St. Petersburg’s future lies beneath Tropicana Field. Do the Rays stand in the way?

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https://www.tampabay.com/st-petersburg/st-petersburgs-future-lies-beneath-tropicana-field-do-the-rays-stand-in-the-way-20190715/

St. Petersburg’s future lies beneath Tropicana Field. Do the Rays stand in the way?

City officials are eager to redevelop the 86-acres under the Trop. But the Rays’ future plans affect the future of its current home.

This rendering from New York’s HKS Architects shows what a redeveloped Tropicana Field site could look like if it includes a new baseball stadium. Planners are calling the project the Gas Plant District, after the black neighborhood that was razed decades ago to build the dome. They are also designing a plan that does not include a stadium. The 86-acre Trop site is set to be redeveloped, but city officials don’t know whether to include a new ballpark for the Rays. Mayor Rick Kriseman says plans can proceed while the stadium issue is undecided, but others are unsure if developers would be willing to go along. There is also a question of whether the Rays can impede construction under the lease agreement that keeps the team playing in the dome through 2027. [HKS Architects]

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays have played in Tropicana...

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http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/e-scooter-safety-growing-florida-concern-tampa-records-death-its-first-rider

E-Scooter Safety a Growing Florida Concern, as Tampa Records Its First Rider Death

Scooters in special lanes found safer than on sidewalks

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signing of a bill greenlighting e-scooters in bicycle lanes is a little-known triumph to come out of the 2019 legislative session. It will mitigate certain safety concerns and issues with pedestrians -- particularly the elderly, disabled, and toddlers who populate Florida’s urban sidewalks.

But there is more to be done to shore up scooter safety.

Two days after Sunshine State News ran a June story about e-scooter safety concerns in Tampa, a collision with a semi-truck there claimed the life of a 33-year-old male rider. He was not wearing a helmet and a subsequent obituary said at the time of his death, the victim was engaged to be married and was working as an accountant in Tampa.

There are no regulations anywhere in Florida requiring helmets for scooter riders. A consensus of law enforcement and health care agencies estimate fewer than 5 percent of riders wear helmets.

Nevertheless, the new law, along with the horrifying short history of e-scooter deaths and injuries throughout the country, will help municipal governments regulate the world's most recent transportation fad. At least, to some degree. Prior to the legislation, scooters were restricted to narrow, congested sidewalks and crosswalks, increasing the hazard for pedestrians as well as for riders.

E-scooter deaths have also attracted international attention. On Friday, famous YouTube personality Emily Hartridge, 35, became the first reported e-scooter fatality in Britain when her scooter collided with a truck on a busy London street. The British government is in the process of reviewing laws and public education campaigns around ridership and scooter companies.

Proponents of the fad, including the scooter rental firms themselves, cynically note that per capita deaths are higher with automobiles. But scooters overwhelmingly are ridden in downtown cores where slower vehicular speeds predominate. Injuries are another matter, even as scooter mishaps are underreported.

Tampa, ignoring the negative experience of many cities, rushed headlong into the scooter business, partnering with four rental companies. Officials there seemed more preoccupied with scooters not being returned and left to clutter sidewalks than with safety issues.

Last month, Calvin Thornton, bicycle and pedestrian engineer in the City of Tampa Traffic Department, predicted the allowing of scooters in bike lanes will improve safety. He pointed to improving technology and rider experience as other factors in accident prevention.

But Tampa’s matter-of-fact attitude in fixing the mess with tighter regulation has cost one life in the city and countless injuries. Sadly, there will be more. The City Council is scheduled to look at the scooter controversy in August.

In contrast, St. Petersburg has been treading cautiously. Mayor Rick Kriseman reportedly was unequivocally opposed to instituting a scooter program unless the dockless, shareable two-wheelers were permitted in bicycle lanes. Now with the DeSantis signoff, St. Pete has scheduled a scooter agenda item for July 25.

St. Pete Council member Gina Driscoll said the new law is helpful but safety and liability issues remain and must be solved. The scooter rental firms need to accept some responsibility if the city takes on the project.

"More detailed information and counsel from our city attorney are the keys to if and how St. Petersburg sets up a scooter program,” she told Sunshine State News. “We can learn from the experiences in Tampa and other U.S. cities.”

