St. Petersburg neighborhood group opposes Rays' plans

ST. PETERSBURG -- The city Council of Neighborhood Organizations issued a 12-page report Wednesday recommending against a November referendum to approve or reject a new waterfront stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays.

The neighborhood group said the city has failed to explore other potential stadium locations, and that the Rays' $450-million financing plan appears flawed.

"We are objecting to the building of the stadium on Al Lang Field," said Will Michaels, chairman of CONA's Historic Resources and Land Development Committee. "But we’re not saying at some future point that a referendum should be held."

Michaels told the Times this morning that CONA feels there could be potentially better offers to redevelop the 86-acre Tropicana Field site. Michaels, however, was unable to provide specific details.

He also said the current proposals do not seem to make the Rays' plan viable. The recommendation comes weeks before the Rays said they would detail how they expect to pay for the stadium.

Rays senior vice president Michael Kalt said early Thursday that if Michaels can find someone willing to bid more for the project, bring them to the table. "It makes our job easier," Kalt said.

The CONA recommendations come hours before the City Council is scheduled to hold a public forum on the Tropicana Field redevelopment. The recommendations still must be approved by the entire CONA membership.

The CONA recommendations are:

1. The city should not approve a referendum to lease the Al Lang site for construction and use of a new stadium.

2. The city should complete a thorough analysis of alternatives to the waterfront for a new stadium, including Derby Lane, Toy Town and redeveloping part of the Tropicana site with either the current stadium or a new stadium in place there.

3. Even if a new stadium is not pursued at Al Lang, the city should continue to explore the advantages of redeveloping the Tropicana site at some future date, either with the current stadium remaining in place or a new stadium built on or near the Tropicana site, or with the stadium moved to the Toy Town or Derby Lane sites.

4. With respect to pursuing redevelopment of the Tropicana site at some level, the city should reject all bids previously received and issue a new request for proposals. A new RFP should be issued that includes the following components:

• The new RFP should require developers to offer a clear-cut purchase price in their proposal, which cannot be changed at a later date, and directly address whether lease payments will be entertained as an option to an up-front cash payment.

• A minimum FAR of 2.5 to a maximum of 3.5 should be specified. While the community will not be able to absorb such a large amount of square footage within a time frame conducive to a single phased development of this site, this will make possible more productive dense development at some future date. This will also make it more feasible to develop the Tropicana site with the current stadium remaining on the site.

• Greater emphasis should be given to utilization that will generate higher paying wages. The creation of a “mini Carillon Business Park” at the Tropicana site could spark additional development of the nearby Dome Industrial Pilot Project. Uses that could collaborate with the new CRS, University of South Florida, and medical uses such as the hospital complexes should be considered.

• The original affordable housing targets of the city RFP should be met. Retail uses should be geared toward those needed and desired by the future occupants of on-site housing. A new “main street” node that may hurt nearby areas now seeking to redevelop should not be pursued.

-- Aaron Sharockman, Times Staff Writer