Rays to announce delay of possible stadium vote

The Tampa Bay Rays may soon abandon their push for a November referendum to build a $450-million waterfront stadium.

An announcement could come as early as Wednesday, city and county officials with knowledge of the Rays’ plan told the St. Petersburg Times. The Rays have contemplated delaying a vote on the stadium until 2010.

The team is “considering a change of direction,” said Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch. “I’m just glad from the county’s perspective that folks are not talking about forcing a November referendum.”

Rays executives did not return calls for comment on Tuesday, and team officials denied as late as Monday the possibility of pushing back the referendum. Senior vice president Michael Kalt was scheduled to make a stadium presentation to a coalition of beach communities Wednesday morning.

News of a delay, if true, would slow down a process that city and county leaders from the beginning said was moving too quickly. The Rays announced their proposal to build a 34,000-seat ballpark at the site of Al Lang Field on Nov. 28.

No one the Times spoke with on Tuesday expected the Rays to halt their quest for a new ballpark, or even one on the waterfront. But the extra time would allow the city and county to possibly consider alternative locations for a new stadium.

“It’s fairly obvious this process needs to slow down,” said Welch, who spoke with Rays president Matt Silverman this week about delaying a citywide vote on the stadium plan.

Mayor Rick Baker, who knows of the Rays’ plans, officials say, did not return calls for comment.

Members of the St. Petersburg City Council were unaware of a possible delay. “If the rumor is in fact true, I am pleased to hear it,” said City Council member Herb Polson.

City Council member Jeff Danner said he heard the Rays were preparing to make a big announcement, but he did not know what it was.

From the beginning, the Rays argued for a 2008 referendum to capitalize off the high voter turnout associated with a presidential campaign.

Quietly, team officials believed that a broader electorate might help the Rays. They also said the project cost would likely escalate if a vote was pushed back because of the rising price of steel and concrete.

But city and county leaders consistently have argued for a possible “Plan B.” Former City Council member and likely mayoral candidate Bill Foster became the latest to advocate a more protracted approach last week, when he suggested forming a baseball blue ribbon committee.

St. Petersburg’s Council of Neighborhood Associations, which opposes a November referendum, also has asked the team and city to slow down their plans.

A referendum of St. Petersburg voters is required because the Rays are seeking to lease waterfront property for the new ballpark. A non-waterfront location would not require a citywide vote, though city officials could insist on one anyway.

Comments

[since1962]

Now a reasonable timetable,location and financing can occur IF this issue has not generated too much opposition to pass under ANY form.

Because of this debacle, Rays and elected representitives KNOW that ANY proposal now MUST pass voter referendum whether or not a requirement.

[Jay]

I would love for the following three scenarios to come true:

1. The county agrees that mass transit connecting Sarasota to Palm Harbor via downtown is a priority for a solid fan base at each game.

2. Al Lang Field (sorry Progressive Energy Park) is sold to newly expansioned Tampa Bay Rowdies for the location of their new soccer stadium.

3. The Rays get their new stadium at Albert Whitted, with ample parking, waterfront attractions during the offseason, and a terminal for mass transportation.

[Chip McMahan]

Someone needs to put their money where your mouth is. Nothing's free Baby.

[Paul Langer]

Great Idea don't build a new stadium at ALL!!! If the Rays don't like the TROP let them move to another town.
Any Town. These sports teams think they are something special they are not they are a DIME A DOZEN!!

[gwo]

Taking a page out of the Rays' playbook, Jabil is thinking about moving from St. Petersburg unless they get some "incentives" from local government. Seems the City of St. Petersburg should have been addressing the needs of a local business with 1,900 jobs not spending every waking moment worried about out-of-town owners wanting a new playground for their ball club. Of course, the news of Jabil's plans can be found in the Tampa Tribune, not the Times...wonder why?

[Colt]

finally The Rays owners are getting smart. They tried to get this in to quick and were selling us snake oil. Take your times boys, we have a great season going. A bunch of New Yorkers thinking they could come in here and bully us.. Think again

[Jon McPhee]

Where's Rick?

