Downtown St Petersburg Florida
is one of the largest - and in my opinion also one of the most beautiful - public waterfronts in the U.S. Nearly five miles of parkland keep the waterfront open and visible to the public. Yes, there are wonderful indoor and outdoor restaurants and shops and museums and residences - but they don't block the view. There are over 350 events a year in these waterfront parks, from art shows to music concerts, as well as all the daily uses, for walking or sitting or playing soccer or exercising your dog.
What's really unique is that this waterfront parkland is truly protected. Since 1903 when the land was given to the city, any sale or long-term lease must be approved by the voters in the city - a very protective group, I'll add.
Al Lang Field (now known as Progress Energy Park) has been the site of spring training for years. The Tampa Bay Rays (once known as the Devil Rays) announced this week that they'd like to have a new stadium right here by the water - with occasional home runs going out into the bay.
I wonder how the voters will vote.
For me, I've always enjoyed being out in the open, looking beyond the ball field to Tampa Bay, watching the games, eating hot dogs and enjoying the weather. I haven't enjoyed being "cooped up" in Tropicana Field. And what a wonderful way to show off our wonderful home to the entire world.
On the other hand, I also deeply treasure our waterfront parks. How much more intrusive would a new stadium be? Hopefully we wouldn't lose our continuous miles of sidewalk along the bay, nor part of the track for the Grand Prix when it races here in the spring.
I wonder how the voters will vote.
