Pinellas County Commissioner Chris Latvala said he will be happy to see Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg go.
Sternberg has an agreement in principle to sell the franchise to an investment group led by Jacksonville developer Patrick Zalupski for $1.7 billion, according to The Athletic.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, in Atlanta for the All-Star Game, said, “I have no reason to quibble with or dispute the reports that have been out there,” when asked Tuesday about a potential sale.
Zalupski sat with Manfred at the Home Run Derby on Monday night at Truist Park, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
ALSO READ: Rays make a deal to sell to the Zalupski group with plans to stay in Tampa area, a report says
Latvala said he has not met with Zalupski or any groups interested in buying the team yet, but hopes the new ownership will be more involved with the local community.
"One of my biggest complaints with Stu is I don't believe he really cared about Tampa Bay at the end of the day,” Latvala said.
He said the next owner should take a page out of Jeffrey Vinik’s book. Vinik bought the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010, moved here from Boston two years later and invested in the region.
"I don't think you have to have a lead investor that's from the area to care about the area,” he said.
Pinellas County Commission Vice Chair Dave Eggers agreed that the new owner needs to be generous with the community to be successful.
"I think that's really important that a community feel embraced by the ownership group to be a part of this community as opposed to a distinct and separate entity,” Eggers said.
Hagan on stadium: No. 1 priority is a Tampa
Zalupski is reported to favor Tampa for the new stadium after the Rays contract to play at St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field ends in 2028.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan said he spoke with Zalupski last month about bringing the Rays to Tampa and was “very confident” an agreement can be reached to do so.
Hagan added that preparations are in place for a possible move, but that the county will step back until a sale is final. According to The Athletic, that is expected by September.
"Once things are finalized, then we will get on the phone, sit down, have a meeting and discuss things in earnest,” Hagan said. “But until then, again, we're just going to let the process play out and respect everyone involved."
Ybor City remains a possible spot for a stadium, but Hagan did not rule out a ballpark at the Florida State Fairgrounds. On thing he was certain of: The Rays are done with St. Petersburg.
ALSO READ: Tampa Bay Sun announces vision for Ybor Harbor stadium
“St. Pete is a failed business model and every objective analysis and demographic [analysis] confirms that, and the new ownership group as well as Commissioner Manfred has been consistent with saying that their No. 1 priority is Tampa,” Hagan said.
The Rays are playing this season at Tampa's Steinbrenner Field because Tropicana Field was damaged by Hurricane Milton in October. The Trop is undergoing repairs and is expected to be ready for the 2026 season.
Keeping the Rays in Tampa Bay
Latvala didn’t want to say which side of Tampa Bay he wants the team to call home, only that he doesn't want it to leave the area.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said the same thing, but added a move to Tampa would be more likely.
"Looks like there's going to be new owners and a good possibility that the team will be moving to Tampa,” Castor said.
Castor said she hopes to find out more about where the Rays will end up in the coming weeks.
ALSO READ: Mayor Jane Castor voices support for the Rays moving to Tampa
Hagan has said the high-profile Orlando Dreamers investment group remains interested in purchasing the team should the Hillsborough stadium effort struggle.
Jim Schnorf, the Dreamers' co-founder, has said the Rays were never the only option and getting an expansion team for Orlando remains a priority.
ALSO READ: Orlando Dreamers co-founder shares organization’s MLB plans – and how the Rays fit in
Schnorf's investors have committed more than $1.5 billion to purchase a team, with another $1 billion committment to build a stadium near Orlando's International Drive tourism corridor.
He said he hasn’t spoken with anyone from the Rays since news of the Zalupski sale broke this week.
A Rays spokesperson said the organization has no comment. Zalupski has not responded to requests for comment.