Aaron, under what circumstances and authorities could either/or the City Council/County Commission put in place a referendum on whatever happens next?

[get-smart]

WE WON!!!

NO WATERFRONT STADIUM!!

THE WATERFRONT IS OFF LIMITS!!!

Cheers!

rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrick?

[Dave in St Pete]

Get Smart,

As much as I would like to say you're correct on "THE WATERFRONT IS OFF LIMITS" I don't believe it.

I would like to see a referendum on the ballot this November codifying that.

[Jon McPhee]

Get-Smart and the rest of us who question the wisdom of a huge public subsidy to people with already deep pockets, please don't get smug.

Recall that there are still players (and payers) out there who will still be pressing to get what Rrrick wants.

And remember that people driven by cold economic gain, who have the resources to keep pressing their wants, have a big advantage over people who are running on emotion and have to go to work every day to earn a living.

I'm sure Ed Strongarm and the other folks who have economic interests in helping the franchise owners win a subsidy have not been told to stand down.

As the French would say, "Ils recuelent pour mieux sauter." As in, they step back a bit to be able to leap further ahead.

[Go Rays]

There will still be a waterfront stadium! The timetable is the only thing that was changed. poww has won nothing!

[John]

God I hate being right.

Now we need to push the City Council to add a referendum to forever protect the land-use for Al Lang.

How's those "paired redevelopment proposals" working out for ya, Rick K?

Dumba$$...

[Sara]

Hmmm...okay, are we ready to talk about comprimise now?

Again, build a new stadium adjacent to the Trop and redevelop around the new stadium AND redevelop part of the Al Lang site, leaving the portion along the waterfront as park.

And Rays, when you come back next time, try just having one hand out instead of two. Oh, and you're the ones who should be on your knees when you ask for something, you shouldn't expect us to get on our knees to give it to you.

But thanks for finally doing something REASONABLE for a change!

[Pound Sand Mike Kalt]

So the Rays are going to compensate the City and County for the time and taxpayer expense wasted on their little experiment, right? Right?

Oh and what about the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, Archstone and Hines put into their efforts for nothing??

I smell a lawsuit.

The interview on bay news 9 sounded the death knell and and BOCC chair Stewart offered following advice:

1) Build Political Support

2) Better Timline

3) Viable Location

Public outrage primarily but
watch the interview on Bright House channel 342
click on Political
click on June22

[get-smart]

Dave & Jon -

Good points. My jubilation was to celebrate the victory at the moment. I would rather see tax concessions go to Jabil than to a baseball team. Jabil has real jobs.

I have no problem with a new stadium as long as the Rays pay for it themselves and it doesn't destroy the downtown.

Stu's timetable might have to do with selling off the team. It is worth more with a new stadium offering.

P.S. We should get the city to open Al Lang on a Saturday for us Lang defenders to have a BBQ on site.

Cheers!

[Mal]

Has Rick K already been fired? Has he moved his spambot act on (maybe to Miami)?

[It's a great day in St. Pete]

I say you make Kalt & Silverman responsible for picking up every single related yard sign in the city and disposing of them at their own expense.

[Mal]

Aaron,
Were you at the Indianapolis Star during the debate over a new Colts stadium?

[Chip McMahan]

Get-smart's BBQ sounds great. Maybe the Rays could spring for the pork

[Chip McMahan]

Save the red yard signs. You'll need them again.

[John]

Aaron

You only gave us half the story. What about Archstone? Are they S.O.L.??

Do they have any recourse against the Rays for pulling the plug, since that was not part of any deal, as this was supposed to have gone through the motions until someone either killed in in local Gov't or the voters killed it in Nov.???

[John]

By the way folks, NOW is the time to start emailing your councilmember telling them you STILL want a referendum on the Nov. ballot to make permanent the land-use restrictions were were PROMISED for Al Lang last year, so we DO NOT have to go through this nonsense again!

