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Rays stadium deal: What’s next for the team and local leaders after a roller-coaster week?

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Published  November 22, 2024 5:06pm EST
Rays Stadium Plans
FOX 13 News

Rays future stadium in Tampa Bay in question

FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports on how the Rays deal with Pinellas County to fix Tropicana Field's roof and how the new stadium being off affects their future in the Tampa Bay region.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - This week has been a roller-coaster for the Tampa Bay Rays, Pinellas County and St. Petersburg leaders after two high-stakes public meetings. The team said the deal to build a new stadium was off, county leaders decided to delay the financing vote and city leaders are not fixing Tropicana Field's roof. 

The big question: What now?

Pictured: Rays President Brian Auld. 

"I am saying specifically I don't believe we can make the economics around this arrangement work anymore," Rays President Brian Auld said at Thursday's city council meeting.

RELATED: St. Pete leaders reverse course, delaying decision on Tropicana Field roof fix

St. Pete City Council members ranged from stunned, but still willing to make it work and too overcome with anger. Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders was in the first group while Council member Lissett Hanswicz was in the second. 

"I'm at the point, I'm going to vote for it if I'm the only one," said Figgs-Sanders.

Pictured: St. Pete City Council. 

"I understand that people love baseball," said Hanewicz. "All these emotions. Guess what? All that. What matters is what is written in the agreement."

Council followed Pinellas County commissioners on Thursday in delaying votes to approve a total of $600 million in bonds with members of both boards reacting to the Rays' stance that they can no longer afford to pay for their part of the stadium. 

PREVIOUS: Tampa Bay Rays suspend new stadium plans, blame county for not securing bond money in October

When Hurricane Milton blew the roof off the Trop, and they had to relocate to the smaller Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the Rays now stand to lose loads of revenue. 

"I don't know how to be more clear," said Auld. "We have a very challenging future ahead of us."

But as of now, they're not officially terminating the agreement, leaving some to wonder if the Rays are trying to hold on to the rest of the land to develop it, even if they can't build the stadium.

"In terms of being a community partner, he is no Jeff Vinik," Pinellas County Commissioner Chris Latvala said during an interview on Friday.

Pictured: St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch.

St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch said they're bringing a modified plan back to council members that doesn't include additional money. The county said, in their eyes, they have not missed any deadlines, even though they postponed what the Rays considered an important vote to focus on hurricane recovery. 

READ: Tampa Bay Rays to play 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field

"It's up to the Rays to find a way to deal with their financial issues," said Pinellas County Commissioner Kathleen Peters. "And if they're serious about being loyal to the Tampa Bay fans, then they're going to do that. And we're going to continue in good faith."

While Major League Baseball has reiterated it wants a solution in Tampa Bay, it's not clear what the Rays want. They have said they don't want the Trop to be repaired, and that they'd be willing to settle with the city. 

But, where do they play until there's a new stadium – wherever and whenever that is?

"I can envision a deal being worked out with the three parties," said Latvala. "I'm not sure about a deal that is envisioned with the current ownership of the Tampa Bay Rays."

One person who has been absent from the public eye this week? The Rays principal owner, Stu Sternberg. 

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