The City of Clearwater adopted a wait-and-see policy as it looked across the bay at Tampa's experience. Officials there have indicated a revisiting of the issue with the relaxed state law.

The City of Miami is cautious as well -- in the midst of a six-month e-scooter pilot program. Interestingly, the program occurs only in the council district of the one member enthusiastic about scooters.

Miami residents so far have mixed reactions: some like the convenience while others are concerned about safety. The scooter companies are fined for every abandoned scooter that causes clutter and must be relocated. Tampa has no such penalty.

Some cities that yearn to attract Millennials believe a scooter program is alluring as that demographic typically fits the rider profile. Driscoll begs to differ: jobs and housing are more critical criteria than a proven-dangerous recreational fad.

The new law by no means is foolproof. Safety, liability, and clutter issues still abound. But the state’s prodigious senior and disabled populations can breathe somewhat easier and the law can, and no doubt will, be strengthened and tweaked as time goes on.

Jim Bleyer, a former reporter at the Orlando Sentinel and Tampa Tribune, writes the Tampa Bay Beat blog.

I've never used a company/public scooter, but I use my privately owned electric scooter all the time and it's a huge time saver. I ride it from my vehicle to my office, then to/from lunch, then back to my vehicle. When it sits folded up in the corner of my office it gets charged. Here's the thing, if they don't want people to use scooters then they must provide more parking. Well, we know the additional needed parking isn't going to happen, so get used to seeing the scooters.

More weird Flori-DUH stuff. What else is new?

Classic Tampa stupidity.

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https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/features/355978-10-lfc-players-who-broke-america

10 LFC players who broke America

Liverpool legend Tommy Smith spent the summer of 1976 on loan at NASL side Tampa Bay Rowdies, before returning to the Reds and winning the European Cup in 1977 - his second with LFC.

After that stunning send-off, 'The Anfield Iron' went back to the USA to play for and coach LA Aztecs.

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/cdhxwt/usl_power_ratings_july_15_2019_oc/

USL power ratings: July 15, 2019 [OC]

A mediocre result (though I'd even say drawing at Pittsburgh could be considered a good result - they really don't lose at home) isn't enough to knock the Rowdies out of the top spot in the East, thanks to Indy taking a terrible loss in Hartford (though Hartford is a totally different animal at home, they're still not good, per se). Rowdies are right on Indy's heels in the Pure Power - overall team quality, not projected table - metric, too.

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https://clubcountryusa.com/2019/07/15/usl-power-ratings-july-15-2019/

USL power ratings: July 15, 2019

USL East power rankings:

1. Tampa Bay Rowdies – 70.15 projected points

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/cdhfjw/its_game_week_dont_forget_to_bring_a_new_unused/

It's Game Week! Don't forget to bring a new, unused toy to the game to benefit the patients at All Children's!

https://imgur.com/OVU9tEp

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/cdmxj2/final_four_goals_by_boateng_diegues_lift_tropics/

Final Four! Goals by Boateng & Diegues lift Tropics SC to UPSL national semi-finals

Victor Parreiras & Ricardo Diegues combined for an absolutely incredible scissor kick GWG

Anyone on the tropics that the rowdies could sign next year?

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https://www.fltropics.com/news/final-four-goals-by-boetang-diegues-lift-tropics-s

FINAL FOUR! GOALS BY BOATENG, DIEGUES LIFT TROPICS SC TO UPSL NATIONAL SEMI-FINALS

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https://twitter.com/FLTropicsSC/status/1150191856589914112

Florida Tropics SC
‏
@FLTropicsSC

GOOOAAALLLLLLLL!!! What a beauty! Scissor kick by Ricardo Diegues in the 54th minute! @FLTropicsSC lead 2-1

7:54 PM - 13 Jul 2019

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/cdmwil/three_things_pittsburgh_1_1_rowdies/

Three Things: Pittsburgh 1 - 1 Rowdies

Weirdly the teams twitter link to this was broken and I was trying to find it, so thanks lol

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https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/1035050

THREE THINGS: PITTSBURGH 1 - 1 ROWDIES