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Looking to make your holidays merrier?

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If you want to amp up your holiday cheer, you have plenty of choices throughout Tampa Bay.

From a floating pirate ship light display in the Hillsborough River, to visits with Santa at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, to ice skating rinks at the St. Pete Pier, Curtis Hixon Park and Tropicana Field — there seems to be something for everyone who wants to get out for some fun.

Here’s a sampling of highlights:

Celebrate Christmastime at Snowcat Ridge theme park in Dade City by chilling out in a snow play dome, ice skating, snow tubing or renting an igloo. (Courtesy of Snowcat Ridge)

PASCO COUNTY

• Through Dec. 31: “Symphony in Lights,”  at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel, features snowfalls, Christmas trees, and lights dancing to music. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; free. TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.

• Dec. 15: Holiday Movie Night in the Garden, with “Christmas Vacation” and an ugly Christmas sweater contest, at Florida Avenue Brewery, 2029 Arrowgrass Drive, Wesley Chapel. 7 p.m.; free. FloridaAveBrewing.com; 813-452-6333.

• Dec. 18: Mrs. Claus Craft Fair, at Harley-Davidson of New Port Richey, 5817 State Road 54, New Port Richey; noon to 4 p.m.; NPRharley.com; 888-296-4819.

• Dec. 21 to Dec. 23: Church Street Christmas, along Church Avenue in downtown Dade City. This features carolers, dancers and musicians, decorated homes, luminary-lit sidewalks and more. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; ChurchStreetChristmas.org for parking information.

• Daily: Ice skate and snow tube, play in a snow dome, even rent an igloo at Snowcat Ridge theme park, at 27839 Saint Joe Road, Dade City. The alpine snow park also features shopping, food and drinks. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., or 11 p.m., depending on date. Tickets, $39.95, sold at SnowCatRidge.com. 813-576-1450.

ZooTampa celebrates with ‘Christmas in the Wild,’ showcasing light displays, holiday enter-tainment, music and a holiday marketplace. (Courtesy of ZooTampa)

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

• Through Dec. 23: 40th Annual Victorian Christmas Stroll, at the Henry B. Plant Museum, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, with Christmas past exhibits, tiny antique Christmas trees, vintage Santas, a 14-foot tree adorned with antique ornaments; holiday music, refreshments and more. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Advanced tickets required. Adults, $16, seniors, $14, youth, $10. Buy online at PlantMuseum.com; 813-254-1891. Masks required.

• Through Dec. 30: “Christmas in the Wild,” at ZooTampa, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa, features light displays, entertainment, and Twinkletown Marketplace with holiday treats and ornament displays. A red-and-white lit Candy Cane Carousel and Mrs. Claus’ Sweets Shoppe are other delights, along with Christmas treats and drinks for sale. Times vary per night. Reservations encouraged for timed tickets selling for $29.95, for ages 3 and older. Buy at ZooTampa.org; 813-935-8552.

• Through Jan. 2: Christmas Town at Busch Gardens, 10165 N. McKinley Drive, Tampa, features thousands of twinkling lights, holiday shows, Santa visits, ice skating and fireworks shows, music, food, and train rides under lights. Admission starting at $90 for adults. Nightly; BuschGardens.com; 813-884-4386.

• Through Jan. 2: The Polar Express 4-D Experience, at The Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa. 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Dec. 18 and 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., kids can make socially distanced Santa visits. From Dec. 26 to Dec. 31, 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Jan. 1 to Jan. 2, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Snow Days features a Winter Wonderland Dance Party, interactive activities and times when visitors can throw snowballs at “pollution monsters plaguing our oceans.” Advance, timed tickets are encouraged and sold at FLaquarium.org. Prices vary by day but are generally about $30 for adults, $27 for ages 3-11, and free for ages 2 and younger. 813-273-4000.

The Victorian Christmas Stroll, at the Henry B. Plant Museum on the University of Tampa cam-pus, in downtown Tampa, features trees adorned with antique ornaments, exhibits of Christ-mases past, as well as holiday music and refreshments. (Courtesy of the Henry B. Plant Museum)

• Through Jan. 2: Downtown Tampa’s Winter Village, at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Drive, offers ice skating, a cafe, shopping and holiday activities sponsored by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Hours vary by day. For details and ice skating tickets, see WinterVillageTampa.com.

• Dec. 18: Tampa Holiday Lighted Boat Parade along the Hillsborough River downtown. 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. See from The Tampa Riverwalk, lit up with Christmas lights and twinkling trees now through Jan. 2. Also, see floating light displays – think pirates and a pirate ship – in the river, buy drinks and food in restaurants and bars along the walk. For directions and parking information, see TheTampaRiverWalk.com.

