Much like a hurricane did to Tropicana Field's roof, the Tampa Bay Rays ripped the heart out of long-planned $1.3 billion agreement to build a replacement stadium and surrounding $6.5 billion revitilization project in St. Petersburg.
Team owner Stuart Sternberg announced his intentions, buried in a midday Thursday social media post, more than two weeks ahead of a March 31 deadline given by the city and Pinellas County, the Rays partners in the venture.
Sternberg's statement blamed delays in the project brought about when Tropicana Field was damaged by Hurricane Milton in October.
“After careful deliberation, we have concluded we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment. A series of events beginning in October that no one could have anticipated led to this difficult decision," the statement said.
Sternberg's statement said the Rays will continue searching for a new home in the Tampa Bay area, something Major League Baseball has insisted on since Sternberg began to waver on the stadium agreement with the city and Pinellas County.
"Our commitment to the vitality and success of the Rays organization is unwavering. We continue to focus on finding a ballpark solution that serves the best interest of our region, Major League Baseball and our organization,” he said.
In gratitude for the continued support from our fans and community. pic.twitter.com/vVGHn6nrAA
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) March 13, 2025
Rays president Matt Silverman told WDAE radio later in the day that while the team was once excited about the agreement, finalized in July, there remained doubt by ownership that it was the best long-term approach.
“We have to believe that it’s going to lead us to be able to have greater attendance and have the necessary resources to increase our payroll.” Silverman told WDAE's Tom Krasniqi.
He added, “We are going to find that solution that gets us that new ballpark” in either Pinellas or Hillsborough county.
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The Rays' decision comes amid reports of Major League Baseball forcing a sale of the team. This week, individuals with three investment groups with Tampa-area ties reportedly expressed interest in purchasing the Rays and keeping them in the region.
However, Silverman flatly said: "The team is not for sale.”
Due to the damage at Tropicana Field, the Rays are playing this season in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field, the New York Yankees’ spring training facility. Silverman and Sternberg said the team looks forward to returning to a repaired Trop next season.
It has been estimated to cost the city will be at least $55 million to make repairs. The Rays believe that can happen in time. Mayor Ken Welch said the city “intends to honor our current agreement to repair Tropicana Field in accordance with the current use agreement.”
The Rays’ agreement with the city to play at Tropicana Field goes through 2027. However, the agreement gets extended for every year the team can’t play there.
In a press conference, Welch expressed disappointment in the Rays' decision, but added it was expected. He also said he won't consider working on any reset of the stadium, but plans on moving ahead on 86-acre the Historic Gas Plant District renovation.
"This community has waited for 40 years to get the promises, the jobs, the economic development, coming out of that development," he said.
RELATED: Welch, other officials disappointed after Rays nix stadium agreement
The stadium was to be financed by the team, city and Pinellas County. After delays due to the hurricane, St. Petersburg approved bonds to finance $287.5 million for the stadium and $142 million for roads and sewers in the neighborhood. Pinellas County approved using $312.5 million backed by tourist development taxes.
The Rays were to contribute $700 million plus any cost overruns. However, the Rays expressed concern that the vote delays would push back the competition of the stadium until 2029, adding to the Rays’ tab.
Silverman told WDAE said that wait also fostered concern by the Rays regarding a 30-year committment to the stadium.
“It’s unfortunate that the hurricanes and ... a series of events afterward that put us to where we are today," he said.
Meantime, Major League Baseball said it "remains committed to finding a permanent home for the club in the Tampa Bay region for their fans and the local community."
"Commissioner (Rob) Manfred understands the disappointment of the St. Petersburg community from today’s announcement," MLB said in a statement, "but he will continue to work with elected officials, community leaders, and Rays officials to secure the club’s future in the Tampa Bay region.”
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Manfred, during a Wednesday interview with the Associated Press, said: "“The opportunity to play on the Tampa side could give insights into the Tampa Bay market as a whole that could be useful for the club moving forward.”
Naturally, officials in Hillsborough County and Tampa are prepared to step forward, although the Rays walked away from an $892 million stadium plan for Ybor City in 2018.
"The goal has always been to keep the team in Tampa Bay," Tampa Mayor Jane Castor wrote in a social media post. "The city, Tampa Sports Authority (and) county are happy to talk with the team again, but any proposal has to make sense for our taxpayers (and) community."
Like Welch, Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan said the Rays' decision was expected. “I think it was a very thin deal for the Rays to begin with.” Hagan said in an interview on WDAE.
WUSF's Steve Newborn contributed to this report.
