It was an informal brainstorming session before going on the air with Mitch Perry, the host of WMNF’s “Last Call Thursday.” We chatted a bit about the St. Petersburg mayoral election and an upcoming debate that Perry would moderate. He was looking for a question that had somehow not yet been asked of these candidates. My contribution: “Where does St. Petersburg fit in this Tampa Bay marketplace?”
My rationale: For too long the bay had been a second gulf and underscored the counterproductive competition between St. Pete and Tampa. Pinellas County had even seceded from Hillsborough back in the day. Both cities had competed for USF, TIA, professional sports franchises and Busch Gardens, among others. While Tampa was the hub of the market, St. Pete was no mere retiree spoke. It has downtown charm and a waterfront that would rival Monte Carlo. It has a burgeoning mix of research and educational vitality. It’s a key component in regional Super Bowl, Bollywood Oscars and national political convention pitches.
And, of course, my follow-up: “How would the next mayor see St. Pete’s complementary role–in fulfilling both its potential and that of the Tampa Bay area–and how critical is mass transit in accomplishing that?”