Speak Now... St. Pete Voters Want Voice In Rays' Stadium Plans
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Poll Shows Majority Of St. Petersburg Voters
Want City To Schedule Referendum On Ballpark |
Sixty percent of respondents to a recent poll said that the St. Petersburg City Council "should schedule a November referendum" on the Rays' $450M waterfront ballpark proposal, according to Aaron Sharockman of the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. But 68% of respondents "oppose the Rays' complex stadium and redevelopment plan." The Rays, "boosted by the news that voters support a referendum," sought to "downplay the level of concern among voters." The Rays said that the "whole story ... has yet to be shared." Rays Senior VP/Development Michael Kalt: "We're six months through a 12-month process. We think we can overcome (the skepticism). It requires us doing a better job of connecting with people." The City Council on Thursday is scheduled to "make the first of three necessary votes to schedule a referendum," with the other votes set for July 17 and August 7. Also, 82% of city voters said that downtown "lacks the parking needed for a new ballpark" at the Al Lang Field site, while only 9% said that parking "wasn't an issue." More than 50% of voters said that the "'cost to taxpayers' was one of their biggest concerns." Asked if they would "be willing to extend tax payments at Tropicana Field to pay for a new stadium," 59% of voters said no. Kalt suggested that the random telephone survey of 601 St. Petersburg registered voters "may not be completely accurate," as only 6% of respondents were African-American residents, who citywide "make up 19.6% of all registered voters" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 6/1). A ST. PETERSBURG TIMES editorial stated the St. Pete City Council should "take the long view this week as it considers beginning the process to schedule a November referendum" on the proposed ballpark. The editorial: "This is a difficult time to pitch a new stadium and significant redevelopment, regardless of their merits. ... Yet the proposal for a new stadium and redevelopment represents an opportunity that deserves to be fully explored" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 5/31).
NEW PLAN: The ST. PETERSBURG TIMES' Sharockman in a separate piece writes documents released yesterday by the city indicated that the Rays have "slightly altered their plans" for the ballpark "in response to concerns raised by city officials about the design of the 34,000-seat ballpark." The changes include "moving team office and retail space," building a 240-space parking garage and "accommodating the [IRL] Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, including adding space for the course to pass through on the east and west sides of the stadium" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 6/3).
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