Tropicana Field has a first date, not a proposal

Today is a big day in the process of deciding whether the Tampa Bay Rays will get a new waterfront stadium in downtown St. Petersburg.

There's a 10 a.m. deadline for developers to give the city their proposals for what to do with the site of Tropicana Field, the existing stadium.

The idea is that the old stadium site will help pay for the new one, by being sold, redeveloped as private property, and added to the tax rolls.

Bring on the artists' renderings! Bring on the green space, the shops! Bring on the urban villages!

Today is not the day that "proves" the stadium idea will "work." We'll still be a long way from that.

The only thing today will show is whether there are any companies with any ideas that might work.

I do not mean to sound like a party-pooper. I want the plan to work. But at times like these, St. Petersburg is prone to being swept off its feet like a teenager with a crush.

ST. PETERSBURG — The Bay Plaza Cos. plan to build a Mediterranean village of shops, offices and restaurants in downtown St. Petersburg and finish by 1992.

Company officials say it will be an ornate, "food and fashion" mall featuring two nationally known department stores and at least a dozen new restaurants near the waterfront. …

Company president Neil Elsey predicted Friday that the Bay Plaza partners actually will build all the projects in three years, starting by January 1989 and ending in 1992.

This gasbaggery was enough for St. Petersburg to fork over its downtown, its property, its rights of way and its historical heritage. And though it all came to naught, the city, in pathetic denial, allowed it to drag on for years.

I am sure that the companies making proposals today are first-rate and honorable.

But that will not be enough. Nothing will be enough except the eventual contract.

I don't care if World War III breaks out in the meantime, or if the Tropicana developer files Chapter 11, Chapter 7, or Chapter Zillion.

Here is what would be good: a vault filled with $300-million in platinum bars, with the city holding the only key, to be used the first time that the Tropicana site fails to generate the required revenue.

I would also like the developers' firstborn children, and their grandchildren's piggy banks. I'd like insurance policies and performance bonds, too.

That's the attitude that St. Petersburg should maintain as it opens the envelopes.

But if history is any guide, by the end of the day, city leaders will be gushing about how "excited" they are. And they will be scrawling the name of the developer in their school notebooks, surrounded by little hearts, and sighing.

Got a question or comment about current events? I'm holding a live chat on TroxBlog from noon to 1 p.m. today. Look under the "Blogs" menu at www.tampabay.com.

Comments on this article

by Joe	Mar 24, 2008 10:43 AM
How about worrying about crime and policy so that Saint Petersburg does not end up like Detroit? I hear they got some new fancy stadiums too! Ha ha ha

by Fred	Mar 19, 2008 8:13 PM
The Rays "contribution" is OUR money - they are just paying their rent in advance at a huge discount. Then ALL the new taxes from the new development go to the new stadium, NOT to city services! ITS ALL PUBLIC MONEY hiding under the sh

by Betsi	Mar 19, 2008 8:13 PM
Has anyone stopped to think if there's a demand for redevelopment of the Trop area? Central Ave. isn't exacly booming and now is not a good time to flood the market with more housing, more shops and more offices! Maybe with sub-prime f

by Just say No to hogs	Mar 19, 2008 8:13 PM
Show me the money! Hines only offered $50 million. That leaves $250 million. Who takes out that loan (bond debt) to pay construction? No way am I making rich guys richer with city resources! Pigs get fat. Hogs get slaughtered! Time to slaug

by John	Mar 19, 2008 8:13 PM
NO! The Trop lots can be developed now and the city gets half the revenues. If the Trop goes down, all the revenues go to the Rays new stadium and none to the city. Let them build whatever they want at Derby Lane and buy out their 20 year Trop lease.

by John	Mar 19, 2008 4:57 PM
KD - I could give you three cities greatly improved by the construction of a downtown stadium, but since you only asked for one, check out Denver. Support the stadium! Tell your friends to do the same.

