Is Orlando the future for the Tampa Bay Rays?

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https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida/2020/01/07/is-orlando-the-future-for-the-tampa-bay-rays/

Is Orlando the future for the Tampa Bay Rays?

A retired Orlando Magic executive thinks it’s a perfect fit for Stu Sternberg to move his team east on Interstate 4.

Pat Williams, co-founder of the NBA Orlando Magic basketball team, says Orlando is the natural home for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Retired Orlando Magic executive Pat Williams says Orlando is the natural future home for the Tampa Bay Rays.

And he’s made that pitch to team executives in recent months.

Rays co-presidents Matt...

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https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-petersburg/2020/01/09/three-mayors-hot-topics-but-no-baseball/

Three mayors, hot topics, but no baseball

Jane Castor, George Cretekos and Rick Kriseman, mayors of the Tampa Bay area’s largest cities, met Thursday to discuss the state of the region. The fate of the Tampa Bay Rays never came up.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, left, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, center, and Clearwater Mayor George Cretekos took questions from Suncoast Tiger Bay Club members during the club's annual State of the Bay discussion Thursday.

ST. PETERSBURG — Mayors from the Tampa Bay area’s three largest cities met Thursday to discuss issues facing their communities and the region, including climate change, preemption, transportation and...

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https://news.wjct.org/post/tampa-bay-mayors-talk-transit-climate-change-and-joke-about-rays-future-during-state-bay

Tampa Bay Mayors Talk Transit, Climate Change And Joke About Rays' Future During 'State Of The Bay'

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Krisemand and Clearwater Mayor George Cretekos talk about regional issues during the "State of the Bay" discussion hosted by the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club Thursday.

The mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater talked about how to grow as a region during a "State of the Bay" conversation hosted by the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club Thursday.

Climate change and transportation received a lot of attention while the future of the Tampa Bay Rays remains a mystery.

Listen Listening... Stephanie Colombini sums up what the mayors did -- and didn't -- talk about during their "State of the Bay" discussion.

The mayors said governments and residents alike need to reduce their carbon footprints to protect Tampa Bay from climate change. That came in response to an attendee demanding the mayors convince her why she doesn’t need to move out of Florida because of environmental threats.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman touted new construction in the city that’s being designed to meet stricter resiliency standards, including the St. Pete Pier.

Mayor Jane Castor talked about Tampa's stormwater mitigation plan and urged residents to do a better job at properly recycling.

Clearwater Mayor George Cretekos said the situation is not dire now, but stressed the importance of being able to “pass on” these communities to future residents.

“Not one of us has to worry about leaving right now,” he said. “If the sea level were to rise one foot in Clearwater we would still have a beach…We need to take responsibility now for future generations.”

RELATED: Tampa Bay Cities Unite In Effort To Combat Climate Change

As for transportation, Kriseman and Cretekos talked about their desires to expand ferry service to connect the three cities. Kriseman indicated Pinellas County may not be ready to attempt another transit referendum, while Castor expressed frustration that Hillsborough's transportation tax, approved by voters in November 2018, is still held up in the courts.

"I'm not convinced, you know anything can happen these days, but I believe it will pass,” she said. “The majority of citizens voted for it, that’s what they want and we need to move forward.”

As for whether the Tampa Bay Rays could get a new stadium across the bridge in Tampa or split its season between St. Pete and Montreal, the mayors never addressed the issue seriously. Instead, a running joke throughout the event was that the Rays would be moving to Clearwater. 

“Rick and I have decided that we’re going to give the Rays to George as a parting gift because they have individuals who can afford [to have them,]” Castor said in her opening remarks.

She was likely referring to Scientologists,  and later on in the program event moderator Adam Smith, former Tampa Bay Times Political Editor, joked, “Dianetics Field has a nice ring to it."

That is a reference to the title of the best-selling book by the founder of The Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard.

RELATED: Kriseman Holding Rays To Tropicana Field Lease

Despite the overall camaraderie and emphasis on regionalism, there was one point of contention.

Kriseman and Cretekos spoke out against the October decision by the former Tampa-Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. to change its name to the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council.

Both mayors said that could damage efforts to brand all three cities as a region. And Kriseman said the group's decision to change the name without consulting communities outside of Tampa has become a trust issue.

“It's incumbent at this point in time if they're not going to reconsider a name change, that they've got to go out of their way to regain our trust,” he said.

Castor said she was unaware of the name change ahead of the group's announcement and called it a "lesson in how not to roll out something." But she said she disagrees with claims that the name change will hamper efforts to market the entire region.

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https://www.cltampa.com/news-views/local-news/article/21109419/st-petersburg-finally-makes-the-brown-pelican-the-citys-official-bird

St. Petersburg finally makes the brown pelican the city’s official bird

What you thought was official, is actually official now.

