The Tampa Stadium Authority, involved in both Raymond James Stadium and St. Pete Times Forum, is declining once again to be a part of any Tampa Bay Rays ballpark planning — for now. The reason: any overt discussions of a new ballpark could be seen as tampering with the Rays’ current lease at Tropicana Field […]
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Chamber to take up Rays ballpark cause
The Tampa Chamber of Commerce is grabbing a larger role in the debate over a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark, launching a study to determine possible private funding of a ballpark but steering clear of specific locations. The avoidance of locations is being done with the hopes of including St. Petersburg and Pinellas County in […]
Pinellas County extends hotel tax — but not enough for new Rays ballpark
Things are getting interesting in Tampa Bay: Pinellas County extended a 5 percent hotel tax to 2021 — far short of the time needed to potentially pay off a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark — while the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce announced ballpark financing would be one of the group’s main priorities in 2011. […]
Cost of running The Trop for St. Pete: at least $7.3M annually
Besides the $6 million in annual debt service, it costs the city of St. Petersburg at least a million more annually to host the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Explain to us again why the city is so eager to keep the Trop and block the Rays from a new ballpark, because the existing […]
The Week That Was: Nov. 21
It was a big week in independent baseball, as three leagues joined forces to form the North American League. Also hot this week: new names and logos, college football at MLB ballparks, and more. Here are the most popular stories on Ballpark Digest the past week, as measured in page views. Three indy leagues joining […]
Selig still “concerned” about Rays ballpark situation
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig is still concerned about the Tampa Bay Rays ballpark situation and plans to meet with team leadership as soon as they’re willing to talk about possible solutions. “We will have very meaningful discussions. Whenever they’re ready, I’m ready,” Selig told the St. Petersburg Times. “They know what they need, and they […]
Pinellas County mulls hotel-tax extension for new Rays ballpark
Money talks when it comes to new ballparks, and Pinellas County may have a strong speaking voice when it comes to a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark: the new new board of commissioners is considering an extension of the county bed tax to help pay for a new facility — something Hillsborough County cannot offer. […]
Spring training returning to Al Lang Field, St. Pete
Spring training will be returning to Al Lang Field and St. Petersburg in 2011, as three international teams will train there and other St. Pete sites while playing some exhibition games against MLB teams — and more may be on the way. The city is holding a press conference this morning to announce that the […]
The Week That Was: October 2
Here are the most popular stories published in Ballpark Digest this past week, as measured by page views. The big stories this week: new ballparks in Potomac and Westfield; a baseball institution drops baseball; and the continuing follies in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre over a new ballpark. Westfield approves site for sports complex, complete with new ballpark P-Nats, […]
Rays rip fans for not showing up during pennant race
The Tampa Bay Rays are in the midst of a great pennant race, but players were outspoken in their disappointment when a crowd of only 12,446 fans showed up to Tropicana Field on a night when the Rays could have clinched a divisional title. They didn’t, dropping a 4-0 game to the Baltimore Orioles. Still, […]
The Week That Was: September 18
Here are the top stories published on Ballpark Digest the past week. Plus, a look at the numbers generated by Ballpark Digest users after the transition to the new publishing system; quite honestly, we’re pretty amazed at the response. First off: some numbers for you Web types to chew on. Since we moved to the […]
Renegades, Rays extend PDC
The Hudson Valley Renegades (short season A; NY-Penn League) will remain a farm team of the Tampa Bay Rays, as the pair extend their PDC for two more years. Throughout the Renegades’ 16-year history (14 of those years with Tampa Bay) fans have seen numerous ex-Renegades grace Major League ballparks, including Josh Hamilton, Evan Longoria, […]
Hot Rods, Tampa Bay extend PDC
It was a good 2010 for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Low Class A; Midwest League), as the team set an attendance record, and it just got better: the team signed a two-year extension of its player-development deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. “We want to thank all of our fans as well as our […]