Lightning Say They Don't Need Bed Tax Dollars

Following a noontime press conference to announce uniform changes, Lightning Owner Jeff Vinik previewed the renovations he was planning for the St. Pete Times Forum.

We asked Vinik if he was still going after bed tax dollars, as uncovered by the Times.

"We do not have a deal with the county for public funding at all," Vinik told WTSP-TV reporter Mike Deeson. "We are announcing this plan to go ahead whether we eventually get funding from the county or not."

In a time where almost every commission and council in Florida is looking to cut spending (even tourist taxes), Vinik's comments are truly a nice surprise. They also show he's a really really bad poker player.....unless he's a really really good one and we don't know it yet.