Hillsborough County (Fla.) leaders have "decided where they want to put a Tampa ballpark" for the Rays, offering a "location in the Channel District-Ybor City area," according to a front-page piece by Steve Contorno of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. County Commissioner Ken Hagan said that the community has "reached an agreement with land owners to gain site control of about 14 acres there." The Rays must now "weigh Hillsborough's entry against other options in Pinellas County." St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman wants to "build a new ballpark on a redeveloped Tropicana Field site, though other options may be in play." The Rays were "noticeably noncommittal," though MLB teams are "reticent to make news during the World Series." There is also a "hotly contested St. Petersburg mayoral race, and a bold announcement now could sway it." The agreement gives Hillsborough nine months to "negotiate with the Rays, with the option for a six-month extension." Though surprised by Hagan's announcement, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn nevertheless said he thinks the location "makes sense in terms of connecting the dots between downtown and Ybor City." But Buckhorn added, "I look forward to hearing how the county plans to pay for this." Contorno notes local officials for months have "focused on the area between downtown Tampa and Ybor City because it checks several boxes for the Rays: local authenticity; connection to transportation; and it is ripe for development (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 10/25). In Tampa, Janelle Irwin noted the option agreements with landowners are held with a "newly established nonprofit" called SC Hillsborough Corporation comprised of business leaders and led by Sykes Enterprises CEO Chuck Sykes and Shumaker Advisors CEO Ron Christaldi. Using a nonprofit to "facilitate the next steps" in the ballpark site selection process will be "quicker because decisions won’t require approval from county commissioners" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/24).
