YBOR Gentrification

Slowly but very surely, Historic Ybor City is being infected by gentrification. The Tampa Park Apartments at the southwest corner of 7th Avenue and Nuccio Parkway has opted to end their Section 8 contract with HUD and is in the process of evicting tenants who rely on government assistance (article HERE). This property is immediately north of the site where the new Rays stadium was, and still is, proposed to be built. Currently secret negotiations are still ongoing between the Rays franchise owners, St. Petersburg and the Tampa Sports Authority and the plan was originally to develop about 4 million square feet of properties surrounding the stadium and, I'm sure that is still in the fix. That 4 million square feet would include everything from 6th Ave. south to Adamo Dr. and Nuccio Pkwy. west to 22nd St., basically everything south of 7th Ave.

Just because you can't see it now, doesn't mean the RAYBOR beast isn't just over the horizon.

New Rays stadium deal could end up costing taxpayers more than $1B

The Tampa Bay Rays are here to stay in St. Petersburg, but the new stadium deal might not be a home run for taxpayers — with interest on debt, St. Pete and Pinellas County residents could end up paying more than $1 billion for the development.....MORE

Rays fans weigh in on the team's future home as leaders look to finalize a deal

The Tampa Bay Rays are off to a strong start, selling out Tropicana Field for its season opener. But the team’s time at the Trop is ticking. Rays leadership expects a deal for a new stadium to be finalized by the end of this year. If not, leaders said the team may look for a new home outside of Tampa Bay.

Stuart Sternberg, principal owner of the Rays, told our partners at the Tampa Bay Times that the team is in talks with officials from both St. Petersburg and Tampa about a new stadium. He added that he feels optimistic the team can stay in Tampa Bay, which they’ve called home since 1998.

More HERE

New renderings show baseball stadium in proposed 'GasWorx' District that would link Ybor and Channelside

 

"The City of Tampa released new renderings of a one-of-a-kind baseball stadium in the middle of the proposed GasWorx District, which would link Ybor and Channelside. 

The design shows the stadium just South of Ybor City and the Selmon Expressway, and just east of the Channel that is now home to a shipping hub.

The owner of the site, Darryl Shaw, did not want to comment on this stadium design, which came from a firm in Kansas City. The Rays, which had that design made, did not want to comment either.

More HERE

10 News Report on Ken Hagan's criminal behavior

Negotiations with a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays franchise are still being held behind closed doors by Corrupt County Commissioner Ken Hagan and the Rays have a deadline of December 31 to close a deal.

I have been trying to obtain the agenda for the next Board of County Commissioners public meeting on December 5 but, conveniently, the person who posts their agendas is on vacation until Nov. 28. From now until Dec. 5, I will be gathering as much information as I can concerning these illegal secret negotiations and will hopefully create an event aimed at allowing the people of Hillsborough County to voice our objections to this corrupt and illegal process. It is already clear that most of the funding for this new stadium would be obtained from public funds, whether by imposing a new county tax or diverting monies from existing public funds, such as the entertainment tax or tourism tax funds. Either would be stealing funds that were meant to improve conditions for the citizens of Hillsborough and not to enrich land developer friends of Ken Hagan and Rays shareholders.

I will keep the readers of the Ybor City Stogie posted.

New plans detail finances of Rays stadium deal

Some are already voicing concerns about the new stadium.

“The lie that is being told is that it is more important to build the city’s future around a baseball team rather than around the people,” one community member said.

More HERE

Boycott Proponents of Taxpayer Subsidized Rays Stadium

Remember this?

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George W. Bush and the Texas Rangers

When he bought the team, the Rangers were playing in an old minor-league stadium. It didn’t have the fancy sky boxes and other amenities that helped make other franchises much more profitable. As a result, the team couldn’t compete with other big-city teams for good players. But the new owners weren’t willing to finance the construction of a new ballpark. They decided to hit up taxpayers for the money.

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First, the new owners threatened to move the team out of Arlington, Texas, sending local officials scurrying to put together a deal they couldn’t refuse. Under the resulting agreement, the taxpayers of Arlington would raise $135 million, the bulk of the cost of construction, through a hike in sales taxes. During a campaign to sell the sales tax increase to Arlington voters, then-mayor Richard Greene said the team owners would put $50 million of their own money into the deal up front. It didn’t quite work out that way; the owners raised a hefty portion of their down payment from fans, through a one dollar surcharge on tickets. 

The city spent $150,000 on an advertising campaign to persuade voters. Opponents of the deal couldn’t compete with glossy brochures, telemarketing calls, and a “Hands Around Arlington Day.” On Jan. 19, 1991, citizens of Arlington voted two-to-one to approve a sales-tax increase dedicated to building the new park. here

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And this: Minnesota taxpayers, $348 million — or about $616 million, including interest over three decades.  here

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Las Vegas for the Raiders?  $750 million taxpayer subsidy. here

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It can be done. Check this out. Chargers love LA. here. Great job San Diego!

