Yes, it sucks that affordable housing isn’t guaranteed, especially in a place where it’s crazy expensive. However, St. Pete needs the Rays deal. It needs to happen one way or another. If the Rays leave, a giant chunk of tax money will disappear, and services will have to be cut back or completely disappear. Sure, there’s other things in St. Pete that create tax money, but the Rays create a large chunk of it. People complain about that money not going to parks or students. That money that’s being driven into the development will create even more money in the future for those parks. More tax money that’s created then means even more affordable housing. So if the Rays leave because a deal couldn’t go through, then how are you going to get that extra money for the parks and schools?
Giant chunk of tax money? The Rays are not currently a revenue driver. The Gas Plant redevelopment will happen with or without baseball. Without baseball at the location MORE property tax money will go to the City, because the Rays DO NOT pay property taxes. The Rays pay $0 rent for use of the stadium, the Rays are PRIVATE and DO NOT SHARE REVENUE. The City will be $1.6 BILLION in the positive w/o the Rays deal as it is proposed
Just build them another community center.
If they loose the team I don't want to hear any crying.
Yes, it sucks that affordable housing isn’t guaranteed, especially in a place where it’s crazy expensive. However, St. Pete needs the Rays deal. It needs to happen one way or another. If the Rays leave, a giant chunk of tax money will disappear, and services will have to be cut back or completely disappear. Sure, there’s other things in St. Pete that create tax money, but the Rays create a large chunk of it. People complain about that money not going to parks or students. That money that’s being driven into the development will create even more money in the future for those parks. More tax money that’s created then means even more affordable housing. So if the Rays leave because a deal couldn’t go through, then how are you going to get that extra money for the parks and schools?
Giant chunk of tax money? The Rays are not currently a revenue driver. The Gas Plant redevelopment will happen with or without baseball. Without baseball at the location MORE property tax money will go to the City, because the Rays DO NOT pay property taxes. The Rays pay $0 rent for use of the stadium, the Rays are PRIVATE and DO NOT SHARE REVENUE. The City will be $1.6 BILLION in the positive w/o the Rays deal as it is proposed