St. Pete Council Talks Rays Again Thursday

THURSDAY UPDATE: Council moved right past the baseball discussions, saving their voices - and opinions - for another day.

After St. Petersburg's council voted to pitch the mayor on their plan for keeping the Rays, the following appears on tomorrow morning's council agenda:

(a) Resolution of the City Council of the City of St. Petersburg, Florida expressing its desire to keep St. Petersburg the home of the Tampa Bay Rays for decades to come.

(b) Resolution of the City Council of the City of St. Petersburg, Florida requesting
Administration to provide City Council with a proposed scope of work and cost to retain a consultant to determine the economic impact to the City of St. Petersburg from

1. the Tampa Bay Rays remaining in St. Petersburg beyond the term of the use agreement,
2. the Tampa Bay Rays relocating to Hillsborough County following the term of the use agreement or prior to the end of the term of the use agreement subject to City Council approval, and
3. the Tampa Bay Rays relocating to a location outside the Tampa Bay region following the term of the use agreement or prior to the end of the term of the use agreement subject to City Council approval.

(c) Resolution of the City Council of the City of St. Petersburg, Florida requesting the Tourist Development Council to

1. propose an amendment to the Tourist Development Plan to provide that an allocation of one percent of the five percent tourist tax revenues be available to finance the construction of a new stadium in St. Petersburg for the Tampa Bay Rays unless it is concluded that the Tampa Bay Rays will not build a new stadium in St. Petersburg, and
2. recommend such proposed amendment to the Tourist Development Plan to the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners.

Don't expect too much from the Mayor on the new deal he apparently negotiated - he's only talking to council behind-the-scenes about it and I was told "no records exist" when I made a request to the city for a draft of the agreement.

According to a Times profile of Brian Auld, the Rays' president is also working - on a limited basis - behind-the-scenes with willing councilmembers.

But for now, as always, I'll be keeping an eye on the developments for you tomorrow:
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