Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Joe HendersonNovember 16, 2017

I assume Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg was trying to make a joke Wednesday when he said his organization might come up with $150 million to help pay for a new ballpark in Tampa’s Ybor City that will cost a lot more than that. I say that because I literally started laughing as I […]

Jim RosicaOctober 11, 2017

House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz of Tampa is traveling to Puerto Rico Wednesday “to deliver 30,000 pounds of much-needed relief supplies, including food, water, and medical necessities,” her spokesman said. Cruz is working with “Major League Baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Moffitt Cancer Center,” according to Anders Croy, communications director for the House Democratic Office. […]

Scott PowersApril 12, 2017

Apparently there’s nothing like a home-away-from-home for baseball fans wanting to take in Florida spring training. Airbnb, the leader in marketing vacation rental home, announced Wednesday that all 12 Florida cities that host spring training camps and stadiums for Major League Baseball teams saw remarkable spikes in bookings during the baseball spring training that ended […]

Joe HendersonMarch 16, 2017

It is not unusual when a Major League Baseball team signs a Cuban defector. There is a lengthy list of players who fled that island nation so they could barter their skills for the considerable cash that comes with playing in the United States. Usually, those stories have been treated as valiant escapes from a […]

Associated PressFebruary 8, 2017

Disney has been on a tear the past few years, thanks to popular channels like ESPN, its “Star Wars” and Marvel superhero franchises, and improving results at its global parks. Now comes the hard part. CEO Robert Iger’s contract runs out next year, creating management uncertainty just as Disney needs to keep its lucrative television […]

Joe HendersonJanuary 2, 2017

St. Petersburg is a lovely, vibrant city that is getting better by the day. I love its waterfront and its eclectic, revitalized downtown. So I hope my friends there don’t this personally when I ask: Have your city leaders lost their minds? I refer to the “Baseball Forever’ push to a build a stadium that […]

Joe HendersonDecember 7, 2016

I like Bill Edwards’ bold plan to privately finance an $80 million renovation of Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Petersburg. I like his swagger in going hard to land a spot in Major League Soccer for his Tampa Bay Rowdies to play in that stadium. I would even go so far to say that […]

Mitch PerryJune 1, 2016

Americans for Prosperity-Florida is calling on lawmakers from both sides of Tampa Bay not to use public taxpayer dollars in the financing of any potential new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. “As the Rays search for a potential new sandlot to call home, their focus should steer clear of calling on taxpayers to sacrifice […]

Jim RosicaMarch 11, 2016

The Bradenton trial judge who accepted baseball tickets from a law firm representing a woman whose personal injury case he was presiding over has resigned from the bench. Circuit Judge John F. Lakin resigned Monday from the 12th Judicial Circuit. It serves DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties. Lakin, elected in 2012, was facing a judicial conduct inquiry by the state’s Judicial […]

Bob SparksFebruary 25, 2016

Sometimes during legislative sessions some unusual partnerships develop. Unlikely alliances can form to pass or defeat a measure that fits a common goal. Florida has provided a prime example of such teamwork. The philosophy of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” syndrome has played out in the area of economic incentives. House Bill […]

Tag: major league baseball

Joe Henderson: Let’s hope Stu Sternberg was joking

Janet Cruz heads to Puerto Rico on aid trip

Baseball has been very, very good to Airbnb

Joe Henderson: Miami trial shines light on smuggling Cuban baseball players to U.S.

Disney’s wonderful world may be too good to last

Building a new ballpark in St. Petersburg: Throwing good money after bad

The time is right: Embrace Bill Edwards’ bold vision for Rowdies, Al Lang Stadium

AFP-Florida warns Tampa Bay lawmakers to not use taxpayers $ for potential Rays stadium

Judge who took Rays tickets from law firm quits bench

Bob Sparks: Battle over economic incentives features unlikely alliances