"Committed to securing the future of the Tampa Bay Rays in Downtown Tampa"

 

Downtown Tampa, as the urban and economic center of the region, is the logical choice for stadium development. 

 

Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) future plans will likely include a major transportation hub in downtown Tampa. A new stadium needs to be close to a downtown mass transit terminal.

 

With its existing infrastructure, potential for development, as a matter of containing sprawl and promoting sustainability, all signs point to downtown Tampa stadium development.

 

 

 Even as the reigning American League champions, attendance at games is still paultry. Ray's management has done everything it can to put a winning team on the field. The Ray's have become a source of pride that the entire region needs to support. Yet, during their rematch with their world series opponent Philadelphia Phillies, Tropicana Field wasn't even half full.

 

 

In order to secure this team's future in the Bay area, attendance needs to improve. Attendance will only improve when a stadium is located within a reasonable distance to the team's fan base within Hillsborough County.

 

 

The debate about where to locate the Ray's stadium should not be reduced to a "rivalry" between Tampa and St. Petersburg.

 

Everyone needs to keep their eye on the big picture. If the team is not successfull it will leave - sooner or later. That places the entire region at a major league disadvantage. Let's put our municipal differences aside and do what's best for the Ray's and regional sustainability. The Westshore area is already over congested and an Eastern Hillsborough location, we believe, is unreasonable for fans traveling from Pinellas.