INTRODUCTION The initial goal of Raymond James Stadium, in addition to playing host to the Bucs’ first season away from Tampa Stadium, will be soothing the fractured feelings of many of the people who ended up frowning during the construction and financing of the NFL's newest palace. And there are quite a few. But you know what? The stadium might just succeed. “I think the one thing people didn't realise about the stadium is how unique it is and how nice it's going to be,” Rich McKay said. “I think until you're in it, until you feel it and until you experience it, you're still relating it to the old stadium. You're still looking at it as a re-modelled house. This is not a remodelled house, this is a new stadium with all the amenities you could hope for and has some uniqueness to it that will make it a true show piece.” The Bucs officials and government leaders who helped set the wheels in motion for the building of Raymond James were like competitors running an obstacle course. So many hurdles and pitfalls, so little time. First, there were scathing attacks against owner Malcolm Glazer whenever there was the slightest hint the team would leave Tampa Bay, and those were followed by heated debates over the community tax initiative the team sought to finance a new stadium. Voters approved the half-cent sales tax, but then it was challenged in court by former Tampa mayor Bill Poe, who argued the referendum violated the state Constitution. He lost, but not before a protracted battle that almost derailed the project. Finally, the concrete began to pour at what was originally known as the community stadium, and the Bucs had their first playoff season in 16 years. But success meant sold-out games and seat-charter deposits. All the fervour surrounding the team was been peppered with long lines of angry fans who couldn't get a ticket. Then there were the season-ticket holders who were upset they couldn't pick their seats, and unhappy with where a computer program placed them. The message from the Bucs was clear: wait until you walk into the stadium. “I think that the whole overall stadium will be just a little better than people imagined. When they got in, they saw that,” McKay said. “I think the end zones set it apart. I think the club lounge is second to none, better than anything in the National Football League. I think that the general seating area, because of all the seats being on the sideline and only a limited number being in the end zone, the sight lines are fabulous.” The end zone features terraces where fans can congregate before, during and after the game. Behind the end zones are two huge scoreboards with video replay screens that can show six different images. Not only are the sight lines considered to be better than old Houlihan's, but the seats have chair backs and are wider. There is also more leg room. The upper deck, known by critics as the nosebleed section, actually puts fans closer to the field than the folks who were in the upper reaches of Houlihan's and McKay gladly points out that Raymond James is one of the few stadiums in the league that has escalators to the upper deck.