following the previous owners backing out of an agreement to build a St. Petersburg ballpark last year<\/a>, there was a dose of reality Tuesday.<\/p>\nDeSantis says no state money would go toward building the stadium and Manfred, given the opportunity, did not specifically rule out the Rays moving if this plan does not work out.<\/p>\n
And Orlando was mentioned at least once as a city primed for a Major League Baseball team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not big on predictions about last chances, more chances,\u201d Manfred says.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do think that the governor made an important point. Florida is vibrant. There are alternatives in Florida, and I do think we’re at a point in the history of the club that something needs to get done.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Rays are in active talks with the college about a plan that will transform about 113 acres of the campus. That plan keeps the college on the property, though on a smaller footprint, allowing Rays to build a stadium and a mixed-use development on the property that would include multifamily, retail and hotel space.<\/p>\n
To make it work, DeSantis says the state-owned property the college currently sits on would be conveyed to Hillsborough College, allowing it to work with the team on a development plan. And though he says direct state funding won\u2019t go toward a stadium, the state could help in other ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think when you look, some of the buildings need massive amounts of deferred maintenance,\u201d he says. \u201cWell, I’d rather put that money to the reimagined campus than trying to rehab some of the old buildings.\u201d<\/p>\n
The visit to the campus came a day before the Hillsborough County Commission is set to hear an update on discussion with the team about funding for the project.<\/p>\n
The Rays have committed to paying for at least half the stadium\u2019s construction but to make the project work it\u2019s going to take, as Manfred says, \u201ca partnership between the community, the local government and the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
What that will look like is unclear at this point. Both Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Hillsborough Commissioner Ken Hagan said after the press conference that while there have been initial conversations, dollar amounts have not been discussed.<\/p>\n
That will be reiterated at Wednesday\u2019s meeting where, according to an agenda item, commissioners will be told that there have been no negotiations with the Rays\u2019 new ownership.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile the Rays have requested information about potential funding sources as part of researching and evaluating options for a ballpark site and ballpark financing options, the singular purpose of those requests has been to determine whether a feasible framework exists on which to predicate future negotiations of business terms.\u201d<\/p>\n
While there is still a long way to go before the first shovel turns the first piece of dirt, there does seem to be a consensus, at least among business and local leaders, that this plan could be the one that finally works after several false starts.<\/p>\n
DeSantis’ support may just prove that.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it wasn\u2019t something that was compelling, I would say I wasn\u2019t sold on that,\u201d he says. \u201cBut I think that when people see it, I think they\u2019re going to realize the potential is going to be huge.\u201d<\/p>\n
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