Kriseman "would like to get it done within the next month but definitely before Christmas'' so he can bring it to the City Council for approval, Council Chairman Bill Dudley said last week.This in and of itself is nothing new, but Charlie Frago and Stephen Nohlgren provide some nice behind-the-scenes details at what's being ironed out.
No surprise, the penalty the team would pay for leaving remains a major sticking point, as it did throughout Bill Foster's tenure as mayor:
[L]ast summer, Foster and the Rays came close to a deal based on a different compensation scheme. There would be no up-front fee just to go look — but the final buyout price would be arranged in advance.The big challenge for Kriseman and city attorneys is how to let the Rays look in Tampa while still protecting the city's ironclad contract. If the city wouldn't suffer "incalculable" damages anymore with a Rays move to Tampa, why would they have any claim of "incalculable" damages in a move to another state?
Foster reportedly was asking about $5 million for each season lost, and the Rays were reportedly offering around $2 million to $3 million.
The Times adds Kriseman may once again face resistance from St. Pete's city council, just as a proposed Rays amendment did in 2012:
Council member Amy Foster said her constituents are frustrated by the long, secretive negotiations. "A lot of people feel like these negotiations should take place in the sunshine," she said.Then, there's the issue of how to pay for a $500 million stadium, the land under it, and any damages to St. Pete. But why worry about that stuff until there's another city offering a subsidy package we can compete against?
Hmmm... I assume the Rays would have to cover about 8 seasons. I don't see anything happening before then. At 2-3M per vs 5M per, that's 20-40M, like I expected. Though I'm surprised the Rays will concede to paying anything. Any idea if the city is going to ask for lower amounts if still in the TB area compared to Montreal or other boogeymen.
ReplyDeleteI know you're cynical about this, but I would just be glad to see some progress. Posturing for another 5 seasons just isn't productive.
The issue remains - how much should Tampa Bay/Florida taxpayers pay to replace a functional stadium?
DeleteBut what about the city's acknowledgement of St. Pete's advantageous position. From the article,
ReplyDelete"His preference is for a new stadium at the eastern end of the Trop property, combined with a hotel and small convention center for gatherings of 2,000 to 3,000 people. The city could sweeten the pot by giving the Rays full development rights on remaining Trop land, Dudley said.
If that's not possible, he said, he would like to proceed with developing the Trop acreage without a stadium.
Noah MLB told ST.PETE not to build. Clearly the Rays owe the city nothing. It is sour traps. The city is having a hard time accepting they really just a minor league city in a major league world.
ReplyDeleteMLB was SOOO upset that St. Pete built that stadium, they threatened to move there for nearly a decade.....then they were SOOO upset they built a stadium, they awarded a team to play there....then they were SOOO upset they built a stadium in St. Pete, the league signed a 30-year-deal to play there.
DeleteWhy should St. Pete all of a sudden let the team out of the deal without proper compensation?