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Join the revolt here

MLB And Ken Hagan's Fleecing Of Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County taxpayers, take a look around.  If you can’t find the sucker, it’s you.

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Anyone favoring a new taxpayer-funded stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays is either in the cabal of grifters that will share in the $600M+ windfall or baseball aficianados that have bought into the sport’s bribery/blackmail playbook.

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It’s a game plan designed to enrich team owners, local real estate interests, bond attorneys, and public officials who expedite the travesty.  In Tampa, that public official is Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan who negotiated with landowners and the Rays in secret, then last week presented his fellow commissioners with what amounted to a fait accompli as to the new Rays site in Ybor City.

here

Koch-backed group takes aim at Tampa Bay Rays stadium plan

Something we agree with the Koch brothers on!

Asher’s Choice for Activist of the Year

I have two choices for Activist of the Year! 

First I want to recognize Dayna Lazarus for her tireless efforts to advocate for equitable transit and social justice. Our community is stronger thanks to her work! 

My second choice honors Glen Eich for his outstanding job in galvanizing the “Ybor 6” to oppose the Rays Stadium being built in Ybor — his efforts helped to save historic Ybor from becoming drowned in commercialist chaos. Thank you Dayna and Glen!

Major announcement expected on new Rays stadium

Sky U. White: I do not support building the new Rays Stadium in Ybor City

VOTE SKY U. WHITE

New Rays Stadium In Ybor City?

Ken Hagan sald that somewhere with easy downtown access like Channelside or Ybor City would be prime candidates for the new ball park.

No Baseball fans here, but we think that is a great idea. He does not mention who would pay for it. more

Rays’ stadium, development district to exceed initial cost estimates

A report from Florida TaxWatch raised concerns about the real cost of the project to the city and the county, which is estimated to be a total of $2.4 billion, not $600 million, when accounting for parking garages, infrastructure support and lost revenues.....Read More

Rays New Stadium Presentation in Ybor City

Unveiling of plans for a shiny new $892 million stadium in Ybor City by the Tampa Bay Rays organization Tuesday struck out on the key question: a funding source.

The presentation is seen by many—supporters, opponents, and skeptics alike—as an effort to gain converts. more

By Jim Bleyer

‘Prepared to negotiate’: Hillsborough unfazed after St. Pete chooses Rays redevelopment plans for Tropicana

 

Negotiators trying to bring a stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays to Hillsborough County say they are unfazed by Monday's announcement that St. Petersburg chose the team's proposed plan for redeveloping the Tropicana Field location. 

"Their attendance would be much higher, and the revenue generated would be much higher and much greater in Tampa and Hillsborough County," said Hillsborough Commissioner Ken Hagan.

More HERE

Florida Had The Worst Overall Violation Rate

Report On Stadium Food
The score is based on the percentage of vendors in violation of health requirements.
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Raymond James Stadium
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Vendors with critical violations: 84%
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St. Pete Times Forum
Tampa Bay Lightning
Vendors with critical violations: 88%
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Tropicana Field
Tampa Bay Rays
Vendors with critical violations: 100%
here

Tampa Bay Rays Announce Historic Development Agreement, Partnership With St. Petersburg

The Tampa Bay Rays announced today that a historic agreement has been reached with the City of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County to move forward with a new state-of-the-art ballpark and a transformational development by the Hines Historic Gas Plant Partnership on the 86-acre site where the team’s current stadium sits.....MORE

Rays Hoopla Has Started In Ybor

Beware Tampa/Hillsborough 

we are about  to get screwed!

The main drivers of the stadium are Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan who has enriched his developer friends during his 16-year tenure in office, and the Tampa Bay Times that has at least two “investors,” Jeff Vinik and Darryl Shaw, who will make a real estate windfall into the hundreds of millions.

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Mr. Mayor we don't use pencils on this side and there won't be any burden on taxpayers because taxpayers aren't giving you, Ken Hagan, The Rays or MLB nothing.

Do the math, We did

The Proposed Gentrification of Ybor City by the Tampa Bay Rays

Tomorrow morning I, along with several others, will be speaking before the Hillsborough County Board of County Commission in opposition to the proposed relocation of the Tampa Bay Rays to a new stadium in Ybor City. This is the graphic I plan to put on their overhead projector and the speech I plan to give.

Come on out to the meeting if you can and support those who are fighting to preserve the Ybor City community. The commission meeting is at 9:00am on the second floor of the County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.