OHH THEY KNOW

After this mess NO STADIUM will be built without referendum

AND

AL Lang WILL be protected.

BUT

KEEP EMAILING AND CALLING

[Clear Direction]

IF, Aaron is correct and the Ray's announce a delay today, Those how opposed this proposal should work diligently with Council members to close the loophole and make the Al Lang site off limits to large scale development.

Perhaps now the council will consider a referendum to that effect in November.(as it will no longer confuse the voters)

I would like to thank the Ray's for the opportunity to debate this important community issue and I continue to wish the team well this season.

My opposition to the Ray's proposal has never been an anti-Baseball statement.

Pro ECONOMY= TOURISM = BEACHES

then everything else in proportion

INCLUDING RAYS

GO RAYS!!!

[Jimbo]

I'm still not sure why everyone's gloating, jubilant, or otherwise excited:
1.) The Rays have announced nothing; the "insiders" are the one's talking, not the Rays,
2.) If it's true, the story clearly says "changing the timetable," not cancelling the plan,
3.) Nobody's won or lost anything, seeing as the plan will most likely still move forward, just at a slower pace,
4.) The "save Al Lang proposal" was shot down by Newton (with great theatrics, I may add) and the rest of the officials at the last big City Council mtg., so I don't know how that'll be on the ballot this year, and
5.) Nobody went to, or cared about, Al Lang Field until this year, just like nobody goes to Albert Whitted Airport, so it's not like anybody's "saving" anything, since it's still an eyesore; we'll still pay the $850K/yr maintenance fees until it is demoed, but that'll probably go up to $1M, now that it'll sit empty and lose its $150K income from ST.
Point is, don't be boastful or act like it's all over. I'm pretty sure this is just the beginning of a long fight with poww. If everyone wants this dragged out, feel free. I'm eager to get this done and over with, but why not spend more of the city's time and money dealing with this for the next two years and build two years down the road when the price of steel, concrete, and other raw materials goes even higher, possibly raising the price of the project by up to $100M. Sure sounds fiscally responsible to me, don't you agree?

Oh, and I'm pretty sure Minor League Baseball nor the City won't let you on their property without a permit for a pat-myself-on-the-back-cause-I-need-self-assurance BBQ. It's funny how, since it's a gigantic parking lot with a cordoned-off field and corporate offices, they're sticklers about that.

[Paul]

Do we finally get our 'glitch ordinance' resolved, that the council said they would fix for months and months? Will they make Al Lang what the citizens were told it would be, a park? Figures that out Mayor is mr. silent as usual.

Rictum - haha! pound sand girly man.

No waterfront stadium!

btw - I believe we get to keep our signs in our yards for 30 days after the deal is officially dead. I'll check and update if I'm incorrect.

[tampa now]

Downtown Tampa. On the other side of the crosstown from the Forum. Right there.

[Paul]

Jimbo - very good points.

[Jimbo]

Thanks, Paul...let's just hope the rest of the opponents realize it before they get too worked up. ;-)

[John]

Jimbo, don't be a sore loser. The Times always prints stories like this because the Rays were just kidding. Gotcha!! ha ha ha.

We WILL protect Al Lang from this nonsense ever happening again. That you can take to the bank.

Where's the rest of the idiots with the comments about green benches and god's waiting room? Should be here any time now.....LMAO!!!

[Nate]

It's funny how many people don't really want our city to succeed in these slumping economic times. It's like they want us to fail, and remain sleepy St. Petersburg. In fact, they're happy about it.

This "horrible" stadium would have sparked the economy, put a new great landmark on our waterfront, kept a professional sports team in our town, and opened up 86 new acres to tax paying redevelopment (shops, residential, office, etc.) Where's the downside? It's always better to start large projects in slow times because a.) the costs are cheaper b.)it will give people much needed jobs and c.) by the time it's completed our economy will surely be healthy again.

If this all falls apart we will most likely have an empty Al Land Field, and empty Dome (and surrounding acres), and the POWW people high fiving each other for their "victory".

