The Raptors started individual workouts at Saint Leo Univ. in Pasco County, Fla., marking the official opening of NBA training camp, but the team's transition to Tampa "will be a training camp of sorts both on and off the court," according to Eduardo Encina of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. The Raptors' setup in the Water Street district is "well-structured." They are currently staying at a hotel "steps from Amalie Arena, where they will play their home games." Once they complete their two weeks at Saint Leo, they "will move to a practice facility custom built out of a ballroom at the new J.W. Marriott hotel right next to Amalie." Raptors GM Bobby Webster said, “We chose Tampa. We wanted to come here, so it wasn’t a situation where we were directed here." He added, "Having Amalie (Arena) here, having the convention center, having the two hotels downtown here in Water Street were really big draws for us as far as the flow and how a day-to-day would work for practice and for games” (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 12/2). In Toronto, Mike Ganter notes the players and the staff "will all have the option to leave the team hotel and take up residence, with a healthy living allowance from the club, in condos or units throughout the Tampa area" (TORONTO SUN, 12/2).