• Dec. 18: Watch the Tampa Holiday Lighted Boat Parade aboard the American Victory Ship & Museum, 705 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Enjoy entertainment, spirits and eats from food trucks. 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. $15 for adults, $10 for kids 4-12, free for 3 and younger. AmericanVictory.org. 813-228-8766.

PINELLAS COUNTY

• Through Jan. 2: “Enchant Christmas,” at Tropicana Field, Tropicana Drive, St. Petersburg, features a Christmas light maze and village, an ice skating trail, thousands of lights, holiday treats and music, Santa, an artisan Christmas market and more. Adults, $25 to $35; ages 3 to 17, $25. Christmas brunches and dinners are an additional fee. Hours vary by date. See EnchantChristmas.com for details. 833-362-6445.

• Through Jan. 17: Winter Beach, at St. Pete Pier’s Spa Beach Park, 600 Second Ave., N.E., St. Petersburg, cools things down with a real-ice ice skating rink, Santa, an arcade, free holiday concerts, and a holiday market with local vendors and artists. Free admission. Skating fee, $17 for 75 minutes, which includes skate rentals.  See WinterBeachStPete.com to purchase timed skating tickets and to view skating hours. The pier district is generally opened from 30 minutes before sunrise to 11 p.m.

• Dec. 16: Christmas Extravaganza Market, 612 Cleveland St., Clearwater, with 50 local artisans and businesses at pop-up shops circling a Christmas tree. 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. TheMarketCulture.com.

• Dec. 16 to Dec. 20: Christmas at the Station, at the Dunedin History Museum, 349 Main St., Dunedin, presents a North Pole Christmas experience with elves, visits with Santa, children’s activities, snow, snowball contests and musical performances. Hours vary by date. Tickets, $20, (free for age 1 and younger) must be purchased in advance online at DunedinMuseum.org. 727-736-1176.

• Dec. 18: Brunch with Santa at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, includes admission to the aquarium, brunch and a family photo with Santa. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. $54.95 for adults, $44.95 for children. Reservations encouraged. Buy tickets online at CMaquarium.org. 727-441-1790.

By Karen Haymon Long

Published December 15, 2021

Enchant Christmas transforms Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg into a winter wonderland, with an illuminated ice skating trail, a light maze, artisan market and more. (Courtesy of Enchant Christmas)

 

 

 

Symphony in Lights at The Shops at Wiregrass features decorated trees, snowfalls, and lights dancing to music. The Wesley Chapel event draws big crowds. (Courtesy of The Shops at Wiregrass)
Sonny Masterson, of Tarpon Springs, serves up hot chocolate at the ‘chocolate bar’ at Snowcat Ridge. (Courtesy of Penny Carnathan)
Sonny and Sierra Masterson, of Tarpon Springs, get a thrill on the snow tubing slide at Snowcat Ridge. Sonny wanted to play in snow for his fifth birthday. (Courtesy of Trent Alyse)

 

Rays 2020 pitches a new ballpark for Ybor

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Though recent on-field performances may suggest otherwise, the Tampa Bay Rays’ long-term future in the region should generate excitement to the community and fans alike.

At least that was the pitch from Jason Woody to a room filled with business leaders and elected officials at the North Tampa Bay Chamber’s breakfast meeting earlier this month, at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel.

Woody, president and CEO of Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research, spoke on behalf of Tampa Bay Rays 2020. He’s on the advisory board for the privately funded nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing a new Rays ballpark to Tampa.

Jason Woody, president and CEO of Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research, serves on the Rays 2020 advisory board. He was the featured speaker at the North Tampa Chamber’s April 3 breakfast meeting at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of North Tampa Bay Chamber)

Woody is making the rounds discussing the group’s initiatives and the progress made since the Rays officially announced a new stadium site in Ybor City, in February.

While the total costs and funding sources have not been identified, the initiative calls for relocating the Rays from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg to a 14-acre parcel along Adamo Drive, between Channelside Drive and 15th Street, and adjacent to the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway. An additional option to acquire 27 acres is also available, if expansion is needed for parking and so on.

Woody branded the Ybor stadium site as “a perfect anchor, a perfect bookend” to the $3 billion Water Street development in downtown Tampa orchestrated by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik.

Rays 2020 was co-founded by Sykes Enterprises CEO Chuck Sykes and Ron Christaldi, partner at Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick. It now features several Tampa business leaders and volunteers ensuring the baseball franchise remains in Tampa Bay.

