What a Wednesday
How's everyone holding up?
Unless you've been living in a cave, you know by now that the Tampa Bay Rays trashed their waterfront stadium plans on Wednesday in favor of the creation of a community task force created in part to help the Rays find a new stadium.
We also know Progress Energy CEO Jeff Lyash will chair the group, but other members haven't been decided yet, and to be honest, we don't know who will be doing the picking. It doesn't sound like it will be the Rays.
So where do we go from here? Who knows. I will tell you the St. Pete Chamber is coming to the Times today to talk about the results of its baseball committee. We'll also today try to start poking around to see who's going to be on this baseball coalition.
The Tampa Bay Rays continue to pursue plans for a new baseball stadium. Host 
I get the distinct impression this "coalition" was hatched by BCC members and not Rick Baker. They want this team at Toytown. No referendum needed either, since its county-owned land.
Concessions are likely being made for that scenario, where Archstone gets its "Eco Verde", Bear Capital gets a MLB team for their sports complex at TT, and we get 2 very large developments out of the deal. And the waterfront is protected...
Not my first choice, but I'll support something like that.
Posted by: John | June 26, 2008 at 09:52 AM
John - Even though it is county-owned land, is it still within the St. Pete city limits?
I agree with John - "Not my first choice, but I'll support something like that."
Posted by: Rays Mike | June 26, 2008 at 09:58 AM
No, Mike, it's in unincorporated Pinellas County, so St. Pete City Council would be powerless to force a referendum.
Posted by: John | June 26, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Toytown is in St.Pete city limits, FYI
Posted by: Aaron Sharockman | June 26, 2008 at 10:09 AM
And it would also be breaking the terms of the lease with the city. I have a feeling though that something could be worked out with Pinellas County and the city much easier than with Hillsborough County and/or the city of Tampa. Speaking from my Rays fan perspective, if the purpose of the new stadium is to maximize as much revenue as possible, I think the Toytown area is probably the most central location for the whole area.
Posted by: Rays Mike | June 26, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Aaron I thought the city never annexed the actual Toytown property. I know all the land around it is within city limits...maybe the map I'm looking at now is either outdated or flawed then.
Thanks for the info though
Posted by: John | June 26, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Not only that, Mike, but you leave open the Trop site for...whatever Eco Verde becomes....2 very large developments with a centrally located ballpark...it does make sense.
Posted by: John | June 26, 2008 at 10:17 AM
John or Aaron -
Do you have a link to a map of the actual Toytown site?
Posted by: Rays Mike | June 26, 2008 at 10:21 AM
http://mapguide.stpete.org/
Posted by: John | June 26, 2008 at 10:23 AM
I'm looking at my map now (©2006) cause I wasn't sure, either, and it looks like St. Pete owns everything (north of 77th Ave N) from I-275 to Gandy, then west to 28th St N, up to Roosevelt, then along Roosevelt to Ulmerton, then it gets stupid in Feather Sound. So, yeah, that may be county-owned land (like the Trop), but it's within St. Pete limits.
Posted by: Jimbo | June 26, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Actually Google Earth, if you have it, is a great way to scope out all the different possibilities.
Posted by: John | June 26, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Stupid work computer... :-) I'll check it out at home tonight.. Thanks.
Curious.. I haven't heard any comments from Archstone yet..
Posted by: Rays Mike | June 26, 2008 at 10:28 AM
I'm just not sure what is the actual Toytown plot of land...
Posted by: Rays Mike | June 26, 2008 at 10:30 AM
200+ acres, right where Roosevelt & 275 cross. They would have to add an interchange on 275 to make it work, though.
It's actually comical to look at Toytown vs. Al Lang on Google Earth, it just dwarfs it. Toyotown is more than twice the size of the Trop property even.
I just worry that they'll be able to contain the smell. I remember driving along 275 with my parents as a kid and you literally had to hold your breath as you passed Toytown it stunk so bad.
50+ years of millions of rotting diapers ain't nothing to sneeze at (pun intended).
Posted by: John | June 26, 2008 at 10:36 AM
That's the problem with Toytown, John. No really good connection to I-275 without building one, and mitigating the dump beneath. While it may be pretty on paper, the logistics of it don't work.
Man, I wish we had a mayor like Daley in Chicago that bulldozed the airport in the middle of the night; then, we could have Albert Whitted!
Posted by: Jimbo | June 26, 2008 at 10:59 AM