Stadium Plan Delayed Indefinitely
Tampa Bay Rays president Matt Silverman talks with reporters at a press conference at the Valpak facility near Gandy Blvd. [Edmund D. Fountain, Times]
UPDATE (3:38) The conference just finished. Bay News 9 ended up not airing it live.
Rays President Matt Silverman is on TV now: "We are withdrawing our proposal and we will no longer be seeking a November referendum on a waterfront ballpark."
Why?
"There has not been sufficient support for the timelime that we put forth."
It is up to the community now to decide what to do about the stadium, Silverman says.
"Our discussion has brought us together despite our differences on many points...Today the Rays are passing the torch to the community and a new coalition."
"We are very optimistic that with the work of this community coalition that a plan will come together to keep Major League Baseball in St. Pete for years to come."
UPDATE (4 p.m.) Mayor Rick Baker is on TV now. He is praising the Rays' commitment to St. Petersburg.
Jeff Lyash, CEO of Progress Energy, will head up the community coalition on the stadium.
UPDATE ( 4:07) Lyash says he is excited to be involved.
"I have watched and listened and participated in the debate on the waterfront stadium over the last few months...I have been most impressed by the common ground that exists between all parties."
Lyash says the community needs to "step up its game" and support the Rays.
UPDATE (4:30) The Rays stadium proposal has been delayed indefinitely, not until 2010 as some elected officials said earlier today. Lyash's coalition will work to develop a new timeline.
-Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer
The Tampa Bay Rays continue to pursue plans for a new baseball stadium. Host 
Big New Yorkers thought they could come into our area and bully us into paying for their stadium. Sorry Boyz ..
They are fine where they are
Posted by: Colt | June 25, 2008 at 04:19 PM
Sentence St. Pete Steve to Federal P.M.I.T.A. Prison.
Posted by: Michael Bolton | June 25, 2008 at 04:19 PM
...yeahhhhh, we're gonna have to ask you to move your stadium to storage "B"... we're gonna need this waterfront for more tree huggers that we're bringing in mmm-kay...
... oh and, you might wanna bring some bug spray 'cause they had a little POWW problem there recently...
Thaaaankss
Posted by: Ray F | June 25, 2008 at 04:21 PM
Get-smart
Yes, let's have a cookout at Al Lang. I'll bring the tzaziki sauce and we can see how far I can shove it up your a.. you gutless bigot.
Posted by: Demetrios | June 25, 2008 at 04:22 PM
I'm buying Matt Silverman a Red Swingline Stapler
Posted by: John | June 25, 2008 at 04:22 PM
... and there's still people posting about the topic... obviously these are people that takes their lives way too seriously.
Posted by: Ray F | June 25, 2008 at 04:23 PM
ah yesh, i do belive the rays shtole my shtapler? it is a red swingline. it was a very good shtapler. have you sheen by shtapler?
Posted by: Beta Male | June 25, 2008 at 04:23 PM
Is that Tarpon Demetrios or Rick K Demetrios?
Threats of violence are terms of service violations.
Posted by: Which Demetrios? | June 25, 2008 at 04:24 PM
Who bullied who? The Rays came up with a plan for a new stadium and put it out there to gauge community interest. As the big NYer Silverman put it, community interest is not there for the timeline as it is currently. So they are going back to the drawing board with a more wide-ranging group of folks in on the design. I'm impressed with the Rays and the way they've handled this setback today. Very classy. Can't say that POWW is in that league right now.
You're typical of the ingenuous POWW folks, Colt. Really, who bullied who? This proposal was D.O.A. because of knee-jerks like you.
Posted by: Mike | June 25, 2008 at 04:25 PM
I'm going to find all their staplers and put them in jello . . .oh wait, wrong office.
My bad.
Posted by: Paper Anyone? | June 25, 2008 at 04:26 PM
I think we can all agree that as long as they don't switch from the swingline stapler to the Boston stapler, we're fine.
cause BOSTON SUX!!!
Posted by: Ray F | June 25, 2008 at 04:27 PM
Great job, everyone, making our presence known, and voicing our concerns as a community. I hope to see you all again soon.
Everyone on here is welcome to email me at cjenkins@flmediasolutions.com
Hammer, I'd like to speak to especially, if you don't mind.
Posted by: Chris Jenkins | June 25, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Colt - just another example of a redneck xenophobe who cares more bout sticking it to the "carpetbaggers" than making an informed decision of what is best for the city.
Posted by: Rays Mike | June 25, 2008 at 04:29 PM
The St Pete community is a Joke. Move the Rays to Tampa, St Pete doesn't deserve a ball park. Just wait in 5 years the Rays will move out of Florida, and then St Pete will be nothing but a dead fish in the water. Its already a crap hole.
Posted by: sv | June 25, 2008 at 04:30 PM
But it's ok to attack someones ethnicity and make claims to their sexual orientation. You know who you are and what rock you crawled out from under.
Posted by: Demetrios | June 25, 2008 at 04:31 PM
You know what, sv? We think St. Pete is a vibrant town, with an active and evolving musical and artistic culture. If that's a crap hole, fair enough.
Posted by: Chris Jenkins | June 25, 2008 at 04:32 PM
Let me be the first "ANTI" to say Kudos to the Rays for coming back to join the rest of us in reality.
Nothing at all wrong with taking our time to do this right, since we only get one shot to do so.
Like Sternberg said, "The Trop is not crumbling, it's cool in here, and the fans are enjoying themselves" so there is truly...NO RUSH.
Plus the Rays can blame the citizens now if this goes nowhere, which I doubt will be the case if they're sincere about this "plan B" coming to fruition.
Posted by: John | June 25, 2008 at 04:32 PM
This was actually a very classy move by the Rays. Now the facts can all come out and the positive impact for the city can be better explained.
Posted by: Dave | June 25, 2008 at 04:34 PM
ok, ok, ok... you all got darringers... now put them away.
Posted by: Ray F | June 25, 2008 at 04:34 PM
This was actually a very classy move by the Rays. Now the facts can all come out and the positive impact for the city can be better explained.
Posted by: Dave | June 25, 2008 at 04:35 PM
Wow guys... Wow. Good job POWW, now we're back in the stoneage and the only thing St. Pete will be good for once the Rays leave will be providing a haven to the homeless. I honestly can't believe I live in this city with you people. Thanks for ruining my city you old farts
Posted by: Mark S | June 25, 2008 at 04:35 PM
Hi, I'm "sv" and I have nothing positive to say about anything so I'll just insult the city of St. Petersburg and use the fear of the team moving to motivate people into believing my rhetoric. ...and why not? Fear has been a great motivator for people in the past. Just look at our occupation of Iraq. That wouldn't have been possible if people weren't afraid of WMD's and Terrorists.
Posted by: Captain Positive | June 25, 2008 at 04:37 PM
"Just wait in 5 years the Rays will move out of Florida"
Um, no they wont. The City Attorney has clearly stated the lease runs through 2027 and is enforceable by injunction.
So put away your "that's it - they're leaving" doom sayer.
Posted by: Thomas | June 25, 2008 at 04:38 PM
So Jimbo,
What is it exactly that you DO here?
Posted by: The Bob | June 25, 2008 at 04:39 PM
"the only thing St. Pete will be good for once the Rays leave will be providing a haven to the homeless"
Well then why don't you get a head start and leave now.
Clown.
Posted by: Thomas | June 25, 2008 at 04:40 PM