What Do You Think of a New Rays Stadium in Mid-Pinellas County?
We want to know if you would be more likely to attend a Tampa Bay Rays game at a proposed location in Carillon Park than Tropicana Field.
A local developer has pitched a plan to build a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays at St. Petersburg's Carillon Park, which is just off I-275's Howard Frankland Bridge.
The Ulmerton Road location appears to be a shorter commute for Rays fans who live in Hillsborough County and middle and northern Pinellas County.
Old Northeast-Downtown St. Pete Patch reported that Steven Kurcan, project manager with CityScape, says the location of a stadium plays a big factor when it comes to fans attending games. MLB said a stadium has to be within a 30-minute drive of a stadium to be successful, Kurcan explained.
The proposal also includes adding retail, restaurants and entertainment (read the details).
So, what do you think of the Rays moving north to Carillon Park?
Vote in the poll below and share your thoughts in the comment section!
Paula McGarrah
6:20 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
I think it is insane to want to build a totally outdoor stadium. The Ray's already have the best stadium they could want. Who wants to go to a game in the blistering heat and humidity?
Gary Huckleberry
7:27 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
They should build the stadium and flood it with water so that the politicians and other thieves can have team mud wrestling tournaments, all the proceeds going to provide free crime-free housing to any local non-criminals. I never go to Rays games, but I'd go every opportunity to this event, and so would hundreds of thousands of other locals.
Donna
8:53 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
This is ridiculous! Spend, spend, spend. Let's just play and win :) and to top that proposal off, they want MORE entertainment, stores, shops, etc. We have way too much of that already! I hope this gets doesn't make it.
steve
9:43 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
they need a retractable domed stadium and it needs to be built around fairgrounds and i-4 to attract the orlando area to increase attendance
CJ
1:02 pm on Sunday, October 28, 2012
Wh even consider a retractable dome if it is already known that probably some high percentage such as 90% of all sports taking place there will probably be done with the retractable dome closed? Just go with a dome only for any new stadium. If it's not a rain threat, it's the usually present heat and humidity. Even on the pleasant winter days here...sitting in direct sun even in 70 degress is darn hot...the weather here is beautiful...but rarely is the humidity low. 70 degrees here is not the same as 70 degrees in Los Angeles. This area is not a goo dmatch for a retractable dome. I am not an engineer, but I also seriously doubt it is very easy to design a retractable dome that can withstand the very real threat of strong winds here.
Bill Engstrom
10:09 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
I agree about retractable roof and leaving the team in Pinellas County.Why should Tampa get all the action and revenues?Pinellas fought to get the Rays and they have brought increased tourism to our area and we should not let Tampa get all the attention and benefits.Keep the team here by any means possible because they are OUR team.
Donna
11:10 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
I would like to see :ALL" benefit for our sports teams. I personally know a Tampa business man that spent his fortune trying to 'buy' the "devil rays" team and did everything the MLB people wanted and still didn't win in the end. However, millions of $$ in the effort.
There has always been a 'disconnect' with Pinellas and Hillsborough counties and would be nice if this wasn't so.
Bert66
2:58 pm on Saturday, October 27, 2012
Who says they have to get ALL of it ? What's with this all or nothing idea ? The Rays don't have to leave St Pete, to have a stadium in Tampa. They could play half their home games in St Pete (41 games-that's more than 5 times as many as the Bucs play). And half in Tampa. Nothing unusual. The Yankees, Boston Celtics, and Green Bay Packers have all done it.
NO, they are NOT YOUR team. They are the TAMPA BAY Rays, not the St. Pete Rays, and when the people of Hillsborough County put up money for a stadium in Tampa, they will have done just as much for the team as you have.
CJ
12:50 pm on Sunday, October 28, 2012
Bert66...You sound like one of those people who had a Fannie Mae loan who had a foreclosue...the concept of a contract eludes you.
Jennifer H
10:18 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
I like it where it is and never minded the current stadium but I think moving it to Carillon Park would make an easier commute for people in Pasco and Hillsborough. We need to keep the Rays in Pinellas and it appears that we need to change things to make everyone happy. They will have to build the retractable option or no one will go to sit in either rain or blistering heat!
CJ
11:33 pm on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
If Tampa sold out Bucs games week after week, even if they were not a winning team, then it ''might'' make sense to move The Rays from Tropicana...but we know they don't or won't do that. It's doubtfull that even if The Bucs were in first place, they would have a full stadium. So, it's only logical The Rays would do no better over there. A city that is a good sports city will support the Pro Baseball and Football teams whetehr they are in first place or not. We are lucky that both owners of the Bucs and Rays even keep their teams here. I, for one, am certainly glad they do...but I worry about losing our teams. In todays sports , it defintely can and does happen. It has proven to be hard to fill stadiums in the Tampa/St Pete area, largely due to the fact this is an extremely fun place to live and there is ''never'' a shortage of many fun things to do. It is silly to move The Rays from Tropicana...moving them anywhere else is not the answer to the attendance problem. I don't know what is the answer, but moving them will be a mistake. Just like building The Lens, at the cost of losing The Pier is a mistake.
Gary Huckleberry
7:52 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Instead of a stadium, build a large fountain for the children to play in, one like Charleston, SC has, except ours could be much bigger, ... a fountain without doors, walls, and lockers, like Charleston's .. very cheap to build and maintain. The Rays could be hired to clean it and be a welcoming committee, instead of playing children's games supported by the boob tube.
CJ
10:44 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
you are such a donkeys behind
Lloyd Kramer
4:15 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
There should be a survey offered by the Rays to get info from those who do attend.
We come from Sarasota for 6-8 games. The present location is great for us.
But the real question will be what location will serve the greatest number of fans.
Would fans from Orlando really make the trip if the stadium was at the fairgrounds?
How many fans would attend if the stadium was open air. We would not sit in the heat and humidity.
CJ
12:48 pm on Sunday, October 28, 2012
As a newcomer to the area, obviously there are many things I probably don't quite get about the legalities in place that both the Rays and Bucs have to deal with. It is a no brainer that the Mayor of St Pete is fighting to require the contract to be honored...especially since I have found out the Arena Football team, and the Hockey team both used to also be in Tropicana. It is hard for me to imagine the effect that loss has had on Tropicana finacially. That said...It seems like there is a golden opportunity here to take care of ''two birds with one stone''. I have heard the complaints about the heat at the Bucs games. Why is it that ''both'' St Pete ''and'' Tampa can't get together to build a fabulous world class sports dome to house both the Rays and the Bucs and then share the expenses, etc? This is such an awesome place to live...and spectacular dome would ''take care of two birds with one stone''. Where to put it would not matter near as much if both cites shared the expense and/or profits, etc. It seems as my idea is almost a no branier..obviously this would be a good thing to see here. ''The Raybuc Dome''?