POWW ramps up signature drive

ST. PETERSBURG -- Preserve Our Wallets and Waterfronts, or POWW, has amped up its campaign to change the city charter and give voters more rights over future stadium construction.

The political action committee hired Peter Schorsch, a political consultant who led an unsuccessful campaign to replace Albert Whitted Municipal Airport with a waterfront park in 2003, to collect signatures. The group also launched a direct mail campaign and has plans to speak to neighborhood groups about its petitions.

POWW is circulating two petitions to amend St. Petersburg's charter. One amendment would require voter approval for any city funding for professional sports facilities. The other would require voter approval for substantial changes to St. Petersburg's waterfront parks.

Founder Hal Freedman said it is difficult to gather signatures now that there is so much uncertainty surrounding the stadium's future.

"We aren't getting the volunteer turnout that we would have gotten before," he said.

It's unclear whether Schorsch can make a difference.

He has had his share of legal troubles and was once charged with stealing money from former clients. He pleaded no contest.

He also has his own political ambitions. He's active in City Council member Jamie Bennett's mayoral campaign and is considering running for the council by 2014. Schorsch has even referred to himself as the "white Darryl," as in state Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, who overcame his own criminal history before becoming a respected politician.

Freedman said Schorsch was highly recommended by others who worked on the Albert Whitted campaign.

"He said 'I can get a bunch of people, I can get signatures,' " Freedman said. "That's what we are hiring him for. He is the guy in the trenches."

Meanwhile, former Council member Kathleen Ford resigned from the group's steering committee and is no longer involved in POWW in any official capacity. Speculators say Ford, an attorney, is separating herself from POWW in preparation for a mayoral bid in the upcoming St. Petersburg election.

Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer

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Nominate yourself to be on Jeff Lyash's committee

New details on Progress Energy CEO Jeff Lyash's new baseball coalition: you can nominate yourself to be on it.

In a few weeks, Lyash's staff will send out nomination forms to various community groups. Anyone can  nominate themselves or someone else, said Melissa Seixas, a Progress Energy community relations manager who has been named the coalition's interim spokeswoman.

"We want this to be a very open and transparent process," she said.

The coalition members will decide the group's scope of work, Seixas said.

Fans For Waterfront Stadium responds to Nurse/POWW alternative

Fans for Waterfront Stadium founder Kenny Locke just called the Nurse/POWW referendum alternative an 11th hour scare tactic meant to confuse voters. "We see it for what it is," Locke told Ballpark Frankness.

Locke believes the question would distort the entire referendum process. The stadium vote already is a referendum on the future of the waterfront, he said.

Uhurus to oppose stadium plan

We've been waiting and waiting for this. Now, finally, it's here.

The Uhurus are planning to denounce the Rays' waterfront stadium plans during a June 22 press conference.

Welcome to the party, Uhurus. (Hat tip to my colleague Cristina Silva for passing along the info

African American groups support November referendum

The local branches of the NAACP and Urban League, along with a pair of local African American ministers, held a press conference on Friday saying they support a November referendum on the Rays' stadium proposal.

Each group said that they did not have a position on the proposal, but believe a public vote is critical. They say  voters will be able to deftly judge the merits of the proposal and make an informed decision.

"Let's not disrespect voters by taking the opportunity away from them," said Gregory Johnson, local Urban League president. "Let the referendum go forward."

Added NAACP president Norm Brown: "People are intelligent in this community. Let's allow them to participate."

Chamber's letter to the city re: June 5 vote

Some folks have been asking to see the chamber's letter to the city from Tuesday. Well here it is.

The chamber also released traffic and parking recommendations. The chamber found:

• The Rays should focus their traffic/parking plan assuming a sellout of all 81 home games;
• The Rays may need to construct a parking garage of 1,700 spaces (city says 3,500, Rays say 800);
• Have a minimum of 5,500 parking spaces within 1/2 mile committed under written control reasonably guaranteeing their availability in 2012;
• Develop expanded formal transit plan from multiple satellitle lots covering an additional 1,000 cars (in addition to 2,000 vehicles coming from tropicana Field);
• More specific plans for seniors;

Rays, NAACP reach agreement on minority participation in stadium project

The Rays just announced that they have struck a deal with the St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP on minority participation in development of a new waterfront stadium. According to a Rays release, the Rays have agreed to:

• Creating opportunities for youth through scholarships, internships, job training and neighborhood development programs;
• Providing increased opportunities for African Americans, women and other minority groups within all levels of the Rays organization and through increased vendor opportunities
• Advocating for the development of a fair, affordable housing initiative and anti-discrimination plan for the redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site;
• Advocating for the development of a local hiring and minority business participation plan for the redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site; and
• Developing and implementing a local hiring and minority business participation plan for the Rays proposed waterfront ballpark.

“The advocacy and promotion of civil rights, equal education, and increased economic opportunity for St. Petersburg’s African American and minority community is an essential ingredient in the NAACP’s drive towards achieving the vision of a vibrant and growing community,” said Oretha Pope Jr., Economic Development Chairperson of the St. Petersburg Branch of the NAACP.   “We recognize that this unique partnership between the Rays and NAACP can strengthen both organizations, our neighborhoods, and our City.”

The Rays, meanwhile, said have engaged the Ariel Business Group, a Tampa Bay area consulting firm led by Thomas Huggins, to help develop this comprehensive program to include local residents and minority and women-owned business enterprises in all opportunity areas in the design, construction and operations of the proposed waterfront ballpark.

“The construction of a new $450 million waterfront ballpark will create enormous economic opportunity through the creation of 5,000 – 6,000 construction jobs and hundreds of other professional and service jobs and contracting opportunities,” said Matt Silverman, Rays President.  “The Rays are committed to allocating necessary resources and developing a comprehensive program to link the minority communities within the City to this great opportunity.”