The leadership team helped secure the land from Darryl Shaw, the CEO of BluePearl Veterinary Partners and a major developer in Ybor City.

Said Woody, “Most of the…problems coming up with the ability to build a new ballpark is the location and the land. They got the landowners together to say, ‘Hey, if it was to come here…would you be on board?’ and that’s what they did.”

He jokingly added, “The last thing you want is find out you’re going to build a great ballpark and somebody’s home is where the pitcher’s mound is.”

Conversations of a new Rays ballpark have been ongoing for over a decade, since Stuart Sternberg took controlling ownership of the team.

Those talks were heightened from perennially poor attendance and low revenues —

even in times of winning seasons and playoff berths.

Ample blame has been placed at the current stadium location, frequently an inconvenience for Tampa residents forced to fight rush-hour traffic and cross the congested Howard Franklin Bridge.

The more centralized Ybor City site, however, promises to deliver convenient access for a much higher yield of people living and working nearby. About 300,000 people live or work within 5 miles of the proposed stadium site. Moreover, about 1.6 million people live or work within 35 miles of the location.

Woody said those numbers “are almost triple” in comparison to Tropicana Field, while noting about 50 percent to 70 percent of the Rays current attendance is from people living in Hillsborough County.

“Every county in proximity had more attendees show up to a game than in (St Petersburg’s) backyard,” he said.

“People don’t realize this, but I’m not sure that even if we wanted to keep the Rays in St. Pete that Major League Baseball would allow it to happen. We don’t have the attendance. We don’t have the numbers,” he added.

The Rays contract with St. Pete runs through 2027, but the city has agreed to let the team pay to leave early. Some leaders, including Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan, say the first Rays game in Ybor City could happen by 2022.

Woody also shared some details about what the new ballpark may look like, and what it may cost.

Tampa Bay Rays 2020 is a privately funded nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing a new Rays ballpark to Tampa. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays 2020)

Early sketches show an indoor ballpark without an upper deck, seating about 30,000 — considerably smaller than the Tropicana Field’s capacity of 47,000.

Woody portrayed it as “a unique ballpark” that delivers the intimacy of a spring training game, close enough “to hear the crack of the bat.”

While renderings show an option for a retractable roof, Woody pointed out the added maintenance and expense costs — upward of $100 million. He also cited the unreliability of retractable roofs, based on experiences of other MLB clubs.

“If you have looked, they have not been that successful. Some stadiums have had to manually close the roofs, which takes almost two days to manually retract it,” Woody explained.

The ballpark is still in design, so an exact figure hasn’t been determined, but Woody said its construction cost is “probably in the neighborhood” of $600 million to $800 million.

As for financing the stadium project, Woody suggested tourist development taxes could be utilized, along with contributions from Rays ownership, private funding and stadium naming rights.

“The very first thing is, we have to figure what this is going to cost and how much (the Rays) are going to come in, and then we’ll work from there,” he said.

Woody mentioned each of the Rays’ corporate sponsors have agreed to support the team’s move to Ybor City. There’s also the ‘Rays 100,’ a collection of 100 executives and civic leaders willing to serve as ambassadors for the effort to move the Rays across Tampa Bay.

The Rays 100 group, unveiled earlier this month, is expected to enlist local businesses and corporations to pledge financial support for a new stadium, through corporate boxes and season tickets.

Said Woody, “Two things make a baseball team successful — corporate sponsorships and butts in the seats. That’s the cheat code. Revenue goes up, you have a budget, and you can get better players on the field.”

Toward the the end of the meeting, a Rays 2020 representative extended an invitation to the North Tampa Bay Chamber to sign a letter of support for a new stadium.

In response, chamber members belted out a resounding “Yes!” — accompanied by a loud burst of applause.

For more information on Rays 2020, visit TampaBayRays2020.com.

Published April 18, 2018

Out of the wings, into the spotlight

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Trevor Lloyd is full of surprises.

The 18-year-old quietly watched as his friends stepped onto stages to perform.

Sometimes he watched from the audience. Other times, from the theater’s wings.

But, friends will be friends.

Trevor Lloyd, center, is rehearsing his role as Jack, the poor farm boy of ‘Into the Woods.’ (Photos courtesy of Frank Stinehour, producer of Into the Woods)
Trevor Lloyd, center, is rehearsing his role as Jack, the poor farm boy of ‘Into the Woods.’
(Photos courtesy of Frank Stinehour, producer of Into the Woods)

They gave him a shove onto the stage — or at least inspired him to make his move.

