Half and Half? A Half-Baked Idea
In his column, Graham Brink, the Opinion Editor at the Tampa Bay Times, recently wrote about a wild idea: a two-city plan to keep the Rays in Tampa Bay. To be clear, this was not Graham’s idea and he was not promoting the plan. He was simply raising awareness about it and explaining why it likely won’t happen.
Still, the idea deserves a closer look. Here’s why it falls flat.
A Pricey Fantasy in Pinstripes
At first glance, a two-stadium setup sounds fun. But who will pay?
Tropicana Field needs big upgrades to stay usable. And for just 40 games a year? That price tag makes no sense.
Now, who covers the cost?
Pinellas County? Doubtful. Tourist tax dollars are already stretched thin.
St. Pete? Even less likely. Why invest millions for part-time use?
Tax dollars should focus on things that bring real tourists: beaches, museums, and great restaurants.
No Fan Boom Coming
Let’s be honest. St. Pete’s attendance has been weak for nearly 30 years.
A split season won’t magically create new diehard fans. A second stadium won’t change that.
Traffic on I-275 Would Get Worse
Tampa Bay traffic already frustrates everyone. Now imagine thousands more cars every few days.
This is one reason a stadium in St. Pete never truly worked.
Adding traffic chaos is not the answer.
A Billion-Dollar Chance We Should Not Waste
The 86 acres around Tropicana Field are prime real estate. It’s worth close to $1 billion.
Why waste it on a stadium used only 40 days a year?
Instead, picture this:
Housing
Offices
Parks
Shops
Year-round use. Year-round benefits.
Parking Will Be a Nightmare
Today, St. Pete leans on 7,000 surface parking spots for Rays games. But with Gas Plant District development?
Poof. They’re gone.
Garages take space and cost a fortune. Even with new garages, parking would frustrate fans and residents.
No one wants to circle neighborhoods hunting for a spot.
Tampa Weather Still a Big Problem
April and May in Tampa? Hot.
June and July? A sauna.
September? Hurricane season.
This plan doesn’t fix weather issues. It just moves them around.
Bigger Issues Need Our Focus
St. Pete faces a $5 billion stormwater and sewer crisis.
Flooded streets hurt everyone. Hurricanes don’t wait for stadium deals.
Fixing core problems must come first.
Here’s the Winning Play
Tampa Bay deserves a smarter game plan.
Build one stadium. In Tampa. One deal.
Redevelop St. Pete’s 86 acres into a vibrant district.
Fix infrastructure. Protect homes and families.
Stop chasing half-baked ideas.
Let’s stay focused. Let’s aim higher. Let’s build a Tampa Bay that thrives every single day.
