For Trop foe, new stadium smacks of deja vu

ST. PETERSBURG — News that the Tampa Bay Rays want a new stadium sent activist Richard Preston into a state of disbelief.

It's happening all over again, he fretted.

Preston, 81, led the anti-stadium movement more than 20 years ago when city officials proposed building a stadium that would lure major league baseball. He sought out voters concerned about the stadium's location and financing and rallied against City Hall.

In many ways, that heated debate reflects some of today's uncertainties surrounding the Rays' proposed $450-million waterfront stadium.

Stadium proponents, much like their predecessors, insist the ballpark will promote growth and ensure that baseball remains in St. Petersburg. Likewise, skeptics have mostly kept to the same script. The stadium, they say, will be a financial burden on taxpayers.

But longtime stadium opponents such as Preston hope there will be one noticeable difference this time around: They'll win.

"The handwriting is on the wall," said Preston, a retired photographer. "It seems a lot more people don't want it than want it."

City officials first considered building a stadium for Major League Baseball in the early 1980s.

Preston quickly founded STOP, or Stadium Taxation Opponents Petition. He said he collected nearly 10,000 signatures from residents opposed to using tax dollars to fund the stadium. It wasn't enough.

In July 1986, the City Council approved a 43,000-seat, $85-million stadium.

Opponents predicted that the original cost would skyrocket. It did.

The stadium's bill is at least $233-million today, and will most likely rise to $323-million by 2016, whether or not a waterfront stadium is built.

Preston said he believes that's all voters need to know to shoot down the Rays' proposal.

"What the Rays are saying is the same thing the City Council promised before: It will be great," he said.

"But that stadium hasn't brought any new benefit to the city and a new stadium isn't going to make a difference, either."

Cristina Silva can be reached at (727) 893-8846 or csilva@sptimes.com.