In Tampa, Margie Manning reported Mississippi-based Hancock Bank has "ended its sponsorship of the upscale stadium-dining club" at Tropicana Field. Rays Senior VP & Chief Sales Officer Mark Fernandez said, "They've been with us for eight years, originally as Whitney Bank, and it's been a great relationship but it's not going to continue." Hancock Bank Regional President for Tampa Bay Tim Coop said that the club "was a highly effective means of increasing brand recognition" in the market. Fernandez indicated that the team has a "couple of potential new sponsors for the club," but he is not expecting an announcement "before opening day" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/10).
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: The Twins and local restaurant Barrio yesterday announced a deal covering naming rights to a new lounge and bar in left field at Target Field. Barrio, the name of the destination inside Gate 6, will serve fresh Latin cuisine and a wide selection of tequilas. The old space held a small retail store and the pre- and postgame set for FS North. The store and RSN setup will be moved elsewhere in the ballpark. The Twins covered the $2M cost of the retrofit (Don Muret, Staff Writer). In Minneapolis, Michael Rand noted Barrio "will host a 'Thristy Thursday happy hour" on game days from 5:30-6:30pm CT with beers and rail drinks costing just $2. Target Field typically "sets drink prices at four or five times that number" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 3/10).
CLOSE TO RETIREMENT: In Milwaukee, Don Walker reports the 0.1% Miller Park sales tax "could be retired" as soon as '18 or as late as '20. The stadium district last year saw an "increase in sales tax revenue of 8.78%, which is far higher than in recent years." A total of $28.4M was collected in the five counties that encompass the district. Sales-tax revenue had "declined in three of the previous five years" before this year. The district still owes $195M "in principal and interest debt-service payments." The initial total was $524M (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 3/11).
PREP WORK: In Ft. Lauderdale, Andy Reid notes the Palm Beach County Commission yesterday approved spending $5M of a $135M proposal to build a Spring Training complex for the Astros and Nationals, "even though a deal has yet to be finalized." Completing the deal "depends on the Florida Legislature agreeing to remove restrictions on the proposed stadium site." The money approved yesterday would "pay for design work and other initial expenses to get the project going in the hopes of getting the stadium ready" by '17 (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 3/11).
