There may not be enough corporate support in Tampa to fill
the additional club seats and sky suites that would accompany a
new Tampa Stadium, according to a study by KPMG Peat Marwick.
The study analyzed the 27 markets that have an NFL team.
According to the analysis: the Tampa Bay area ranked 20th in
total number of companies, 24th in number of companies with more
than 500 employees, 26th in median household income and 17th in
population. As far as the market for suites: a new downtown
arena will have 71 suites; if a MLB expansion team is granted,
the 48 suites in the ThunderDome will be filled; and, it's
estimated that over 100 suites would be built in a new football
stadium. These factors "might hinder efforts to lease the 100 or
so suites estimated to be built in a new stadium," says Ron
Barton, senior manager with KPMG's sports consulting group. The
study, conducted in 1992, says the nearly 220 suites on the
market from new football and baseball stadiums would be
available, with only 97 "large companies in the area," -- the
typical tenants of a suite. Local leaders are optimistic that
medium-size companies will participate and help fill the suites.
Florida Progress CEO Jack Critchfield notes "at least half" of
the area's 12-15 largest companies do not participate now (John
Stebbins, TAMPA TRIBUNE, 1/20).