Does anyone remember what our downtown was like just 15 years ago? We would have killed back then for a project like this.

[Demetrios]

Actually I think this is bad news for those opposed to this. It could have been done in November. Now that the Rays have possibly delayed this process, they may get more from the city and county. It will cost us more in the long run. I don't feel that they will give up on the location.

You know the saying.... Be careful what you ask for.............

[John]

Nate the team isn't going anywhere. Your Bushism scare tactics are not working.

Oh and thanks for proving my point in my last post above you with the "sleepy city" references....good job, thanks!

Costs of building materials have doubled in one years time. Same with gas. What were you saying about slower economic times = cheaper materials again??

Perhaps we let the recession work itself out and those costs will come back down, not go up. Same goes with closing the Enron loophole for oil speculators will halve the price of gas, which is where the oil companies wanted the price in the first place. Except now, we'll be THANKFUL for $2.50/gallon gas...they played the American consumers like a violin.

The Rays tried to play us, and we said not a chance.

I truly believe we as a city WILL come together with the Rays to work out a compromise that will still accomplish their goals and the goals of the city.

They're going to have to pony up more money and they need to involve the citizens in any plans, rather than secret meetings with our outbound Mayor.

But not right now, and NOT on our waterfront.

[Jon McPhee]

Anyone who thinks the issues are or will be resolved one way or another by a delay, might benefit from a quick look at

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=caple/080623&sportCat=mlb

Interesting that ESPN reporters would also find some applicability to the term "carpetbaggers" in reference to out-of-town franchise owners. And hey, at last count the retractable roof Safeco Stadium in Seattle has "only" cost the taxpayers $510 million. What a deal.

The notion of buying the team franchise and "do it yourself" starts to look mo' bettah all the time. Or maybe our representatives could "condemn" it like they do for other private assets that get gifted to for-profit activities. Wonder what "just compensation" would be?

And as noted in previous posts, in the article above we have a team franchise arguing they should be let out of town because they actually cost the community more than they bring in.

As what's-his-name used to say, "It ain't over 'til it's over." And when it comes to franchises wanting "more" from the public, it's never "over" at all. Just ask New York about the Yankees franchise.

[get-smart]

Jimbo-

These people are from Wall Street. They limit their losses by putting a 'stop' under everything they do. They don't dwell; they move on.

But I knew RRRick K under his many persona's would show up. 'Keep on spinnin'

[Jimbo]

No, not being a sore loser at all, just pointing out the reality of this. People like you, John, lose your points in your egos and pride. Just trying to warn you to not experience a huge fall when the Rays announce everything will keep moving forward as-is, just a little slower. No one, not the supporters, not the opponents, not the neutrals, no one, wins or loses anything until a vote is settled, one way or another. Just don't count your eggs before they hatch, to bring up really bad clichés....

[John]

Seems to me this also changes the dynamics of the next mayoral and city council elections as well.

Do not forget these past few months when you are researching who to vote for (or against) come next election.

And I'd still like to hear the rest of the story. Where does this leave Archstone?

If they are in fact S.O.L. it might be much tougher for the city to lure a prominent developer for such a large-scale project in the future, thanks to the Rays walking away from the table.

[Don in St. Pete]

Nate, paul and Jimbo, It all just blew right by you and you never understood. No Stadium on the waterfront! A retractable roof stadium in a central location that could also serve as a concert venue and a convention center would be a much more economically viable proposal to get tax dollars for a Rays proposal. It can be designed as a baseball themed destination and truly have real economic benefit. Long live Al Lang Waterfron Park! Welcome to plan b Rays fans.

[Nate]

John, thanks for bringing national politics into this (???), and you're welcome for proving your point. Just because you bring an argument up first before it's used doesn't make it invalid. Without the Dome or Al Land occupied, what else would it be other than sleepy St. Petersburg?

Also, you do realize that there's already a stadium on the waterfront right? This isn't some new, wild idea. I must have missed the meeting where you decide what is done with "our" waterfront.

