input last week. That project would help pay for the stadium at Al Lang Field, according to the Rays.

Some critics say the lack of public discourse gives the appearance that the massive downtown redevelopment is all but certain.

"The whole thing has been steamrolled," said Hal Freedman, who has attended several of the Rays meetings and is forming a group of residents opposed to the stadium. "Everything seems to be lined up to make this thing happen, whether it should or not."

The Rays, however, say they are listening.

"All we are asking people to do is keep an open mind," said Michael Kalt, senior vice president of development and business affairs for the Rays.

The Rays are scheduled to meet with more than 40 community and neighborhood associations in a four-month span.

Here are some of the meetings in January and the organizations that will host the Rays:

Thursday: Venetian Isles annual meeting, 7:30 p.m., Lutheran Church of the Cross.

Friday: Suncoast Tiger Bay luncheon, 11:30 a.m., St. Petersburg Yacht Club.

Tuesday: Rotary Club of St. Pete, 12:15 p.m., Peninsula Inn.

For a complete list, see www.majorleaguedowntown.com. Click on outreach events at the bottom.

[Last modified January 22, 2008, 22:50:25]