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https://stpetecatalyst.com/transportation-regionalism-dominate-discussion-at-state-of-the-bay/

Transportation, regionalism dominate discussion at State of the Bay

The issues that didn’t come up that were notable as well. No one asked about the fate of the Tampa Bay Rays and Tropicana Field, although there were joking references to the Rays moving to Clearwater. And no one challenged Kriseman’s statement that St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay “have never been better,” although just hours earlier the Tampa Bay Partnership released a report showing widening economic disparity in the region.

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https://floridapolitics.com/archives/315315-city-of-st-pete-officially-names-the-brown-pelican-its-city-bird-and-its-about-time

City of St. Pete officially names the Brown Pelican its city bird — and it’s about time

Over the years the Brown Pelican has become more St. Pete than St. Pete itself.

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https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-petersburg/2020/01/09/st-petersburg-makes-the-brown-pelican-the-official-city-bird/

St. Petersburg makes the brown pelican the official city bird

The Brown Pelican was endangered in the 1980s. Now it’s numbers are steady, but threats still exist around the Tampa Bay area.

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https://floridapolitics.com/archives/315261-five-things-to-expect-in-state-of-the-region-tampa-bay-talk

Five things to look for at Tiger Bay forum with Jane Castor, Rick Kriseman, and George Cretekos

Baseball, climate and Scientology are sure to be on the plate.

What the heck is up with the Tampa Bay Rays and the team’s ongoing quest for a new stadium?

Up until this week the question on the future of the Rays had come down to whether the team would move to Tampa. Though questions were confounded last year when the Rays punted on a Tampa stadium plan and when they announced interest in negotiating a split season between St. Pete and Montreal, there was still plenty reason to think a Tampa option might still be on the table.

Castor kept her eye on the prize for Tampa and Kriseman has still not, at least not publicly, lost hope that the team will eventually see the light and stick around.

But now there’s another option, not quite on the table, but near it, to have the Rays move to Orlando. The Tampa Bay Times reported Tuesday that Orlando Magic executive Pat Williams said his city would make a fine home for the Major League Baseball team. The Rays admitted there had been talks about a possible move after its contract expires with St. Pete in 2027.

So now the question becomes, will Castor and Kriseman (and let’s not forget about Cretekos) come together with a united front to keep the team in the region.

The fate of baseball in Tampa Bay could be in peril. The topic is sure to come up at least once, probably more.

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https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/letters/2020/01/08/the-city-of-st-petersburg-should-commit-to-carter-g-woodson-museum/

The city of St. Petersburg should commit to Carter G. Woodson museum

Here’s what readers have to say in Thursday’s letters to the editor.

Artist rendition of the new Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum. Presented at a press conference at the Manhattan Casino by the City of St. Petersburg, Tuesday, December 10, 2019.

City should be first, all in on new museum

Museum vision has a long way to go | Editorial, Jan. 3

One of the most glaring truths I encountered in my time representing the people of St. Petersburg is...

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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2020/01/08/cross-bay-ferry-reels-in-more-ridership-this.html

Cross Bay Ferry reels in more ridership this season with Tampa Convention Center stop

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https://floridapolitics.com/archives/315200-cross-bay-ferry-continues-to-shatter-ridership-records

Cross Bay Ferry continues to shatter ridership records

Sunday ridership is up nearly 400%.

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https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/echelman-sculpture-at-st-pete-pier-has-to-come-down-for-adjustments/67-b07f3d14-4cc2-499d-90fd-370b9591ea26

Echelman sculpture at St. Pete Pier has to come down for adjustments

It's not yet known when it'll come back up.

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https://www.mor-tv.com/article/krewe-of-sant-yago-knight-parade/14442413

Krewe of Sant' Yago Knight Parade

Krewe of Sant' Yago Illuminated Knight Parade

Where: Ybor City

When: Saturday, Feb 8 at 7pm

The Knight Parade, presented by MOR, follows Tampa's annual Gasparilla celebration. The Krewe of the Knights of Sant' Yago has hosted it every year since 1974, and it is considered the largest of its kind in the Southeast.

The Krewe Of Sant Yago Knight Parade presented by MOR

Since the early 1970s, The Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago has organized and hosted the Knight Parade, an annual celebration of Tampa civic pride. Each year, the Knight Parade, as well as other fundraising events, helps raise funds for the Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago Education Foundation, which has provided more than $2 million in scholarships for local students. Visit www.KnightParade.com and www.KreweOfSantYago.com for more information.

Road Closures: Seventh Avenue will close at 2 p.m. Cross streets will close at 6:30 p.m. Paradegoers are encouraged to come to Ybor City early for the pre-parade events and grab a bite to eat at one of the many Ybor City restaurants.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2020/01/10/tampa-restaurants-cuban-sandwich-lands-on-food.html

Tampa restaurant's Cuban sandwich lands on Food Network list

Columbia Restaurant, which holds the claim as the oldest dining establishment in Florida, made the list of the 100 best sandwiches in America for its Cuban sandwich. It was the only restaurant in Florida to make the list.

