The Bucs opened Raymond James Stadium on Sunday with a
win over the Bears in front of 64,328, according to Bruce
Lowitt of the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, who wrote that "winning
solves a lot of problems and by game's end Sunday, most of
them -- the inoperative escalators, the blank-screened
televisions at concession stands, the missing confetti and
miniature footballs on the pirate ship, the absence of food
servers in club sections, the residue of recent
construction, the small degree of confusion in finding some
seats and initial displeasure at their location -- seemed
less relevant." The pirate ship, which sits at one end of
the stadium "was an enormous draw before and during the
game" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 9/21). Also in St. Pete, Wayne
Washington wrote that fans "were wowed by the pirate ship
and blown away by the clear views from even the most far-
away seats in the house" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 9/21).
WORK IN PROGRESS: One day after RJS opened "to mostly
rave reviews," Tampa Sports Authority (TSA) Exec Dir Henry
Saavedra said that the facility "will undergo constant work
and maintenance." One thing "that needs no improvement is
the festive pirate ship" (ST. PETE TIMES, 9/22). In Tampa,
Tom McEwen: "Ticket woes involving seat location and late
availability are still being sung. But truth is, anyone
checking out RJS last Friday, even Saturday, would not have
forecast how well things went" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 9/22).
NOTES: The TAMPA TRIBUNE listed RJS suite holders as of
Sunday (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 9/21)....The TSA put Sunday's
concession revenues at "more than $950,000." TSA Dir of
Stadium Ops Mickey Farrell said the total "likely will
increase" to $1M for the October 4 game against the
Giants...Sunday's Bucs-Bears game drew a local 34.4/55
overnight rating on WTVT-Fox (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 9/22).
