Rays stadium site faces problems

Environmental engineers say building a ballpark at the shuttered Toytown landfill, one of several potential sites on a list of possible stadium locations, would require pilings to be driven so deeply they could come close to the limestone and fresh water aquifer that feeds into Tampa Bay, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Tuesday.

Bob Hauser, Pinellas County's solid waste director, said officials want to avoid driving pilings so deeply into the clay near the bay, asserting it could pose environmental hazards.

The old landfill was attractive as a ballpark site because of its 240-acre lot size and its strategic location within a planned $1 billion office, retail and housing development, the newspaper said.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.