In a saga filled with more twists than a knuckleball pitcher’s best offering, the Tampa Bay Rays’ pursuit of a new $1.3 billion ballpark has hit yet another snag. The latest turn came Tuesday night when the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners narrowly approved $312.5 million in bond funding for the project after weeks of uncertainty that put the entire deal in jeopardy.
The 5-2 vote was far from a ringing endorsement and underscored the precarious nature of the partnership between the Rays, Pinellas County, and the city of St. Petersburg. Rays president Matt Silverman hinted at the growing divide, saying in a statement, “It was unsurprising to see the Commissioners acknowledge how important the Tampa Bay Rays and our stadium development agreement are to this community and its citizens.” He added pointedly, “As we have made clear, the County’s delay has caused the ballpark’s completion to slide into 2029. As a result, the cost of the project has increased significantly, and we cannot absorb this increase alone.”
A Deal Unravels
The seeds of the current impasse were sown on Oct. 29, less than three weeks after Hurricane Milton tore through Tropicana Field’s roof and caused widespread damage across the region. The Pinellas commission met that day to approve the bonds but instead postponed the vote. While commissioners cited a need for clarity on the Rays’ temporary home in 2025 as the reason, the team felt blindsided.
From there, the tenor of the talks deteriorated. The Rays warned that the bonding delay would push the stadium’s opening from 2028 to 2029 and add up to $200 million in construction costs. To bridge this self-described “funding gap,” the team sought more financial assistance from its municipal partners.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred flew to Florida last week in a bid to salvage the deal, meeting with county officials. His intervention may have prevented a complete collapse, but the frayed relationship was on full display Tuesday. Commissioner Chris Latvala, who flipped to a “yes” vote, openly criticized Rays owner Stuart Sternberg, saying, “I hope our vote today helps set the wheels in motion for a new owner and a new era of the Tampa Bay Rays.”
Repairing a Storm-Damaged Stadium
Further complicating matters is the state of Tropicana Field, which saw 18 of its 24 roof panels shredded by Milton’s fury. The city of St. Petersburg estimated it would take $55.7 million and until 2026 to repair the stadium. The Rays argue the damage is more extensive and renders the Trop unplayable until 2027, the last year of their lease.
Part of the ongoing discussions will center on whether to use the money earmarked for repairs on the Trop to instead help close the funding gap on the new stadium. With the Rays planning to play the next two seasons at a suboptimal temporary venue in Steinbrenner Field, there’s little appetite to invest heavily in an obsolete ballpark.
A Team in Limbo
As the clock ticks down on their Tropicana Field lease, the Rays find themselves in a state of limbo. If the new stadium deal crumbles, Sternberg has said relocation “is not an unlikely conclusion.” Whether that means selling the team to a new owner committed to Tampa Bay or uprooting the franchise to a new city remains an open question.
“The Rays have spent 17 years trying to secure a new ballpark in the region. At some point, you have to wonder if enough is enough.”
– A high-ranking MLB official familiar with the situation
MLB has long viewed Tampa Bay as an attractive market, and Manfred’s diplomacy this past week underscores the league’s desire to keep a team in the area. But there’s only so much goodwill to go around. As one high-ranking MLB official told me, “The Rays have spent 17 years trying to secure a new ballpark in the region. At some point, you have to wonder if enough is enough.”
Relocation Roulette
Should the Rays decide to leave, a host of suitors would line up to welcome them. Nashville, Charlotte, Portland, and Montreal have all been floated as potential landing spots. Of course, any relocation would require approval from 75% of MLB owners and would be tied to the league’s future expansion plans.
For now, those scenarios remain distant Plan Bs. The focus is on finding a path forward in St. Petersburg, however narrow it may be. Tuesday’s vote was a step in that direction, but significant hurdles remain. As Commissioner Rene Flowers put it, “All eyes will now be watching to assure that the Rays uphold their part of this deal.”
In the annals of stadium sagas, the Rays’ plight is approaching extra innings. Will this latest vote be the turning point that finally brings a resolution? Or is it merely delaying the inevitable, a stay of execution before the wrecking ball swings? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the future of baseball in Tampa Bay has rarely looked so cloudy.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred flew to Florida last week in a bid to salvage the deal, meeting with county officials. His intervention may have prevented a complete collapse, but the frayed relationship was on full display Tuesday. Commissioner Chris Latvala, who flipped to a “yes” vote, openly criticized Rays owner Stuart Sternberg, saying, “I hope our vote today helps set the wheels in motion for a new owner and a new era of the Tampa Bay Rays.”
Repairing a Storm-Damaged Stadium
Further complicating matters is the state of Tropicana Field, which saw 18 of its 24 roof panels shredded by Milton’s fury. The city of St. Petersburg estimated it would take $55.7 million and until 2026 to repair the stadium. The Rays argue the damage is more extensive and renders the Trop unplayable until 2027, the last year of their lease.
Part of the ongoing discussions will center on whether to use the money earmarked for repairs on the Trop to instead help close the funding gap on the new stadium. With the Rays planning to play the next two seasons at a suboptimal temporary venue in Steinbrenner Field, there’s little appetite to invest heavily in an obsolete ballpark.
A Team in Limbo
As the clock ticks down on their Tropicana Field lease, the Rays find themselves in a state of limbo. If the new stadium deal crumbles, Sternberg has said relocation “is not an unlikely conclusion.” Whether that means selling the team to a new owner committed to Tampa Bay or uprooting the franchise to a new city remains an open question.
“The Rays have spent 17 years trying to secure a new ballpark in the region. At some point, you have to wonder if enough is enough.”
– A high-ranking MLB official familiar with the situation
MLB has long viewed Tampa Bay as an attractive market, and Manfred’s diplomacy this past week underscores the league’s desire to keep a team in the area. But there’s only so much goodwill to go around. As one high-ranking MLB official told me, “The Rays have spent 17 years trying to secure a new ballpark in the region. At some point, you have to wonder if enough is enough.”
Relocation Roulette
Should the Rays decide to leave, a host of suitors would line up to welcome them. Nashville, Charlotte, Portland, and Montreal have all been floated as potential landing spots. Of course, any relocation would require approval from 75% of MLB owners and would be tied to the league’s future expansion plans.
For now, those scenarios remain distant Plan Bs. The focus is on finding a path forward in St. Petersburg, however narrow it may be. Tuesday’s vote was a step in that direction, but significant hurdles remain. As Commissioner Rene Flowers put it, “All eyes will now be watching to assure that the Rays uphold their part of this deal.”
In the annals of stadium sagas, the Rays’ plight is approaching extra innings. Will this latest vote be the turning point that finally brings a resolution? Or is it merely delaying the inevitable, a stay of execution before the wrecking ball swings? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the future of baseball in Tampa Bay has rarely looked so cloudy.