“It was something I was always fascinated by, but lacked the courage to do it,” said Lloyd, a graduate of Sunlake High School, who lives in Land O’ Lakes.

And now, he said, “It’s my calling.”

Lloyd soon will step into the role of Jack in the New Tampa Players’ production of “Into The Woods.”

The Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical played across the country in movie theaters last year, with a cast including Meryl Streep, Emily Blount and James Corden.

In two acts, the musical intertwines fairy tales including Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Jack and the Beanstalk.

The central plot revolves around a witch’s curse and a quest by the town baker and his wife to bear a child.

Jarrett Koski does double duty as choreographer for ‘Into the Woods,’ and also as a cast member as the baker.
Jarrett Koski does double duty as choreographer for ‘Into the Woods,’ and also as a cast member as the baker.

Alas, wishes that come true aren’t always the blessings they seem to be.

“It will be a surprising journey,” said G. Frank Meekins, the theater group’s artistic director and the musical director for “Into the Woods.”

“I think there is a newfound interest because of the movie for people who may not have known about it,” Meekens said.

Jarrett Koski, who performs as the baker, is also the show’s choreographer.

In his role as Jack, Lloyd is a poor farm boy whose mother sends him to town to sell their cow, Milky White.

Lloyd finds it easy to relate to Jack.

“I like his spontaneous spunk and his attitude especially as far as being able to put my personality into the character,” Lloyd said.

Lloyd currently is a freshman at Pasco-Hernando State College, where he hopes to earn a theater arts degree.

He has performed in musicals at Sunlake High School, and at Dreamhouse Theatre in Lutz.

Among his early roles was Gaston, the villainous suitor of Belle, in “Beauty and the Beast.”

“That’s when we discovered my baritone voice,” Lloyd said.

While rehearsing for “Into the Woods,” he also was performing on weekends as the dentist in Dreamhouse’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Lloyd also sang the National Anthem in opening ceremonies for a Tampa Bay Rays’ baseball game at Tropicana Field.

Lloyd isn’t sure what his future holds, but he plans to stick with the theater — perhaps as a performer, stage manager, set designer or teacher.

“I’ll do anything related to my passion,” he said.

What: Into the Woods
When: Nov. 4, 8 p.m.; Nov. 5; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Nov. 6; 2 p.m.; Nov. 11, 8 p.m.; Nov. 12, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Nov. 13, 2 p.m.
Where: University Area Cultural Development Center, 14013 N. 22nd St., Tampa
Cost: $20 adults; $17 students/seniors; $15 presale; $15 groups of 10 or more
For information, call (813) 644-8285, or visit NewTampaPlayers.org.

Published November 2, 2016

She goes to bat against cancer

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Pam Ingram was admittedly nervous as she waited to toss out the first pitch at Tropicana Field, when the Tampa Bay Rays took on the Baltimore Orioles.

After all, she knew a big crowd would be watching — including her family and friends, and colleagues from Wesley Chapel High School.

Alex Colome drops by to say hello to Pam Ingram before the game. (Photos courtesy of Pam Ingram)
Alex Colome drops by to say hello to Pam Ingram before the game.
(Photos courtesy of Pam Ingram)

And, the English teacher would be the first to tell you that she doesn’t have substantial experience in throwing baseballs.

But, she was up for it.

Excited even.

After all, she won the Honorary Bat Girl contest sponsored by Major League Baseball, which led to royal treatment by the Tampa Bay Rays.

She and her husband, Keith, and their daughter, Abby, had the chance to spend some time on the field before the 1:10 p.m. game on July 17.

Keith even took a few swings in the batter’s on-deck circle, waving the pink baseball bat engraved with Pam’s name and bearing the signatures of quite a few Rays’ players.

The family also had the chance to pose for photos with players.

The big moment came, when a video played, featuring photos of Pam, along with a narration of her prize-winning essay.

Pam Ingram, of Wesley Chapel, is on the big screen at the Tampa Bay Rays’ game on July 17.
Pam Ingram, of Wesley Chapel, is on the big screen at the Tampa Bay Rays’ game on July 17.

Her name was emblazoned in giant letters on electronic billboards and, as she made her first pitch, she showed up — much larger than life — on the Jumbotron.

And, that was just the beginning.

Following the on-field festivities, Pam and her family went into the stands where they joined up with a crowd of 104 people who had come out to the game to show their support and celebrate with Pam.

