Orlando Area Sports Commission (OASC) member Bob Chira said
yesterday his city is inviting the Bucs to consider a move to
Orlando if they fail to reach an agreement on their stadium
situation in Tampa Bay. But George Diaz and Lawrence Lebowitz
report in this morning's ORLANDO SENTINEL that Chira "insisted
that this did not mark the beginning of a bidding war between
Orlando and Tampa for the Bucs." The invitation "went out
despite skepticism from Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood and Orange
County Chairman Linda Chapin, a terse 'no comment' from Tampa Bay
officials, and any source of immediate funds for a new stadium or
improvements to the Florida Citrus Bowl." The SENTINEL reports
several factors could work in favor of a move to Orlando:
tourist taxes set aside to build a baseball stadium could be re-
allocated for football; the Bucs would stay in their territorial
area with no relocation fee required; and the team would only
have to pay a $20M penalty to the Culverhouse estate for moving
to Orlando, as opposed to a $35M penalty if they move elsewhere.
Mayor Hood called discussions of a Bucs move "premature and
inappropriate" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/23).
WHO'S IN CHARGE? Hood told the TAMPA TRIBUNE that neither
the county nor city were involved in the luring of the Bucs.
Hood: "It's kind of hard for (the OASC) to extend an invitation
to come to Orlando when they don't govern or operate any of the
facilities here. Maybe they have forgotten that their mission is
to pursue amateur sports." Bill Fay writes, "There are a number
of reasons that Chira's offer could be considered shaky" --
including: the lack of amenities at the Citrus Bowl (TAMPA
TRIBUNE, 8/23).
POSTURING? In Orlando, columnist Larry Guest writes that
when OASC chief Randy Johnson previewed Orlando Mayor Hood and
Orange County Chair Chapin on Chira's announcement, "fur flew."
Guest reports that "Hood, a close pal of Tampa Mayor Dick Greco,
doesn't like the role of buzzard circling over Tampa's problem."
Guest adds that Chira "is tight" with Bucs GM Rich McKay and
Culverhouse Estate Trustee Steve Story, and that the three "are
golf chums." Guest: "If you think Chira and the OASC are blindly
acting alone in this, you are hereby invited to submit to me, in
cash, check or money order, a bid for Mike Tyson's Nobel Peace
Prize" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/23). But OASC Founding Chair Fred
Leonhardt told the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES Chira was contacted by
the Bucs. Leonhardt: "Someone on the board was contacted by the
Bucs and suggested there was an interest in moving to other
cities and wanted to know if we would be interested." Tampa
Sports Authority Chair Rick Nafe told the TIMES that Orlando's
interest "keeps the fire going" in the push for a new stadium
(Clary & Hooper, ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 8/23).
BASEBALL INTEREST, TOO? Meanwhile, Tigers officials denied
a statement by a PR official working for the team that the club
might move to Orlando, according to the DETROIT FREE PRESS. Tina
Lam reports that Tom Shields, a Lansing-based PR person working
for the club, was "touting" that the club had an offer to move to
Central FL and play rent-free in a still-to-be-built stadium.
Tigers President John McHale told the FREE PRESS that the team is
not considering a move and is focused on plans for a new stadium
in the Detroit area (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/22).