[Jimbo]

Oh, and I'm Rick K? Even after what I said on the "Baseball chief needs to butt out", http://blogs.tampabay.com/ballpark/2008/06/baseball-chief.html#comment-119867570 ? Wow, get-smart, you're the most paranoid person I've never met. St. Pete's full of Rick K's and we're all out to get you with pitchforks and torches. Don't you hear us? We're all chanting:
"Stop get-smart,
Stop get-smart
Stop get-smart
Stop get-smart...."

[John]

Nate, indeed you must have missed that meeting. The City Council made a promise to protect the density and land-use restrictions for Al Lang last year, and then went back on their promise.

Al Lang will likely be torn down and the entire property turned into green space. I'm OK with that, since the Rays destroyed our 90+ year tradition in this city of Spring Training and FSL without even reaching out to the citizens for input. I realize they have a business to run, but that does not give them right to trample over this city's history in order to get what they want.

And Nate, if you truly feel St. Pete is a sleepy city because Al Lang sits empty (the dome does not, last time I went there a few days ago), then by all means, find yourself a chic', happening town to live in....may I suggest Boston?

[Jimbo]

"...since the Rays destroyed our 90+ year tradition in this city of Spring Training and FSL without even reaching out to the citizens for input."

Funniest statement yet. Because people were running to go see Spring Training at Al Lang before this year, right? They were beating down the door to see Minor League Baseball...wait for it...IN AN OUTDOOR STADIUM...for all those years, right?

Nobody gave a rat's butt when the FSL St. Pete Devil Rays closed up shop 7 years ago. You didn't hear anyone complain and whine about "losing MiLB," did you? (And before you say it, even though I've lived here for 5, I've visited very frequently before that, and that was never brought up in any discussion...EVER!) And there was never a packed house (save the last game) at Al Lang for Spring Training. But somehow, it's a "major loss" to our city to move Spring Training.

Give me a fricken break!

[Nate]

I was born and raised here, I will not be going anywhere. I was naively trying to get some people to look a little farther into the future, and past for that matter. The decisions we make now will effect us for a long time.

[Mike]

"... the Rays destroyed our 90+ year tradition in this city of Spring Training and FSL ..."

Whoa, Mr. Hyperbole! You've tipped your hand ... you just hate the Rays. WE HAVE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IN ST. PETERSBURG NOW! Who gives a crap about spring training, when we have MLB GAMES THAT COUNT?!?

[John]

Ahhh, Jimbo's another 5 year-old transplant who now knows what's best for his new home town. And to hell with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation natives like myself who "don't know what I'm talking about"....

You, sir, are a joke.

[John]

Hey Mike, I hold 4 Rays full-season tickets? Have so for the past 5 years, so yeah, I hate the Rays....

Actually the only thing I hate is these "paired redevelopment proposals", and obviously so do the majority.

We've won a small victory today, perhaps now we can all come to a compromise to decide what's truly best for this city at a reasonable pace.

[Demetrios]

Those who oppose this proposal SOLELY due to the fact it is a waterfront issue actually lost a battle if there is a delay. Even though I'm "rooting" for this proposal to happen, if it were to go to a vote this November, it probably would have gone down in defeat due to the overall questions in financing, development and so forth. Now, the Rays have more time to get their act together and may pull in some voters who were on the fence. So to the anti-waterfront people, don't be too happy yet.

[Save Al Lang]

The important thing is that we're saving Al Lang from the unthinkable.. more baseball. After a hundred years enough is enough. With luck we can turn it into a park no one will go to. Fight the good fight!

[Jimbo]

So, John, you're telling me that people were beating down the gates of Al Lang when the St. Pete Devil Rays left and the city was in mourning for months?

You're telling me that, before I started visiting here, people were lined up for blocks to see Spring Training for the then-Devil Rays?

Those are things my native-born friends would have love to have seen, I'm sure....

