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St. Pete re-votes, delays decision to fix the Trop
Briona Arradondo reports
TAMPA, Fla. - Hours after approving funding to fix the Tropicana Field roof, St. Petersburg City Council walked back and are now delaying that decision. All of this comes as the saga surrounding a new ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays continues to see twists and turns.
Earlier Thursday afternoon, St. Pete leaders voted 4-3 to approve funding for the Trop roof fix after it was damaged during Hurricane Milton, because they believe their lease with the Rays required them to. But then, the team's president said the team would have more clarity if the Trop damage was not repaired, and they could reach a settlement agreement with the city for a lump sum.
Leaders on both sides of the bay talked separately on Thursday about what can be done to keep the team in the region after the MLB franchise's letter to the Pinellas County Commission earlier this week. It said the new domed stadium in St. Petersburg is on hold and will not be ready for the 2028 season as initially planned.
PREVIOUS: Tampa Bay Rays suspend new stadium plans, blame county for not securing bond money in October
In the letter, Rays officials said they told the county administrator and St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch, "the county’s failure to finalize the bonds last month ended the ability for a 2028 delivery of the ballpark. As we have made clear at every step of this process, a 2029 ballpark delivery would result in significantly higher costs that we are not able to absorb alone."
County commissioners then voted to delay a decision on a $312.5 million bond payment to help fund the new ballpark until Dec. 17.
St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch released the following statement in reaction to the St. Petersburg City Council delaying the funding vote on the Trop's roof:
"While we are disappointed that we are pausing the repair of Tropicana Field and the bond issuance that would finance the city’s contribution to a new stadium, we believe there remains a path forward. My administration is prepared to bring a modified plan back to City Council for their consideration. However, I want to make it clear that this plan will not include additional funds from the City. We maintain our position that the Historic Gas Plant District is an equitable economic driver that will benefit future generations. Ultimately, we remain committed to carrying out our contractual obligations and stand ready to work with our partners in the weeks ahead."
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Leaders on both sides of the bay to discuss Rays
Officials in St. Pete are set to talk Thursday about repairs to Tropicana Field, along with bonds to help fund a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. Meanwhile, Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan says "key players" on the Tampa side will also talk Thursday about a plan if the St. Pete deal falls through.
Growing uncertainty over Rays future
Even before Tuesday's meeting, some Pinellas County commissioners expressed disappointment over the team's decision to play its 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
Supporters of the move, though, argue that Steinbrenner Field holds more spectators, thus generating more revenue, compared to smaller minor league ballparks in Pinellas County.
The Rays' lease at Tropicana Field runs through 2027, but Hurricane Milton caused serious damage to the stadium in October, rendering it unplayable. An assessment showed that it would cost at least $55 million for the Trop to be ready for the 2026 season.
Destruction inside Tropicana Field after Hurricane Milton.
What can be done to keep the Rays in the Bay Area?
Mayor Welch has been talking with fellow leaders in St. Pete and Pinellas County in an effort to smooth over any tension between government entities and the ballclub. He has said in the past that he's optimistic about the future of the partnership.
Two Rays-related items were on the agenda for the St. Pete City Council's Thursday meeting, including discussions about the plan to repair Tropicana Field and the loan needed to help finance the new stadium.
Renderings of a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, which was initially due to open in 2028, but is now on hold.
Across the bay, Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan says Tampa is back in play to become the Rays' future home should the deal in St. Pete fall apart, and there will be a meeting involving "key players" on Thursday.
"That's my desire. Over the last couple of weeks, I've been laying the groundwork with our team. So when that time comes – I don't know if that's going to be today, tomorrow or six months from now – but we're going to be ready," Hagan told The JP Peterson Show in a phone interview on Wednesday.
Hagan also predicted that the Rays will sell out every regular season home game at Steinbrenner Field, adding that an Ybor City stadium site is an option they're still pitching to the team.
Any conversation on the subject on the Hillsborough side of the bay would be preliminary, though, as the ball remains in Pinellas County and St. Pete's court for the time being.
What does MLB say?
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred addressed the ongoing situation surrounding the future of the Rays at the league's owners' meetings on Wednesday.
"There's a lot of uncertainty with respect to the situation in Tampa; much of that uncertainty, we just don't control," Manfred said. "We need to let the government officials in Tampa Bay sort out where they are on a variety of issues. I understand the delay given the kind of damage that they suffered down there. We're just going to have to wait for some of that uncertainty to resolve itself."
Manfred also said MLB is "committed to the fans in Tampa Bay."
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