A local Tampa restaurant has landed on the Food Network's 100 Best Sandwiches in America list.

The Columbia Restaurant, which holds the claim as the oldest dining establishment in Florida, made the Food Network's list for its Cuban sandwich. It was the only restaurant in Florida to make the list.

Here is what Food Network had to say about the sandwich:

“The Cuban sandwich is a misnomer on many levels — neither the sandwich itself nor its culturally diverse fillings originated in Cuba. It’s like an ode to the cultural fabric that made up its home city when it was created in 1915. Invented at Tampa’s Columbia Restaurant, the oldest dining establishment in the state, the iconic sandwich was actually called a mixto when it was first created. It combines Genoa salami from Italy, Spanish ham, Cuban-style mojo-marinated pork, Swiss cheese, German pickles and mustard, nestled in fluffy Cuban bread. The bread still comes from century-old La Segunda Central Bakery, which has been the supplier since shortly after the sandwich was invented.”

The list consists of “98 iconic sandwiches” and the best restaurants to enjoy each, the website explains.

Other restaurants on the list include New York-based Katz’s Deli for its pastrami sandwich and Los Angeles-based Canter’s Deli for its corned beef.

Casimiro Hernandez Sr., a Cuban immigrant, opened the restaurant in Tampa’s Ybor City in 1905. Besides its flagship location in Ybor City, the restaurant has locations in Sarasota, St. Augustine, Clearwater Beach and Celebration.

The Columbia Restaurant Group is one of the Tampa Bay area's largest restaurant companies.

The full Food Network list can be found here.

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https://www.wfla.com/news/gasparilla/gasparilla-2020-schedule-of-events/

Gasparilla 2020: Schedule of events

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https://www.wtsp.com/article/entertainment/events/gasparilla/gasparilla-pirate-festival-guide/67-9bab11c9-05cc-4973-afa6-54b6c21ae0e6

Gasparilla Guide: Everything you need to know about the 2020 pirate festival

From parking to parties, 10News has you covered.

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/em4080/it_was_great_to_see_a_busy_al_lang_tonight_for/

It was great to see a busy Al Lang tonight for the Florida Cup game between Hertha Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt!

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https://imgur.com/5Zud8fu

It was great to see a busy Al Lang tonight for the Florida Cup game between Hertha Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt!

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/en1ma4/the_athletic_im_launching_the_second_wave_of_my/

[The Athletic] ‘I’m launching the second wave of my football career’ Kevin Foley heads to Florida for a Wolves reunion

a couple interesting tidbits from the article - Edwards originally wanted to hire Joe Cole as the manager when Stu was let go, Joe said to hire Neill instead. Neill was offered the chance to be player/manager but said he needed to do it all the way

Yeah...thought that Cole tidbit was really interesting. Felt like he wasn’t ready...

or he knew he was going back to England/Chelsea after the season so didn't want to take the gig knowing he was leaving

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https://theathletic.co.uk/1521901/2020/01/10/kevin-foley-neill-collins-wolves-tampa-rowdies/

‘I’m launching the second wave of my football career’ Kevin Foley heads to Florida for a Wolves reunion

It was just last month that Kevin Foley took the phone call that has completely transformed his life.

The call came via an old team-mate from 10 years ago, one he’d kept in touch with who had since moved abroad to manage the Tampa Bay Rowdies, one league below MLS.

“Kevin, it’s Neill… do you fancy coming to Florida to be my assistant?” came the question.

“Erm… let me speak to the wife first!” was the immediate reply.

Foley didn’t take much convincing. He’d watched his friend Neill Collins flourish since his move to Florida three years earlier, ending his career as he always thought he would.

Scottish centre-half Collins, who in addition to a three-year spell at Wolves also played for Sunderland, Preston, Leeds and Sheffield United, joined the Rowdies in 2016, initially as a player and then as manager from 2018.

The Rowdies had considered giving the job to Joe Cole, a...

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/enpeog/talkingwolves_wolves_goalkeeper_harry_burgoyne_is/

[TalkingWolves] Wolves goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne is weighing up a possible move to Tampa Bay Rowdies in Florida, where ex-Wolves defender Neill Collins is now being assisted by Kevin Foley. [source: Tim Spiers via The Athletic]

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https://twitter.com/talkingwolves/status/1216374492039122946?s=21

Talking Wolves
@TalkingWolves
Wolves goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne is weighing up a possible move to Tampa Bay Rowdies in Florida, where ex-Wolves defender Neill Collins is now being assisted by Kevin Foley. [source: Tim Spiers via The Athletic]

#WWFC #TalkingWolves
10:00 AM · Jan 12, 2020·Buffer