Rays New Stadium

[Theologator]

The Tampa Bay Rays announce their new stadium plan:

Rays announce plans for new $1.3 billion stadium in St. Petersburg: 'Our Rays are here to stay'

It’s official - the Tampa Bay Rays are here to stay.

www.fox13news.com

To recap: Having the worst attendance in MLB, their plan is to build a $1.3b, 30,000-seat bandbox that will be the smallest stadium in MLB and right next to their historically lousy, isolated location. People don’t want to fight through Tampa and cross bridges to get there. It’s being packaged with some urban redevelopment plans. Fine if that sells the public piece of it, but that won’t increase attendance.

Metro Tampa is booming as are points north, south and east of Tampa. St. Pete is improving but was built out decades ago has no room to grow like that.

The Trop should have never been built and this is quadrupling down on their mistake. Dumb.

 

[B52G8rAC]

When I read the thread title I was wondering who Ray was.

 

[Born2beagator]

Just leave the state. So done with this

 

[Alumni Guy]

The Tampa Bay Rays announce their new stadium plan:

Rays announce plans for new $1.3 billion stadium in St. Petersburg: 'Our Rays are here to stay'

It’s official - the Tampa Bay Rays are here to stay.

www.fox13news.com

To recap: Having the worst attendance in MLB, their plan is to build a $1.3b, 30,000-seat bandbox that will be the smallest stadium in MLB and right next to their historically lousy, isolated location. People don’t want to fight through Tampa and cross bridges to get there. It’s being packaged with some urban redevelopment plans. Fine if that sells the public piece of it, but that won’t increase attendance.

Metro Tampa is booming as are points north, south and east of Tampa. St. Pete is improving but was built out decades ago has no room to grow like that.

The Trop should have never been built and this is quadrupling down on their mistake. Dumb.

Couldn’t agree more: that part of St Pete is not only a pain to get to, but it’s basically in a deadzone away from gulf and bay,

Then, they aren’t going retracting roof. 2nd verse, same as the first. It’s gonna fail.

 

[Born2beagator]

Their reasoning is "st Pete is different and is growing" but you are still away from the population center

 

[78]

Actually, their reasoning was how much of the total bill they would have to foot in Tampa (all) vs. St. Petersburg (55%). Twice the Tampa group approached them. Twice they got ghosted for the same reason. Tampa was all about protecting the taxpayer. Good for them. They lost out on an MLB team.

Before we go further down the path of location logic, downtown St. Pete is only about 40 years removed from being seen as an overgrown ACLF. It's younger, it's got a vibrant waterfront, lots of cool restaurants and downtown parks and it has its own Grand Prix. It's got the Vinoy and the Dali Museum. The beach and the Don Cesar are nearby. The stadium project will bring with it an expansive new shopping element that fits well with the background. I'd rather spend an afternoon there than sterile downtown Tampa.

81 x 30,000 = 2,430,000. The Rays think they can get in that vicinity. They'll make the money they need and want. Personally, I'm glad they're staying. I like going to Rays games. I wouldn't if they were in Ybor.

 

[URGatorBait]

Just leave the state. So done with this

They will move to Orlando

 

[aka]

Actually, their reasoning was how much of the total bill they would have to foot in Tampa (all) vs. St. Petersburg (55%). Twice the Tampa group approached them. Twice they got ghosted for the same reason. Tampa was all about protecting the taxpayer. Good for them. They lost out on an MLB team.

Before we go further down the path of location logic, downtown St. Pete is only about 40 years removed from being seen as an overgrown ACLF. It's younger, it's got a vibrant waterfront, lots of cool restaurants and downtown parks and it has its own Grand Prix. It's got the Vinoy and the Dali Museum. The beach and the Don Cesar are nearby. The stadium project will bring with it an expansive new shopping element that fits well with the background. I'd rather spend an afternoon there than sterile downtown Tampa.

