On the same day that we reported that 11 Pinellas County lawmakers would not endorse a bill that would have given the Rays a tax rebate of $60 million over the next 30 years, the Rays announced that they would no longer seek the tax rebate from the state.
Team senior vice president Michael Kalt said the decision does not affect the team’s stadium proposal or timetable…”We said from the beginning that we don’t see (the state money) as crucial…We’re not in the business of pushing things through that we think are unrealistic.”…Kalt said it’s unclear whether the stadium would have to be redesigned to accommodate for the loss of state funding.
To kill the metaphor that we began yesterday, this is the equivalent of being told by your parents that you can’t have an XBox and then shouting that it doesn’t matter, you never wanted one anyway.
Some suggestions for changes in the proposed stadium to account for the loss of $60 million in state subsidies…
- New stadium no longer needs to include a day care center for Elijah Duke’s children
- Make stadium smaller and decrease capacity to 9,000. Nobody wants Yankees and Red Sox fans there anyway.
- Bullpen by committee…Committee of fans. Hold raffle every night for the fans with the winner being the first relief pitcher out of the ‘pen. Make money…and improve the pitching staff.
- Trade Rocco Baldelli. Would mean fewer trainers on payroll and smaller trainers room needed in new stadium.
Rays abandon quest for state stadium subsidy [TampaBay.com]
