Preserve Our Wallets and Waterfront is a group of concerned St Petersburg residents from all walks of life (and from all parts of town) who have decided to work together to provide the community with information regarding the proposed development of the Tropicana site and new baseball stadium at the current Al Lang Field. The Rays have been holding meetings with neighborhood and civic groups. POWW wants you get a broader perspective on this critical matter to St Petersburg taxpayers.
Our mission is simple. We want to preserve our world-famous downtown waterfront for generations to come, which includes protecting the environment. We do not want to provide welfare to big business via a new baseball stadium for the Rays, and major league baseball is definitely a business.
Development on the Trop site might indeed benefit the taxpayers in the long term, but keep in mind that any money earned from the sale of the site to developers (and perhaps more to reach $300,000,000 for the taxpayers' "contribution") will be spent on the new stadium. Further, any property tax revenue generated from such development will not come immediately, if at all. Why not develop around the current Trop instead, without risking $450,000,000 of taxpayers' money, and giving away what is possibly the most valuable piece of property the City owns?
As for a new waterfront baseball stadium for the Rays, there are multiple issues to consider, environmental and logistical as well as financial. But the financial impact, abuse of the process, and loss of our fantastic, public waterfront are most troubling.
There is likely to be some long-term benefit to the City in redeveloping the Trop site, in total or in part. However, the taxpayers won't see those benefits for several decades. All the sales proceeds, and perhaps more of the City's money, will go into environmental clean-up of the Trop site, demolition of the old Dome, and utilities infrastructure. Any funds left over will be part of the City's $300,000,000 contribution to construction of the new stadium. The rest of construction will be funded by $150,000,000 from the Rays, which is actually a pre-payment of 30 years rent -- our money -- and debt. All of the City's share of property tax and sales tax revenues generated by redevelopment of the Trop site will go to pay off that debt for decades to come.
This is what they want to replace. Al Lang Field is the latest incarnation of a neighborhood-compatible ball park that has existed on this site since 1914. It has been host to spring training and/or minor league baseball for 8 teams during that period.
This image is from http://www.majorleaguedowntown.com/VideoImages.aspx. Note that it is almost as tall as the Signature Buiding. How does this differ from a 20-30 story buidling on our waterfront? Do we want a structure of that size on the waterfront downtown?
There is a question regarding the material that will be used for the sail. It may be more translucent than opaque, meaning some light might well get through in either direction.
The Rays said that the stadium will range from 2 to 15 (153 feet) stories even without the sail. The 2-story part is at the end closest to the corner of 1 St. S and 1 Ave. S. The 15-story party is closest to 1 St. S and what would be 3rd Ave. S. It is 20 stories high over 2nd base because the overhang is permanent.
Not quite as obvious in this rendering is the encroachment into the water. The stadium as proposed is wider than the current block between 1 St. S. and Bayshore Blvd. The Rays' solution is to fill in approximately .6 of an acre of the basin and move Bayshore Blvd. onto the filled area.
Keep in mind that the over $100,000,000 still owing of the Tropicana site would not go away even if the land is sold and developed. That is because the bonds to pay for the Trop are not callable. They cannot be paid off in advance of the due date. Some will not be paid off until 2025. Where will the money come from for this debt?
The property tax revenue generated by any development of the Trop site could be used for other improvements and economic development that would benefit all of St. Petersburg's citizens. The sales tax revenues could pay for other City services such as fire, police, etc.
Because the Rays will need to use the Trop until their new stadium is ready for occupancy, the City will have to find the money to pay $300,000,000 somewhere. Since we do not have extra money available, just waiting for a good place to spend it, the City will likely have to borrow the funds. Moreover, since the full effect of the new Trop development will not be felt for years, how will we find the money to make our loan payments in the interim?
Add to this the fact that the Rays and City officials have been working this out in secret for over a year, prior to the "leak" in November, 2007, and that the timetable for action is one that benefits only the Rays and the Rays' proposed schedule. Maybe there is nothing improper about the either proposal. But, it sure smells funny.