The Rays, who are struggling this year, even broke an eight-game losing streak to defeat the Baltimore Orioles.

The whole experience was overwhelming, said Pam, currently in remission from the cancer that began in her breast and spread to her bone.

Her heart is full of gratitude for her family, for her supporters from Wesley Chapel High School where she has taught since 2000, and for her doctors.

She discovered she had breast cancer in 2014, before she turned 40 — the age at which women are recommended to begin breast cancer screenings.

She’d been experiencing intermittent pain, and her husband advised her to get it checked out.

The visit to her doctor’s office led to a mammogram and an ultrasound, which then led to referrals for a surgeon.

One of those referrals was for Dr. Sylvia Campbell, which Pam said was a blessing.

Campbell was “very calming, very nurturing,” Pam said. “She just has a way of giving you bad news, optimistically.

“Her office is a house in Hyde Park, so you feel like you’re going over to your aunt’s house or your grandma’s house. It’s just a very comfortable feeling,” Pam said.

From left, Pam Ingram, her daughter, Abby, and her husband, Keith, show off the new pink Louisville slugger that has Pam’s name engraved on it. It was part of the swag she received by winning the Honorary Bat Girl Contest, representing the Tampa Bay Rays. The national contest is sponsored by Major League Baseball.
From left, Pam Ingram, her daughter, Abby, and her husband, Keith, show off the new pink Louisville slugger that has Pam’s name engraved on it. It was part of the swag she received by winning the Honorary Bat Girl Contest, representing the Tampa Bay Rays. The national contest is sponsored by Major League Baseball.

Campbell put her in touch with Dr. Christopher George, an oncologist at Florida Cancer Specialists.

“The two of them, I guess, have worked a lot of breast cancer cases,” Pam said.

The cancer that began in Pam’s breast had spread to the pelvic bone, lower lumbar and femur, she said.

“That’s what put it at a stage IV,” she said.

“We had set up surgery to take out the lump, so I had a lumpectomy and then they took out the lymph node, and I honestly thought I was going to have to do the whole chemo and radiation,” she said.

She prepared her students at school, telling them on the second day of classes about the cancer and letting them know she didn’t know how long she would need to be out.

She told her students: “AP (Advanced Placement) kids, your goal is to pass the AP exams. Sophomores, your goal is to knock it out of the park with the FSA (Florida Standards Assessment).

“Whether I’m here, or whether I’m not, I’m still your teacher,” she said.

“The kids were amazing. A couple of my former students, who were seniors at the time, the next day showed up with candy and flowers, and a big homemade card,” she said.

In her particular case — because every case is different — the test showed that her breast cancer was positive for estrogen receptors, meaning that estrogen was feeding the cancer.

Instead of going to chemotherapy or radiation, Dr. George put her on estrogen blockers.

And when the pet scan came back, there was no detectable sign of malignancy, she said.

The Wesley Chapel woman believes she won Honorary Bat Girl contest because she believes the judges are primarily interested in choosing someone who is committed to the cause of beating cancer.

“I have participated in Relay for Life, American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, for years. I’ve captained teams, student teams, teams with friends. I’ve participated as a volunteer and now I go as a survivor,” she said.

In her essay, she made a point to do a shout-out to her school because every October they hold a “Pink Out” at a football game, painting a pink ribbon on the 50-yard line.

She believes that social media support from her students and colleagues at Wesley Chapel High, as well as friends and family across the country, likely played a role in her selection, too.

While she savored the joys of the day, she appreciates every other day, too.

“I officially reached remission. With bone cancer, there’s really no cure,” she said.

Pam Ingram’s winning essay
I was drafted into this fight in 2014 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer that spread to the bone.
Thanks to aggressive treatment and amazing doctors, I am a Stage 4 cancer survivor. Bone cancer has no cure, which is why I am going to bat against cancer. I’ve worked to raise money for ACS and to help raise awareness.
I’ve been part of Relay for Life for 15 years as a participant, a team captain, and now a survivor.
I celebrate with fellow survivors, support those who are currently battling cancer and remember those who have lost that battle.

I encourage my students and fellow teachers to join the fight at school at events such as our annual “Pink Out” football game.

I share my story in hopes of encouraging others to be vigilant. I was diagnosed before I turned 40, the recommended age for women to start getting mammograms.

If my story helps even one person with early detection (a huge factor in success in fighting cancer), then I know my journey is not in vain.

I’m going to bat against cancer to show that I am a survivor and that a positive mental attitude is key to winning the fight.