by pete	Mar 19, 2008 1:11 PM
neil ripped us off and don't give them the ben of the doubt. these mugs are prob just as shadey. it's all about selling st pete the idea it's a real city and you keep buying it...floriduh

by rick	Mar 19, 2008 1:10 PM
we have to build a new stadium or the rays w/sue us boo whoo...you are being set up people and your are going to be left with prop taxes now at 24. mills up to 40+mills,,,laught i wrote this before we went to 24mills to pay for the unvoted cap p

by rick	Mar 19, 2008 1:10 PM
so they're entertaining proposals, yet not even a vote on the land to see if the elephant can move? sounds like the deal was already struck in the shadows suckers we are. i smell a rich rat. then it'll be they signed for the reconstruction

by JK	Mar 18, 2008 4:13 PM
Not while we have Mayor "sign the city over to Sembler" Baker in City Hall.

by Winkler	Mar 18, 2008 1:24 PM
First off I would like to point out that John Donson you need to get your facts straight the stadium will seat 34000. Why do all you old men want to knock down the dream of new and youger group of baseball fans let us have our stadium.

by Jason	Mar 18, 2008 1:18 PM
Does anyone have an open mind anymore? I am interested to see the full proposal unveiled. The rays will not use public money for this project. Most of the close-minded people against it at this point have no idea of what's being proposed

by Jeff	Mar 18, 2008 1:18 PM
Vote Yes, we need a solid franchise and too many good deals have slipped through our fingers. Mr. Donson, don't go if you don't want too.

by Mike	Mar 18, 2008 1:18 PM
How can you already want to vote no when there is no plan in front of you. Quit being so closed minded!

by justme	Mar 18, 2008 1:18 PM
I was at the Yankee Spring Training game on Sunday. People were passing out in the stands and this is only March. An outdoor stadium (covered or whatever) is not going to help with the heat & humidity of Florida. I will be voting NO

by KD	Mar 18, 2008 1:14 PM
The thought of destroying our gorgeous, downtown with another horrendous sporting stadium to appease the greed of the already wealthy makes me sick. Name one city where this has been done that it actually contributed to the beauty.

by Wink	Mar 18, 2008 1:10 PM
The stadium will seat 34000 and it will be about 15-20 degrees cooler then the outside temp. John Donson if you dont want to go then dont, keep your old butt at home. Its the younger generation who this renovation and stadium will benefit not yo

by Edward	Mar 18, 2008 10:37 AM
Or Land O

by jumpin jack	Mar 18, 2008 10:37 AM
Only Mayor Baker can salvage this stadium deal. The voters are not for it. He must use his bully pulpit to rally support and enthusiasm for this ill concieved billion dollar boondoggle.

by John Donson	Mar 18, 2008 10:37 AM
Hey Andy & Stu! Just to let you know, I will not be sitting outside in 97 degree weather w/ 97% humidity to watch a baseball game. How do you plan to make more money in a 24,000 seat stadium when you have a 43,000 seat stadium now? I'll

by John C.	Mar 18, 2008 10:37 AM
Jeeez, that was harsh!

by Smilin bob	Mar 18, 2008 10:37 AM
Vote no, tell all your friends to do same.

by History	Mar 18, 2008 10:37 AM
With the history of the city being gods's waiting room.This proposal is more than just a new Rays waterfront stadium,more important to me is the Trop redevelopment & revitalization of midtown which could tie in w/downtown nicely injecting ci

by John	Mar 18, 2008 10:36 AM
Howard, You're great -- telling the brutal truth with humor.

by tim	Mar 18, 2008 10:36 AM
$450+ million in public money to pay for another wart-like concrete hulk for the baseball industry? Incredible. Our happy and successful civic history of spring training hospitality is being tossed aside to appease the latest cadre of lear&

by smilin bob	Mar 18, 2008 8:45 AM
Put the adults back in charge. 1 billion dollars, ridiculous.