To fit the giant stadium where Al Lang is now, the Rays plan to dredge and fill the Bay to make more room.  They plan to dump the equivalent of 1 foot concrete blocks stacked over 25 miles high into the Bay right near a freshwater spring that supports federally endangered manatee and seagrass beds.  This will take 06 acres of the Bay and turn it into land.  Because the Basin is too shallow for the thousands of cubic yards of dirt to be barged in, expect to see hundreds of dump trucks driving through our downtown City streets for months.

While the proposed fill area of 6 acres (image at left) alone is significant, it is important to note that the impact of the dredge and fill process will extend to a much greater area.  Additionally, the entire area will be subject to heavy boat traffic approximately 81 days each year, as fans try to catch long balls hit into the Bay.  Manatee, dolphin and other marine life will be adversely affected.

One possible reason there is so much marine life in this area is due to an underwater spring from which 80 degree water flows year round.  This is essential for species such as the manatee and other aquatic life, who rely on the warmth during the colder months.  Manatee and other species also depend on the fresh water to help regulate the amount of salt in their bodies.  Disturbing their ability to do so can quite possibly be fatal.  (Note: Dives have been performed to support this theory, but not by FWC.)

In addition, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) considers this a protected well for both its marine-life importance and from a historical preservation perspective.  The spring itself is a piece of St. Petersburg's history.  The postcard to the right shows the original "Fountain of Youth" that used to existed in that area.  It was a significant tourist attraction and protecting this area, if for no other reason, is responsible stewardship of our city's heritage.