Thursday, March 10, 2016

Pinellas Trying to Choose Which Multi-Millionaires to Hand Tax Dollars To

Pinellas County has a lot of tourism money coming in this time of year...and for some reason, their politicians feel like they must spend the revenue on sports facilities.

But which franchises capitalize on the bed tax bonanza is yet to be decided.

We know that the Braves liked the idea of Toytown in Pinellas County, but they also told the county they basically wanted the whole thing paid for.  So that has the team now talking to Palm Beach Co., Sarasota Co...and maybe Yeehaw Junction for all we know.

READ: Braves Willing to Move Anywhere There's $70M

But if the Braves don't get those Pinellas dollars, the Blue Jays certainly would be interested.  Whether it's a new ballpark in Dunedin or moving into Bright House Networks Field with the Phillies, talks are ongoing about the team's future.

READ: Pinellas Co.'s Controversial Spring Training Future

There's also talk of the Brewers possibly coming back to Florida, with Pinellas County a logical frontrunner to land them.  It's not the first time we've heard those rumors.

But as this blog has detailed since 2010, it makes sense.  The Grapefruit League is in legit position to steal a team away from the Cactus League, as the Brewers wouldn't mind "coming home" to their Wisconsin base on Florida's West Coast.

Of course, any county money spent on Spring Training takes away from possible dollars available for the Rays - regardless of what elected officials say - so there's a race among interests to lock up a deal before anyone else gets any ideas of how to spend bed tax money.
And right now, the team closest to a stadium deal...isn't a baseball franchise, but the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer club.  Team owner Bill Edwards hasn't kept many secrets about his vision of an 18,000-seat MLS stadium - with someone else picking up most of the $70M tab - and St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman is now talking about putting it on the city's ballot this fall.  Even if the MLS dream may be more difficult than Edwards indicates.





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18 comments:

  1. UnknownMarch 11, 2016 at 2:49 PM

    Well, again, it takes money to make money... StPete should wait & replace the Trop with a MLS stadium, then give back AL Lang to baseball & spring training. Plus, do whatever to keep the Jays in North Pinellas...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousMarch 11, 2016 at 4:23 PM

      It does not take public money to make money. Then the rest of your nonsense arguments fall apart.

      Delete
    2. UnknownMarch 12, 2016 at 11:45 AM

      Technically no it doesnt need to be "public" money, money is money regardless of whos it is, BUT it used to make more money thru sports & it makes public money...

      Delete
    3. Noah PranskyMarch 14, 2016 at 7:13 AM

      What???

      Delete
    4. Noah PranskyMarch 14, 2016 at 7:14 AM

      MLB is more profitable than ever. It should pay its fair share (majority) of stadium construction.

      Delete
  2. UnknownMarch 12, 2016 at 11:47 AM

    Something I been saying on this blog for years (among other forums) got some light shined on it!
    http://www.raysindex.com/2016/03/derek-jeter-will-join-the-rays-in-cuba-fueling-speculation-about-his-future-role-as-an-owner.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownMarch 12, 2016 at 11:52 AM

      "But Jeter (or any other biz partner) couldnt talk to the Rays about stadiums, Noah says they have just sat silent in their office at the Trop all these years"... lol

      Delete
    2. Noah PranskyMarch 14, 2016 at 7:13 AM

      Actually, that's not true. There's nothing stopping Jeter from talking to Sternberg about purchase and/or stadiums. Jeter could also talk to Tampa officials about it if he wanted. He's not bound by any contract, and St. Pete would have no real claim of interference.

      Delete
    3. UnknownMarch 14, 2016 at 10:29 AM

      Makes sense being Jeter isnt part of politics...

      Delete
  3. UnknownMarch 14, 2016 at 4:20 AM

    Noah, this is why you have sports & local politics work together, to have weekends like this!

    http://www.tampabay.com/sports/golf/pga/jones-when-the-world-of-sports-comes-to-tampa-bay/2269225

    ReplyDelete
  4. Clearwater AttorneyMarch 17, 2016 at 7:19 PM

    I can think of a lot of better uses for that money that's for sure.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownMarch 17, 2016 at 11:52 PM

      Maybe, but you can't "think of better uses" that would make our community money.

      Delete
    2. Noah PranskyMarch 19, 2016 at 8:20 AM

      Oh, there's a lot of folks who would disagree on that one....
      #Transit

      Delete
    3. UnknownMarch 19, 2016 at 3:46 PM

      ? "Oh, there's a lot of (smarter) folks who would" understand that over 1/2 million attended or WORKED the sporting events w/ about 1/5 - 1/4 being out-of-towners that probably averaged about $1k spent here was a MONEY MAKER. #duh

      Delete
    4. Noah PranskyMarch 21, 2016 at 2:34 PM

      Sporting events are retail operations that typically employ fewer people than a single department store.

      Delete
  5. UnknownMarch 22, 2016 at 4:22 PM

    Well, we'll "agree to disagree" about the amount of revenue drawn from out-of-towners through sporting events we hosted because of financial partnerships between the Tampa Bay community & government, and the likes of the PGA, NHL, Indy, etc. to benefit our community for our future through the generated revenues...
    Can we at least agree that the weekend drew at least 50-100k people that DON'T live here, and they spent an average of maybe $1k while here? If so, let's do the math...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Noah PranskyMarch 23, 2016 at 9:27 AM

      What weekend? Indycar weekend?

      There aren't 50,000 hotel rooms in St. Pete, so there goes that theory...

      Delete
    2. UnknownMarch 23, 2016 at 1:35 PM

      I think he was including the draw from the PGA, NHL, and MLB ST games...

      Delete

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