ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have decided to withdraw from a $1.3 billion initiative aimed at constructing a new baseball stadium near Tropicana Field. The team cited a recent hurricane and subsequent delays, which likely escalated the project’s costs, as the primary reasons for this decision.
In a statement by Stuart Sternberg, the principal owner, he explained that “a series of events” in October, including significant damage to Tropicana Field and financing setbacks, led to this “difficult decision.” Due to these factors, the team concluded that they could not proceed with the stadium and development project at this time.
With Tropicana Field unavailable, the Rays are preparing to play their home games this upcoming season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, which serves as the New York Yankees’ spring training facility and seats 11,000 spectators. Repairs are planned for Tropicana Field, involving replacing the roof, which Hurricane Milton damaged, with hopes of it being ready for the 2026 baseball season.
Major League Baseball (MLB) continues to express its commitment to ensuring the Rays find a permanent home within the Tampa Bay region. In a statement, MLB highlighted Commissioner Rob Manfred’s dedication to working alongside city officials, community leaders, and Rays representatives to secure the club’s future locally. Despite the setback, MLB affirms its intention to support the franchise’s presence in the area.
Since its opening in 1990, Tropicana Field has been the home stadium for the Rays since their first play in 1998. St. Petersburg’s Mayor Ken Welch, who had been instrumental in the “Here To Stay” initiative to retain the team in the city for the next 30 years, described the Rays’ withdrawal as disappointing, though not entirely unexpected. Welch mentioned the possibility of a new team owner emerging, committed to honoring agreements and prioritizing community values. He emphasized that while the city remains open to collaborations that keep baseball in St. Petersburg, they cannot afford to delay municipal advancements as they await a more cooperative baseball partner.
According to their contract with St. Petersburg, the Rays are set to play at their current location for three additional seasons once repairs are completed. However, beyond this period, the team’s long-term future in the Tampa Bay area remains uncertain. Both the Rays and MLB will likely assess fan attendance and engagement during the team’s season at Steinbrenner Field before exploring alternative locations.
Commissioner Manfred noted that hosting games on the Tampa side could offer insights into the broader Tampa Bay market, proving beneficial for the Rays’ strategic planning in the future.
As things stand, the Rays are expected to return to Tropicana Field after a year playing across the bay. Stuart Sternberg acknowledged the city’s initiatives to restore Tropicana Field and expressed gratitude for their efforts in preparing for the team’s return to its home field in the next spring.
The proposed stadium, designed to seat 30,000 fans, forms part of a larger $6.5 billion initiative known as the Historic Gas Plant District project. This plan aims to revitalize an 86-acre section of downtown St. Petersburg, which formerly housed a predominantly Black neighborhood displaced by past developments. The project envisions creating a Black history museum, affordable housing, entertainment venues, office space, and retail areas, potentially generating thousands of jobs.
The impending withdrawal of the Rays also leaves the broader development project in an uncertain state, as it hinged on the stadium as its anchor. The deadline for the Rays to decide on proceeding with the stadium project was March 31. Under the agreement between the city and Pinellas County, local governments were prepared to fund half of the $1.3 billion cost, with the Rays and their development partner, Hines, covering the remainder, including any additional expenses.
The Rays previously stated that the delayed vote on the funding plan by the Pinellas County Commission in October contributed to projecting costs that exceeded their financial means, even though the city had approved its part of the funding.
