Later in November, both the St. Petersburg City Council and the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners will each vote as to whether to borrow, with interest, more than $1.2 billion – about $600 million each – to pay for a new baseball stadium. Without positive votes by each, it seems impossible for the stadium deal to move forward.
And should it – in light of the impact of two hurricanes? Shouldn’t St. Petersburg focus its finances on the $5 billion it needs to spend on improving its sewer and storm-water needs to help prevent future flooding, and keep our toilets and water systems working? And shouldn’t Pinellas County put protecting our beaches over spending on a stadium?
And for each, why is a new stadium a priority? I suggest that as a result of the hurricanes, not only don’t we need the stadium, but we cannot afford it. We need to focus on what matters.
I recently visited the Guggenheim Museum in Bilboa, Spain. What a fantastic building, designed by Frank Gehry, considered one the greatest architects of our time..
The building has become a symbol for Bilboa, attracting visitors worldwide with its unique architecture. It is estimated that the museum generates more than $400 million per year for the local economy and since its opening 27 years ago, more than 25 million people have visited the museum.
Currently on display is the metal sculpture, Rising Sea, by El Anatsu. It is made from discarded liquor bottle caps. As explained, “the material hold conceptional significance given that alcohol was one of the commodities Europeans transported to Africa in exchange for slaves.”
What I found equally significant is the description – “The swath of glimmering silver at the top of the work is reminiscent of a sky that is interrupted by the billowing matte of white waves that nearly subsume the only dashes of color at the bottom suggestive of a city skyline. …..Rising Sea serves as a reminder or perhaps a warning of how nature and civilization can be transformed in an instant.”
How ironic to see this work of art and read its description so soon after St. Petersburg and Pinellas County have experienced two hurricanes in two weeks, flooding tens of thousands of people’s home, making waste to our beaches, and causing the shut down of our sewer and water systems – nature and civilization transformed in an instant. In our case in two instants.
The impact of the Guggenheim museum on the economy of Bilboa also reminded me of the Visit Clearwater/St Pete visitor survey results as to why visitors come to our area. The study showed that 40% of the visitors said they come for the beaches, and in St. Petersburg 40% come for the museums (as well as the restaurants and the pier). Only 3% indicated they come for sporting events.
Which brings me to my questions.
- Shouldn’t Pinellas County and the City of St. Petersburg focus on nature’s warning?
- Can the St. Petersburg City Council and the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners divert needed funds to a stadium when there is the risk our civilization might be transformed again – in an instant?
- Should Pinellas County spend its tourist development taxes on a stadium, which is not of interest to visitors, when it has so much need to re-nourish 30 miles of beaches – beaches that bring the tourists here? And now knowing how vulnerable the area is to major storms, why wouldn’t the county put extra funds aside for future storms and the needs for the beaches?
- Why would St. Petersburg borrow, with interest almost $600 million when the city has $5 billion of sewer and storm water improvements needed to protect our homes, and provide confidence that we will have drinking water and toilets that work?
- Have the city council members reviewed the specific projects and their costs that comprise the $5 billion in needed water, sewer, and stormwater improvements as spelled out in the Known Capital Improvement Need 30 Year Forecast as prepared by Tom Greene and presented to Public Services Infrastructure Committee on April 9, 2024? Have they evaluated how these improvements if made would protect our homes, keep are water running and our toilets working?
- Should the county and the city commit, with interest, $1.2 billion to build a stadium that does not bring tourist nor drive economic activity?
- After setting aside the funds needed to protect the beaches now and into the future, and spending the funds needs to protect our homes from flooding, just like Bilboa and based on the Visit Clearwater/St. Pete surveys, wouldn’t it be better to focus on what brings people here?
What do you think? Want to help? Let us know and write to the St. Petersburg City Council and/or the Pinellas County Commissioner’s here.
