A proposed expansion of Al Lang Stadium on the downtown St. Pete waterfront would require bed tax funds from the county. So would a new baseball stadium if the Rays decide to stay in St. Pete.
But contrary to buzz following reports Tuesday on the proposal, one project would not rob funds from the other.
According to Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch, the two projects would receive funding from different pots within the county’s bed tax revenue.
“We ‘reserve’ approximately a penny of bed tax for a potential new Rays stadium. The other capital projects would be funded from the remainder of the funds,” Welch explained. “I confirmed this with my colleagues at a recent Commission meeting, and that is the broad consensus.”
The county collects a six percent tax on things like hotel stays and short-term condo rentals. Each penny of that tax is designated for different things. The Rays’ stadium penny would fund about $7 or $8 million a year, money that would be crucial in building a new stadium.
But money to help Rowdies owner Bill Edwards expand the team’s home at Al Lang Stadium would come from a different part of the overall tax.
“The Mayor would not support anything that compromises support for baseball forever,” said Rick Kriseman’s chief of staff Kevin King when asked if the two projects would compete for funding.
According to Tuesday’s Fox 13 report, Kriseman is in full support of expanding Al Lang Stadium and acknowledged a referendum would have to go to voters. The City Charter requires large-scale impact with major implications on the downtown waterfront to obtain voter approval.
“We think there’s a lot of opportunity for that stadium to be a home not only to the Rowdies, but to rugby matches, and lacrosse matches and motocross and volley ball and concerts and… potentially even host some football games,” Kriseman told Fox 13.
The project is expected to cost about $70 million and expand the current 7,500 fan capacity to more than 18,000.