[get-smart]

Demetrios -

You must be drinking that Tarpon water again, Ouzo. Your head must be spinning. There is no 'financing' that works unless the Rays come up with one billion dollars.

[Lou Roccaco]

Jimbo: dont take not-so-smart seriously ... someone so biased that says something like: " I would rather see tax concessions go to Jabil than to a baseball team. Jabil has real jobs."

Just what the hell are "real jobs" anyway? More deep-rooted insecurities from someone who hates the fact that the Rays are primarily owned by a Wall Street guy. Do the Rays not pay their employees in "real money"?

These anti's who claim that they want to 'preserve the waterfront' are a trip. What exactly are they "preserving" with an empty stadium sitting there? This aint exactly the same thing as leaving the Roman Coliseum in place!

[Demetrios]

Get-smart

Read the first sentence of my post. Keep showing you true colors. I've tried to bring up points to dicuss and have NEVER made them personal. Are you proud of yourself when you attack someone's ethnicity? I am very proud of my heritage. What's yours? My forefathers were building stadiums while yours were looking for leaves to wipe their as...!

Stick to the discussion and try to comprehend what the points are.

[John]

You anti's really make me laugh with your empty Al Lang references. It's been empty most of the year for decades, where was Jimbo and Lou (aka Rick K) screaming for something to be done with it years ago?

Oh and yes, Jimbo, Rick K, Rays Mike, Ray F and the rest of their ilk are now the ANTI's...by their own definition of the term.

Plan A is dead as it was proposed. But now we have a new wave of ANTI's against plan B, or any type of compromise whatsoever.

And not to defend Get-Smart, but the average "job" (not including execs) at Jabil pays close to 40K a year....the average Rays "job" (not players, coaches or execs) make less than 20K a year. That's fair.

[get-smart]

Hey Detemtrios,
How do you separate a Greek man from a Greek boy?
WITH A CROWBAR!

Do you like to rub tzaziki sauce all over the men that you sleep with?
THE WATERFRONT IS OFF LIMITS GYRO BOY!

[Ray F]

"P.S. We should get the city to open Al Lang on a Saturday for us Lang defenders to have a BBQ on site."

Get-Smart,

That has got to be the stupidest thing ever said on this blog.

I don't see this as anything but good. It shows the Rays are willing to work with the city and the people and all you people can talk about is telling the Rays to pack sand. are you all nuts???

Pro Sports teams are not a dime a dozen. Look at all the national media exposure Boise Idaho gets...

oh wait they get none.

How about Des Moines, Iowa...

none

Give it a rest. We will still get a new stadium. Downtown. and it's just going to cost more now.

[Ray F]

"P.S. We should get the city to open Al Lang on a Saturday for us Lang defenders to have a BBQ on site."

Get-Smart,

That has got to be the stupidest thing ever said on this blog.

I don't see this as anything but good. It shows the Rays are willing to work with the city and the people and all you people can talk about is telling the Rays to pack sand. are you all nuts???

Pro Sports teams are not a dime a dozen. Look at all the national media exposure Boise Idaho gets...

oh wait they get none.

How about Des Moines, Iowa...

none

Give it a rest. We will still get a new stadium. Downtown. and it's just going to cost more now.

[get-smart]

Demetrios -

Thanks for the historic tour. It is true that the West and Islamic civilizations are based on Greek perceptions and thought. My forefathers invented the wheel. Back then I think everybody used leaves, if they were available.

Oh yeah! the discussion - The Waterfront is Off Limits!

Cheers!

[Demetrios]

Get-smart

Keep up the good work. You are a real scholar and sooo credible. Never heard those jokes before. You really hurt my feelings.

[get-smart]

Demetrios -

The 10:44 remark is not mine.

