Poll shows Rowdies soccer stadium referendum cruising to victory

(Follow link for full article.)

http://floridapolitics.com/archives/235360-poll-shows-rowdies-soccer-stadium-referendum-cruising-victory

Poll shows Rowdies soccer stadium referendum cruising to victory

Peter Schorsch

During a recent interview with the Tampa Bay Times editorial board, Rick Baker said there were no plans for direct mail or other campaign spending to win a May 2 referendum to negotiate a 25-year lease with the city to expand Al Lang Stadium.

That’s because Baker, the former St. Petersburg mayor and president of the Edwards Group who is quarterbacking the pitch for Tampa Bay Rowdies owner Bill Edwards, is confident St. Pete residents will support the stadium expansion as part of an effort to entice Major League Soccer to award the community an expansion franchise.

Per usual, Baker is right. Very right.

According to a new survey conducted by St. Pete Polls, 70 percent of city voters say they will vote to approve the referendum, 19 percent indicate they will vote against it, while 11 percent say they are unsure.

While not exactly relevant to the May 2 referendum (but entirely relevant to the upcoming mayoral election, St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman‘s favorability/unfavorability rating stands at 48 to 35 percent, while Baker is at 60 to 23 percent).

The poll includes only responses from those registered voters who have participated in a city election within the last four years.

Vote-by-mail ballots were sent out late last month. Polls will be open May 2 in several locations throughout St. Pete (a list of polling locations is at votepinellas.com).

The proposed upgrades to historic Al Lang Stadium would cost up to $80 million and would increase capacity from approximately 7,500 to 18,000. The full cost of the renovations would be financed entirely by Edwards, and the upgrades would only happen if Tampa Bay is awarded an MLS expansion team.

The Rowdies, who are moving from NASL to USL this year, submitted their expansion application to MLS on Jan. 30. The club is one of 12 groups in 12 different cities that submitted a bid. The league will announce two new expansion clubs in 2017, with those teams set to begin MLS play by 2020. Two more teams will be added at a later date, taking the league to 28 total clubs.

Material from MLSSoccer.com was used in this report.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.facebook.com/events/405657386477453/

Diner 24 DTSP's photo.

APR7

Grand Opening!

Public · Hosted by Diner 24 DTSP

    April 7 – April 8
    Apr 7 at 6 AM to Apr 8 at 6 AM
    Diner 24 DTSP
    350 1st Ave N, Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701

Grand Opening on first Friday in Downtown St. Petersburg come out and celebrate the newest addition to Downtown St. Pete!

    Food ⋅ Drink

About the Venue
Diner 24 DTSP
Restaurant
Diner 24 DTSP's photo.
Diner 24 DTSP

https://www.facebook.com/Diner-24-DTSP-132630100604625/

http://diner24dtsp.com/

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.facebook.com/TheHoopedSleeve/photos/a.432443290263546.1073741828.430087723832436/728751970632675/?type=3&theater

The Hooped Sleeve

Pete the Pelican is everywhere, including at last night's Tampa Bay Lightning game!

(Photo by @LForrest724 on Twitter)

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9vmxUaICB0

Rowdies' Favorite Shows to Binge Watch

Tampa Bay Rowdies

Published on Apr 4, 2017

Find out what shows the Rowdies like to binge watch in this week's pregame show feature!

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNKcakKJAPs

Rowdies All-Time 5-A-Side: Matt Pickens

Tampa Bay Rowdies

Published on Apr 4, 2017

Rowdies GK Matt Pickens shares his All-Time 5-A-Side roster

http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TampaBayRowdies/

tickets@rowdiessoccer.com

Main: (727) 222-2000 Tampa Bay soccer! St. Petersburg FL Soccer Professional soccer! Come watch Rowdies Soccer! 5 a Side soccer insight with Matt Pickens

Two wins in two matches at home... Not a bad way to start the season! Take another look at Saturday's win over Toronto FC II in Rowdies Front Row. Situated on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, the iconic Al Lang Stadium, capacity 7,227, has transformed over the past two seasons. Edwards took over management of the city-owned facility historically known for baseball spring training and invested millions of dollars turning it into a proper venue. Al Lang Stadium is managed and operated by Big3 Entertainment Group.

tickets@rowdiessoccer.com

Gates open 90 minutes prior to kickoff for all Tampa Bay Rowdies home matches. Fans sitting in the Midfielder’s Club or Midfielder’s Reserved seating sections may enter the stadium through a dedicated gate on 1st St. SE, across from the Hilton, for their convenience. Fans with tickets for any other seating areas can enter the stadium through gates 2 or 3, adjacent to the Al Lang Stadium parking lots. Strollers are permitted, but must be parked in designated areas.

Family fun, Kids birthday partys, mommys night out. Professional soccer in Tampa fl

The Rowdies were the first professional sports franchise in the area and remain one of the most recognizable and well-loved brands in soccer.

Originally established in 1975, the team won the NASL Soccer Bowl championship in its inaugural year and created a unique, entertaining and memorable franchise with the Fannies, Wowdies and unforgettable "Kick in the Grass" theme song. In 2008, a group of investors announced the purchase of rights to a professional soccer franchise and the newly established team began play in 2010. In 2012, the Rowdies won the NASL Soccer Bowl Championship after a thrilling shoot-out victory in front of a sold out crowd at Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Petersburg.

Soccer in St Petersburgs Fl Soccer in Clearwater Fl soccer in Oldsmar fl soccer in brandon fl soccer in tampa florida

Saturday, April 8 | 7:30 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Ottawa Fury FC
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Saturday, April 22 | 7:30 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Charleston Battery
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Saturday, April 29 | 7:30 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Richmond Kickers
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Fast fun, competitive soccer for the soccer fan! Kid fun, group fun. book your next birthday party with the rowdies! Ladys night out with the rowdies! Mens night, bring your team and watch the pros!

https://www.facebook.com/TampaBayRowdies/

http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/

Main: (727) 222-2000

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/voters-deciding-hundreds-of-local-races-and-ballot-questions-across/article_de9a9037-a092-531e-9355-99463397bc45.html

Voters deciding hundreds of local races and ballot questions across St. Louis region

St. Louis votes on stadium, MetroLink and a mayor

In St. Louis city, voters walking out of a polling place in the Lindenwood neighborhood were talking about the proposed half-cent sales tax for MetroLink expansion and a plan to use a corresponding business use tax to raise money for a Major League Soccer stadium.

Joe Zakibe was one of the first to cast a ballot at Timothy Lutheran Church on Fyler Avenue. Zakibe, 57, votes in every election — "that's what my Dad instilled in me," he says. Zakibe is not a soccer fan, but he said the city needs MetroLink expansion and other services tied to the increase, such as job training.

Both measures are structured so that funding for the soccer stadium will pass only if voters first approve the MetroLink tax.

Another city voter, Joe Keniley, said he came to the polls at dawn Tuesday to support Lyda Krewson for mayor and to support the sales tax measures. He said he wished a soccer plan would have used the "nice, big vacant Dome" instead of trying to build a new facility, but he said the city needs the jobs and MetroLink expansion.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/mls-expansion-st-louis-soccer-stadium-vote-040417

Today will decide if St. Louis builds a soccer stadium (and gets an MLS expansion team)