ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Pat Williams — who helped bring the NBA to Orlando more than three decades ago — pitched a plan to bring the MLB to the state’s tourism hub during a Tuesday news conference.
While Williams said his team is most focused on attracting a new MLB team to Orlando during the league’s future expansion, he's also hoping his pitch will be an option for the Rays, whose lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg expires in 2027.
The ambitious announcement in Orlando has Rays fans reacting in Tampa Bay.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t like it at all,” said April Boose, a Rays fan who lives in St. Pete. “They definitely need to stay here.”
The City of St. Pete is currently working with the Rays and a developer, Hines, to redevelop the Tropicana Field site, known as the Gas Plant District, but Williams is watching from Orlando closely.
“If the Rays cannot get the funding to build a new ballpark, they're going to have to begin exploring other options," he said Wednesday in an interview with ABC Action News. “We want to be an option for the Rays.”
His vision for a ballpark in Orlando would be a $1.7 billion stadium complex just off I-4 near SeaWorld. He believes the site would be the perfect home for a new MLB team or the Rays.
“If the Rays end up in a situation where they need to find another home, we feel just a drive down I-4 over here would be a good solution for them," Williams said.
Williams has said the Mayor of Orange County, Jerry Demings, has told him the complex will need to serve as a tourist attraction that would draw in guests from around the world who visit Orlando for its theme parks.
Williams proposed naming the possible team the Orlando Dreamers as a nod to the spirit present in the visionaries who have shaped the city, including Walt Disney and John Young.
“Now comes the nitty-gritty part of trying to see if we can get these funds generated,” Williams said.
Williams, however, is hopeful about securing the required funding since Orange County generates a large amount of tourist development tax (TDT) dollars each year. According to an Orange County Government factsheet, "Orange County collects, by far, the largest share of TDT of any county in the state of Florida."
“We’re going to go in front of Orange County commissioners requesting or asking for $975 million,” Williams said.
At Ferg’s in St. Pete, which is located just steps from Tropicana Field, many of the Rays fans who gathered to watch their team on the sports bar's many televisions Wednesday said they do not see Orlando as a viable threat.
“Standing in Orlando in July is about like standing on the surface of the sun. It’s not really feasible unless you’re willing to put up that Jerry Jones money," said William Larrabee, a Rays fan.
Instead, Larrabee and others think St. Petersburg leaders will ultimately reach a deal to keep the team in St. Pete.
“I think the deal’s well underway,” he said.
In a statement, St. Petersburg did not acknowledge the Orlando proposal but said his staff is “conducting active negotiations” with Rays and its developer, Hines, in hopes of striking a deal.
“It would be most prudent to share those specifics and answer media questions once negotiations have concluded and an agreement is crafted for the St. Petersburg City Council to review,” St. Petersburg spokesperson Erica Riggins wrote. “We are hopeful to adhere to the previously released timeline, which would deliver a term sheet to our St. Petersburg City Council for review this summer. The term sheet would give City leaders the opportunity to get feedback and input from residents.”
According to the city, a plan to finance the redevelopment project will be included in the use agreement term sheet.
City Council would be asked to approve the development agreement in September and October of this year.
Asked about his thoughts on keeping the Rays in St. Petersburg, Chris Latvala, a Pinellas County Commissioner, said, “I want to have the Rays in Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay area, but it all comes down to what the Rays ultimately ask for and how much, you know, tax dollars…from the taxpayers.”
As for Williams, he said he has had no recent contact with the Rays.
The Rays, meanwhile, would not comment on Williams’ Orlando proposal.
