City Council Allows Rays To Search For New Stadium Sites

More than a year after the St. Petersburg City Council rejected a deal that would allow the Rays to look for new stadium sites, the panel on Thursday allowed—by a 5-3 vote—the franchise to search for new sites in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, BA correspondent Marc Topkin reported.

It was the third attempt by Mayor Rick Kriseman to push through city council a plan for the Rays, whose owner Stuart Sternberg has long maintained that continuing to play at outmoded Tropicana Field is not sustainable.

When the previous plan was shot down in December 2014, Sternberg said without an opportunity to seek a new stadium, baseball’s future in Tampa Bay would be “doomed.”

The Rays will be given three years to find a new site for a stadium in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, with Tampa the most likely destination, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Under the rejected proposal, if the Rays left Tropicana Field for a new site before their lease at the stadium was up in 2027, they would pay the city $2 million to $4 million per season for any unused seasons.

The new proposal, according to the Times, calls for a joint interest-bearing account in which the Rays and city would share any development revenues from redeveloping Tropicana Field.

If the Rays leave, they have to forfeit their share. If they stay, they get 50 percent of proceeds, according to the newspaper.

In a statement, MLB applauded the vote.

“Major League Baseball appreciates this step forward taken by the St. Petersburg City Council and remains fully supportive of Stu Sternberg’s vision to bring this stadium process to conclusion. Mr. Sternberg’s patience and persistence throughout the franchise’s long-standing efforts have illustrated his commitment to the fans of the region. We look forward to further progress in the weeks and months ahead as the Rays strive to ensure the future of the franchise with a first-class ballpark in the region.”