This year could very well determine whether the Tampa Bay Rays remain in the region. Unless St. Petersburg City Council reverses itself and allows the Rays to scout Pinellas and Hillsborough counties for a new location for a ballpark, as Mayor Rick Kriseman had negotiated with the franchise, the Rays’ days here could be numbered.Both papers listed the Stadium Saga in last year's New Year's editorials, and it may appear in next year's too at this rate.
Losing the Rays would be a major economic blow not only to St. Petersburg and Pinellas, but to the region as a whole. Wiser thinking must prevail. The Rays should be allowed to look for a more centrally located site for a ballpark in both counties in exchange for fair compensation to the city. This issue needs to be resolved.
For what it's worth, here are the 3 things I think the Stadium Saga needs in 2015.
UPDATE: Turns out the Times had a New Year's Resolution for a stadium too, just a couple days later than normal.
But Kriseman is looking for more restaurants, groceries and stores in 2015!
ReplyDeleteThe mayor said his focus next year will be on economic development in St. Petersburg's challenged south side.
"We need to have more restaurant choices, and grocery store choices, and retail choices for the people that live in south St. Pete," Kriseman said. "I want a commitment from a business that they are going to locate in south St. Pete."
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/27738996/2014/12/31/kriseman-plans-focus-on-south-st-pete-in-2015
We are far far away from an approved MOU to just start the process of looking at a site, that is on hold since 2007.