81 x 30,000 = 2,430,000. The Rays think they can get in that vicinity. They'll make the money they need and want. Personally, I'm glad they're staying. I like going to Rays games. I wouldn't if they were in Ybor.

This

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

People still won’t drive the Frankenstein in rush hour traffic to get to weeknight games. Oldsmar or Citrus Park areas would have made more sense.

 

[GatorJ]

People still won’t drive the Frankenstein in rush hour traffic to get to weeknight games. Oldsmar or Citrus Park areas would have made more sense.

Nobody wants to fight that traffic. It should’ve been put out by the fairgrounds.

 

[Fun N' Stun]

People still won’t drive the Frankenstein in rush hour traffic to get to weeknight games. Oldsmar or Citrus Park areas would have made more sense.

I don't want any of my money paying for this corporate welfare. I'm glad it didn't come to Hillsborough County.

 

[Theologator]

Actually, their reasoning was how much of the total bill they would have to foot in Tampa (all) vs. St. Petersburg (55%). Twice the Tampa group approached them. Twice they got ghosted for the same reason. Tampa was all about protecting the taxpayer. Good for them. They lost out on an MLB team.

Before we go further down the path of location logic, downtown St. Pete is only about 40 years removed from being seen as an overgrown ACLF. It's younger, it's got a vibrant waterfront, lots of cool restaurants and downtown parks and it has its own Grand Prix. It's got the Vinoy and the Dali Museum. The beach and the Don Cesar are nearby. The stadium project will bring with it an expansive new shopping element that fits well with the background. I'd rather spend an afternoon there than sterile downtown Tampa.

81 x 30,000 = 2,430,000. The Rays think they can get in that vicinity. They'll make the money they need and want. Personally, I'm glad they're staying. I like going to Rays games. I wouldn't if they were in Ybor.

They aren’t going to nearly double attendance because of a new stadium. But there are positives for St. Pete & Pinellas County. If it’s good for you, then

 

[soflagator]

They will move to Orlando

Will they keep the Rays name despite being an hour and a half from the coast? Or do they switch it up and go with something more local like the “Aquatica’s” or “Neck Tats”?

 

[Born2beagator]

I still will rarely go. Driving from lakeland to st Pete isn't fun

 

[Theologator]

Will they keep the Rays name despite being an hour and a half from the coast? Or do they switch it up and go with something more local like the “Aquatica’s” or “Neck Tats”?

They will move to Orlando

Orlando is now an hour and a half from Orlando.

 

[Schwifty]

I’m thinking the attendance will improve temporarily due to the novelty, but what happens when that novelty wears off?

The traffic issue is no joke. I live in New Tampa, and it took me a good 2 hours+ getting back home after a matinee game (hell it takes me less time to go to Gainesville). Can’t go to as many games as I’d like, but if the alternative is the team moving to Montreal, then keep them in St Pete. Whatevs.

 

[Schwifty]

Will they keep the Rays name despite being an hour and a half from the coast? Or do they switch it up and go with something more local like the “Aquatica’s” or “Neck Tats”?

The fighting Tourists

 

[URGatorBait]

Will they keep the Rays name despite being an hour and a half from the coast? Or do they switch it up and go with something more local like the “Aquatica’s” or “Neck Tats”?

I hear they are considering "soflagator is a closeted homosexual" it's long and tedious to say but it has work shopped really well

 

[oxrageous]

Can’t go to as many games as I’d like, but if the alternative is the team moving to Montreal, then keep them in St Pete. Whatevs.

Depending on the time of day, getting to Montreal could be quicker, even factoring in the customs process.

 

[78]

They aren’t going to nearly double attendance because of a new stadium. But there are positives for St. Pete & Pinellas County. If it’s good for you, then

They don't need to double and the current trajectory favors it. According to Sports Journal Business, the Rays are already averaging 18,255 and have experienced a YOY increase of 29.1%, which is among the top half-dozen of teams in MLB. At their current pace, they'll finish with their best annual attendance in a decade.

I don't think it's a major stretch to imagine an average figure around 30k with a new park.