[get-smart]

come to think of it I am not sure if the 10:59 comment was mine either

gotta go wipe my butt with a grape leaf

TTFN,

Sybil

[Rays Mike]

I had announced earlier this week that I was done posting on this blog because it had devolved from debate to nonsense, but I have to get on here and say for the record, while the waterfront site was and still is my first choice for the location, getting a new stadium built with the combined benefits of what is best economically for St. Pete AND to maximize revenue for the Rays to keep us competitive is still the priority. The people who were against this should take a look at themselves in the mirror, and ask: Are you so happy because you are you think this is actually in the best interests of the city, or because you "won" against the government and a "carpetbagging" bunch of New Yorkers who tried "telling you what to do??"

[Donna]

Can someone list all the great things that came from the city going into debt to build the stadium 20 years ago? How about all the great things that came because we got a baseball team 9 years ago. How many local jobs were created? Was the stadium built by a Florida contractor? The people who lived in the gas plant area were told the construction and the games would create jobs. Do you think it did? How can anyone say the new stadium will bring so much prosperity when no one has quantified the claims for the last time?

[Demetrios]

Get-smart or whoever you are

You are a real witty hiding behind that keyboard.

[Jon McPhee]

Demetrios at 10:11 has the caution that community-spirited people need to keep in mind. That the franchise owners are apparently asking to delay any referendum looks more like a tactical sidestep than any "victory" for anyone.

The best result we can hope for is that the citizens of Pinellas County will now get some real input into what happens next, rather than a paternalistic pat on the head and a "There, there, your betters know better." I

t's been pointed out that this whole experience is a good lesson in civics. Let's hope that all the people involved in talking this through on the public's behalf will in fact approach this as an arm's-length transaction. Maybe they will act with some appreciation of the strengths of the claims and positions of all the stakeholders.

This might even be a good lesson for the MLB folks here and elsewhere, who have worked a bunch of high-handed, high-priced, behind-the-scenes grabs, at a cost in good will and community willingness.

What's that stuff about how you catch more flies with...? Maybe it applies not just to the playing field but to the whole stadium.

[Jon McPhee]

Hey, Aaron -- how about a little help with the Decency Squad here? There's a chance for some civility, but not if the worst of human nature (whether false posts or whatever) keeps bubbling up.

[Ray F]

Aaron,

Me and Jon McPhee agree on little, but the blog has taken a turn for the worse when people are posting racist remarks (probably just posing as get-smart).

I agree with Mr. McPhee on this one.

[PS]

So while the Mayor and city council were wasting time with the Rays, an actual, quantifiable, contributor to the community, Jabil, is thinking of leaving?

Our priorities ARE upside down!!!

[Demetrios]

I brought this up to Aaron earlier but I guess it's not that important.
Too bad since this is a great forum to dicuss these issues. Then again, there are children out there that you can't control.

[Peace]

Dave in St. Pete: Hang in there buddy. Chapter two has yet to unfold.

Rick K. is now gone. Thank goodness. Please, no one ask for him to come back. The Rays probably told him he is fired anyway. No profit in writing on every blog if you are not getting paid for it right Rick ol buddy.

Go Jabil. 900 hundred, long term, good paying jobs in St. Petersburg. Now that is what I am talking about. Good job Mr. Mayor. Free enterprise and capitalism at its best and we do not have to give away our prime waterfront parkland nor be swindled out of millions of public dollars to do it. Can you say yes! Can you cry out halleluia?

[Ray F]

I am a direct beneficiary of Jabil's economic contribution to St Petersburg.

I had the opportunity to do business with Mr. Main, CEO of Jabil and his family, and I made $750 in commission off the sale. He was very cordial and didn't gloat about who he was or that he could buy and sell me. He was a professional and spent money in a locally owned business.

I truly, honestly, can say that Jabil being here provided me with 2 car payments worth of income in one day that normally would've taken a week to earn.

I'm sure many of you don't want to hear how many Rays' players have spent money at my company because that would constitute an economic impact and I wouldn't tell anyway because I'm a professional, but you get the point.

[LeeRoy the Pharmacist]

I tell ya what ... when we had Elijah Dukes on the team he impacted our store in a BIG way!
Seriously, that boy had young girls coming in to buy home pregnancy kits at least 2x per week.
We sho gonna miss that young man!