Relocation bay: identifying a suitable site for the Tampa Bay Rays

2015-02-10In the world of professional sports, stadium construction is a venture that can cost communities hundreds of millions—sometimes billions—of dollars. While the process of selecting a site based on human or political motivators (i.e.: Quid pro quo, public subsidies, etc.) is dubious at best, the process of selecting a new site based solely on geographic factors (such as ease of accessibility) is even more ambiguous. Historically, new sites were located within a city’s limit and closer to population centers, but within the mid to late 20th Century, this paradigm was abandoned and new stadiums were placed farther from the cities that the teams represent. To identify a new location for the Tampa Bay Rays within the Tampa Bay area, this study used socioeconomic (population concentrations), traffic (accessibility), and geographic (parcel and land use) data to determine where throughout the region will be the most viable location for a new stadium facility. This research analyzed the population and the geographic construction of the region and identified variables and parameters that determined the locations that could best support the team throughout the region. The findings of this study show that, by applying site suitability methods, the team can be sustainable within the Tampa Bay area and that by selecting a site closer to the population center of the region, success off the field can be achieved