TAMPA, Fla. – When it comes to building a $2.3 billion ballpark surrounded by a massive mixed-use development, there’s one question that applies to everyone but is rarely spoken aloud by anyone:
What’s in it for me?
For the Tampa Bay Rays, the answer is simple. A new ballpark leads to increased revenue, which leads to greater profits and an easier path to compete in the American League East. For baseball fans, it puts to rest the question of Major League Baseball’s uncertain future in Tampa Bay. For a handful of politicians, it’s having their name attached to a potentially transformational economic development. For a sports columnist, it’s the gift that keeps on giving…