St. Petersburg neighborhood leaders oppose Rays' stadium

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Council of Neighborhood Associations voted Wednesday against a new waterfront stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays.

In a 19-3 vote, members of the neighborhood organization approved 12 pages of recommendations advising the city to delay a November referendum on the Rays' plan to build a $450-million stadium at Al Lang Field.

CONA, which represents dozens of neighborhood associations, said the city has failed to explore other potential stadium locations, and that the Rays' financing plan appears flawed. The recommendation comes weeks before the Rays said they would detail how they expect to pay for the stadium.

During a meeting Wednesday night, a handful of CONA members denounced the recommendations. All St. Petersburg residents should be given the opportunity to vote on the Rays' proposal, they said. Some abstained from voting on the recommendations, which were put together by an 11-member CONA committee. 

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.

• Tropicana Field should be redeveloped so that there is enough space to accommodate new development with the current stadium remaining on the site.

• Greater emphasis should be given to development that will generate higher wages that also could spark additional development at the nearby Dome Industrial Pilot Project.

• 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" model that could hurt nearby growing neighborhoods should not be pursued.

-- Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer