Is Pinellas County preparing to get out of the business of Major League Baseball?If you remember back a year ago, it was actually the Rays that encouraged Pinellas County to more or less "move on" past baseball because Tropicana Field land could be more valuable without a stadium there. Ironic.
"It's not like an official decision has been made," {Commissioner Charlie} Justice said Wednesday. "It just seems like the thought of spending any of that money on a stadium has been pushed to the background. No one has said that; it's more an observation I've made."
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There are 14 seasons remaining on the use agreement at Tropicana Field, but the clock on stadium decisions has always run a little faster than many have realized.
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Pinellas County's payment obligations at Tropicana Field will end in a couple of years, and a handful of groups are lining up to claim the tourism dollars that will suddenly be available. There's a similar situation in Hillsborough, where Tampa Convention Center debts will soon be paid off, and various eyeballs are beginning to focus on that windfall.
And a few months ago, I reported that Pinellas Co. might be leaning more toward spending money on spring training stadia than a new home for the Rays, since they seem to be on the "Tampa or Bust" train.
But Romano made it clear - via his conclusion that "one of these days, time will no longer be on our side" - that spending bed tax money on the Rays (either in Pinellas or Hillsborough) should be a priority and the discussion needs to happen sooner, rather than later.
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