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I ADDED NEW ITEMS TO THIS, THATS WHY I AM REPOSTING THIS and bumping this thread

Not sure if this belongs here or not, but while looking over a few pieces of land throughout the bay area I have determined Tampa will be the best place to build a new stadium and I will include reasons to support my reasoning.

For those of you who say that they would stop going to games if the Rays were to move out of St. Pete, this bulletin isn't intended on challenging you on that issue, just why I feel they will eventually end up in Tampa

In the RAYS NEW BALLPARK THREAD, I listed a few potential spots and the focal point was that of Julian B Lane Riverfront Park.

Location

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=riverfront+park+tampa&sll=27.951724,-82.466555&sspn=0.019788,0.027466&ie=UTF8&ll=27.954226,-82.466919&spn=0.009894,0.013733&z=16&iwloc=A

Views from the Location

From Southeast corner
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tampa&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=70.739879,112.5&ie=UTF8&ll=27.953236,-82.465766&spn=0.00236,0.005472&t=h&z=18&g=tampa&layer=c&cbll=27.952051,-82.466008&panoid=Fm3k_8uMbmkh_0SWAs-KGw&cbp=2,112.40294621771738,,0,5.294223808708572

From Northeast corner
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tampa&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=70.739879,112.5&ie=UTF8&ll=27.955141,-82.465442&spn=0.00118,0.002736&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=27.954548,-82.465561&panoid=vnronq98zQ-tiwSSIqxSHQ&cbp=2,143.7028844164135,,0,-4.90670543227014

From Fortune street (otherside of the river) looking at the location
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tampa&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=70.739879,112.5&ie=UTF8&ll=27.953392,-82.464516&spn=0.00118,0.002736&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=27.952799,-82.464637&panoid=IQRGiV6zJM7AK5JIgn_kCg&cbp=2,298.5561640605266,,0,8.005405018778583





As you can see from the lands dimensions, there is ample land.



I have included 4 examples of existing major league stadiums on the Julian B Lane land (my photoshop skills are terrible)

PNC PARK



MINUTE MAID PARK



CAMDEN YARDS



AT&T PARK



As for fans getting into the stadium, the first thing would be a pedestrian bridge from W Fortune Street.



Public Transportation

Next we need to address public transportation. This is where Tampa has a giant advantage over St. Pete. As you can tell from the map below, Tampa has really thought out their transportation needs in the downtown area. (in included a larger key after the photo)

SOURCE http://www.hillsboroughmpo.org/





I zoomed in on the photo for easier viewing. You can easily see the the TECO streetcar is planned to go up the west side of Tampa along the east side of the Hillsborough River. This would make for a easy commute and parking from the Channelside Parking Garage. In addition, there will also be Water Taxi service, High speed rail entering close to the Channelside Parking garage and 3 new parking garages planned for the northern part of Tampa.

Parking Garages



Speaking of parking, these are the current lots that are available for parking (not counting the UT parking garage). The yellow represents parking available and as i stated, Tampa plans on turning 3 of those into parking garages.



Tampa has 3 parking garages planned for the northern part of downtown. I hightlighted them in yellow.



below is the key for that map



Driving There

You can access that area from 275 and the Lee Roy Selmon. Currently 275 does not have a exit for North Blvd, but with the current construction they have already planned an off ramp headed east bound and an on ramp headed west bound. This would make the commute for Pinellas residents easier and would allow direct interstate traffic to exit in front of the stadium.



They are also working on a connection for west bound Crosstown/LeeRoy Selmon to connect directly to west bound I-4. This connection will be in Ybor (around 34th street), so the population boom of southeast Hillsborough will have 2 routes to get into downtown Tampa



Local Business

Here are two google links that show all of the restaurants and Bars within a 1 mile radius on the University of Tampa

Restaurants Pages 1 -12 will be within a 1 mile radius (thats 120 places to eat)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=401+W.+Kennedy+Blvd.+tampa+restaurants&sll=27.936332,-82.468185&sspn=0.037763,0.054932&ie=UTF8&radius=1.000000&ei=EaAjSbqJKITmM5TW5OME&attrid=&view=map&start=0&ll=27.945109,-82.465718&spn=0.009895,0.013733&z=16

Bars Pages 1 -4 will be within a 1 mile radius (thats 40 Bars)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&view=map&q=401+W.+Kennedy+Blvd.+tampa+bars&sll=27.945109,-82.465718&sspn=0.009895,0.013733&ie=UTF8&radius=1.000000&ei=lKgjSeGbF4fSM6PCvegE&attrid=&ll=27.951573,-82.461576&spn=0.037757,0.054932&z=14

Hotels
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&view=map&q=401+W.+Kennedy+Blvd.+tampa+hotels&sll=27.951573,-82.461576&sspn=0.037757,0.054932&ie=UTF8&radius=1.000000&ei=VqkjSafkEYL0NJK0rOoE&attrid=&ll=27.944446,-82.461405&spn=0.01888,0.027466&z=15

Population

http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/managementbudget/communitystatistics/resources/publications/populationcharts.pdf



Future Population Growth

The propsed Tampa Bay Area Beltway
http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A174150
http://www.baynews9.com/content/83/2006/8/15/174841.html
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/03/Tampabay/Hillsborough_approves.shtml




Population Radius

Due to Pinellas being the western most point of the Tampa Bay area, it is hindered with the lack of population growth due to all of that pesky water. I know these maps arent 100% scientific, but it gives you a good idea of the importance of the fan that is 20-40 miles away. Map is in intervals of 10 miles

Pinellas



Hillsborough



The most import areas on this map are the growing parts of the bay area which are New Tampa/Wesley Chapel/Zephryhills, I-4 corridor and everything south of 60 that is east of 275. Pinellas is done growing. You need to plan for the future.

