For those of you wondering what’s been up with the Tampa Bay Rays stadium saga since October, we have this: Rays owner Stuart Sternberg and St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster have set a meeting for January 17th to talk over stadium issues. Here’s a prediction of how it will go:
SS: “So, can we move to Tampa now?”
BF: “Hello!” (Waves lease in Sternberg’s face.)
SS: “Check, please!”
For more on this, see Noah Pransky’s analysis.
Exactly. And so he should. Foster is mayor of a town in a state which are both facing large economic shortfalls. We’ve already fronted ongoing millions of dollars for that stadium and to commit even more money for it, going to a greedy, stupid owner like Sternberg, is pure folly.
Let him open the books, buyout the remaining years/money owed on his contract/land, or just sit tight and put his greed in check. Any fool arguing that a new, publicly-financed stadium will guarantee a winning team should look across the bay to Tampa and the dismal records of both the Lightning and the Bucs.
I really wonder how stupid Tampa voters would be to commit even more millions of non-existent public dollars to another group of billionaires.
My fantasy mayor–doesn’t say “how high!” when sports team owner says “jump!”
I should be so lucky here in Santa Clara.