Source: 2016 Honorary Bat Girl Contest, Tampa Bay Rays

Published July 27, 2016

Sheffield pitching Wesley Chapel to the Atlanta Braves

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The Atlanta Braves aren’t making a trip to the postseason this year, but could they instead be planning a trip to Pasco County in a few years? Like for spring training?

Retired Major League Baseball player Gary Sheffield, left, listens as Blue Marble Strategies owner John Talton shares his vision of a new 20-field baseball complex in Wesley Chapel's Wiregrass Ranch area. (Photo by Michael Hinman)
Retired Major League Baseball player Gary Sheffield, left, listens as Blue Marble Strategies owner James Talton shares his vision of a new 20-field baseball complex in Wesley Chapel’s Wiregrass Ranch area. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Gary Sheffield, the retired Major League Baseball star who hit 64 home runs when he played two seasons for the Braves more than a decade ago, believes his old team will come. And if not them, maybe the Houston Astros or Toronto Blue Jays — both which have expressed interest in looking for new spring training homes — instead.

Regardless, the former outfielder says the proposed $70 million baseball complex planned on 100 acres in the Wiregrass Ranch area will be so attractive, it would be impossible for any Major League team to turn it down.

“They don’t want to be second to Disney,” Sheffield told a group of business leaders recently at a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce economic development meeting. “The problem they are having is that the fans coming to the games there are not Braves fans. They are there for Disney, and that is a problem for them.”

The Braves have played spring training at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex near Disney World in Orlando since 1998, but have been unofficially considering other options in recent months since their lease there is set to expire in 2017.

Wesley Chapel could be perfect for the team, Sheffield says, since many might consider the Interstate 75 trip between there and Atlanta a straight shot. It also makes sense as a second home for the team without making it inconvenient for its fan base.

“That is an easy commute for them,” Sheffield said. “All those fans could come straight here, plus go to other places like Disney and Clearwater Beach, since they would be close by. That is a possibility that is pretty much there for the taking.”

The sports complex was proposed by James Talton, owner of Blue Marble Strategic, and would supply 20 baseball and multipurpose athletic fields, as well as dormitories for players and other amenities. It’s a way to tap into the lucrative youth baseball market, he said.

Talton is raising $54 million in private funding, and looking for $11 million from Pasco County tourist tax money, to make such a project a reality.

Even without a major stadium component, Talton feels his sports complex could play a role in creating 8,000 jobs in the county, and produce $318 million in annual economic impact, as well as a direct revenue stream of $9 million each year to the county government. But if the project could attract a Major League team, there’s no telling how big of an impact that would have in the Wesley Chapel area, Talton said.

Creating a separate field for spring training would not be anywhere near the headache the Tampa Bay Rays are experiencing with its efforts to get out of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. In fact, spring training fields are typically much smaller than regular season venues, Talton said, where average attendance usually holds around 6,700.

“We would want to put in up to 12,000 seats, but that could be a little ambitious,” he said. “A lot of what we hear from the league is that they want to have no more than 8,000 seats, because they want to make sure they are filled.”

Yet, just from his own youth baseball operations, Talton believes he can fill 3,000 of those seats with his players and families that might be using the rest of the facility during spring training time. He wants to be open for business by January 2017, which would be just ahead of when the Braves’ lease with Disney expires.

But are the Braves even looking to stay in this part of the state? Braves president John Schuerholz told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in March that staying in Central Florida could be tough.

Many teams that used to participate in spring training are looking for other parts of the state, especially south, and it could be tough for Atlanta to travel around if its only nearby opponent is the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland.

The Braves want to stay in Florida, however, and have waved off any suggestions the team could move to the other popular spring training state of Arizona. But if the Astros move out of Kissimmee, and the Washington Nationals leave their home in Viera, that could leave the Atlanta team rather isolated in Lake Buena Vista.

Yet moving to Wesley Chapel could be a good move in that respect. The Tigers would still be available in Lakeland, joining five other teams in quick driving distance — the New York Yankees in Tampa, the Blue Jays in Dunedin, the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, and the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota.

The Braves also would be a lot closer to the Tampa Bay Rays, who play its spring training games in Port Charlotte.

A request to the Braves for comment is still pending.

Sheffield, who was born and raised in Tampa, says he has been spending a lot of time in Pasco County, especially since his kids are members of the Pasco Predators youth athletic teams. Once tourists start discovering the area, they won’t be able to stay away.

“There is something about Tampa and Pasco County,” he said. “People can’t leave. They can’t leave the water, or the beautiful places here. It’s totally community-driven.”