From Claritas (Neilsen media)
http://www.claritas.com/Default.jsp

2011 estimates


From their estimates, Hillsborough will see a growth of 125,000 by the year 2011 and Polk will see a growth of 50,000. So the eastern part of the Tampa Bay area will see a growth of 175,000 by 2011. Pinellas is only expecting a 20,000 plus growth in that same period. So that is a plus of 155,000.

2103 estimates


From more of their studies, you see that by 2013 they are predicting Hillsborough to have an additional 50,000 residents (from their 2011 numbers), Polk will have an additional 50,000 residents (from their 2011 numbers). They are predicting that Pasco will have over 500,000 residents by 2013. From someone who has done the commute, driving to Tampa (from any part of Pasco) is easier then to St.Pete.

With this location, they get a great view, plenty of land, economic impact, local retailers would benefit, public transportation, easy access from every direction in the Tampa Bay area, etc.

If you made it through this entire post, let me know what you think.

SOURCE http://www.hillsboroughmpo.org/

Wow, Selg. I like it. The TECO streetcar would go where the stadium would be, but outside of that I think you've summed it up well.

It'll be at least two years before anything stadium-wise happens, but this is a good example of what could be.

I love it and there is enough land there for a state of the art retractable dome which will give us the best of both worlds.

I think all of us want a new stadium. Some just wanted more than what we were going to get in St Pete. You only build these things once every few generations, we should build one that will last and grow with the area.

I don't get the people who live in Pinellas and say they wouldn't drive to Tampa. What is the difference now with all the people who live in Tampa and drive to St Pete. Think about it geographically, a stadium in Tampa is more centrally located to more people. There is nothing west of St Pete but water and the people to the south can just as easily get to Tampa as they can St Pete. The people in Orlando, Tampa, Central Florida and North of Tampa will getting a much easier commute however. Yes the people in Pinellas get a longer ride but they are outweighed by the many other people who get a shorter ride. Especially the people in Orlando where the team is clearly trying to cultivate a relationship.

Sometimes you have to hope for the initial plan to fail to get what you really want. Its like politicians who vote against a piece of legislation because it is not strong enough. They aren't against the idea, they just want to see it done correctly.

I think the team's prospects in Tampa are much better and they will be able to draw from a larger geographic base by moving out of a corner of Tampa Bay/Central Florida and more towards the center.

Selgy you put a lot of work into this. Great visuals of the area and the way other stadiums would fit. Thank you, it has given me a greater appreciation of the area you were referring to in other posts. Don't know how the money would work out for the Rays, but that's what the next two years is for.

Nice work. On second thought, I like the location better than I originally stated (I was thinking you were talking about Henry B Plant Park before). Still not sure about parking though. That part of downtown doesn't have the big buildings with the big garages, so something would probably need to be built, which would drive the price way up. There's lot space, but not enough lot space for a city with nonexistent public transportation.

The University of Tampa would be overrun on game nights...

SELGY FOR MAYOR. GIT 'ER DUN!

Only thing I don't like is that it's on the wrong side of the Hillsborough River. It's opposite all of the parking and potential retail, which means most people would have to walk a long way or take streetcars and water taxis to get to the ballpark.

Isn't there plenty of unused land in the channelside and ybor areas, as well as the area between channelside and ybor?

I love the idea of a stadium there. I think it gives the Rays a lot of flexibility for the type of stadium they buils and with the pedestrian bridge, could still give a big shot in the arm economically to Tampa with foot traffic.

You really put a lot of thought and work into his. You should really try to get this into the hands of the Rays front office.

Weird... it's a lot easier for me to get to a Rays game than a Lightning/Bucs game.

Not if its Windy out.

Touche!

And that's the same excuse I hear all the time from Tampa folks for coming across the bridge this way? And I've heard it too many times on sports radio, "ooo, it's too hard to come across the bridge, it takes over a 1/2 hour." Boofrickin'hoo! I do it for Lightning/Storm/Bucs games, don't you think it's about time Tampa folks come this way? And it takes at least (with excellant traffic which isn't good in rush-hour) 45-55 minutes for Bolt games.

And do you really think St. Pete's going to let the Rays just up and move when they have a signed lease for the next umpteen years?

If the Rays buy out the lease then St. Pete has no say. I believe it's around 60 million to buy it out.

St. Pete doesn't deserve the team if they won't support a new stadium, that originally was very beneficial to the city. It's sad the old farts whined enough to shoot it down.

Very good work. You should be on the committee because I doubt theyre looking here. I thinks its a really nice place there, but wouldnt Yankee scum infest the park even more than the 30 minute drive they have to weather.

Number of People in Tampa, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, and Orlando > Number of People in St Pete

Why do you think the Bucs and Bolts are in Tampa? It would be worth it to the team to just buy out the lease.