Rays Baseball: A Stadium Deal in Chaos

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We all thought the Tampa Bay Rays stadium deal was done. Well since Hurricane Milton that has all changed. The Rays might not be playing in St. Petersburg at all. After Milton tore the roof off Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay had to find a new place to play. After searching, they decided to play at Steinbrenner Field. That is the home of the New York Yankees A affiliate, the Tampa Bay Tarpons. They paid $15 million to the Yankees to play there. After that, the Pinellas County Commission got irked about that. They say that Tampa Bay violated their lease with the city. The commissioners wanted them to play at Baycare Park home of the Philadelphia Phillies A affiliate, the Clearwater Threshers. Steinbrenner Field was the ballpark most ready to have a major-league team play in it.

The Pinellas County Commission has given the Tampa Bay Rays until this Sunday, December 2nd, to stay with the deal or leave. The commission voted to delay the financial bonds the Rays need to move forward on their new stadium. The team was supposed to break ground by the end of this month. There is a possibility that may never happen. On top of that, the St. Pete Commission has also voted to delay their decision. This puts everything in the rear. Without the bonds, the Rays cannot hire the personnel they need to start construction. Both sides of the Commission and the Rays have pointed their fingers at each other. Someone is to blame in many opinions on both sides. The Rays need just about $56 million to fix the Trop. The city only approved $25 million and then decided against it.

So say that the Tampa Bay Rays did not want to play in St. Petersburg. With the hurricane coming this is their way out. The hurricane did so much damage to so many people and locations. The Rays wanted this done before the election because they felt that some of the new commissioners were not in favor of the new stadium. Many of the commissioners do not want the stadium. The gas plant district where the stadium sits will be redeveloped. Many fear that Stu Sternberg, the owner of the Rays, will move the team and still make money off the redevelopment. We will now have to see if the Rays stay in Florida or move out of state. There might be a bright spot maybe the Rays will get what they want and play in Tampa instead of St. Petersburg.

On top of that, now comes the waiting to see what happens after 2025. The Tampa Bay Rays will lose revenue no matter where the stadium is. The schedule in 2025 is going to be a roller coaster. The Rays will play 13 of 16 games at home and 47 out of 59 through May 28th. Then play 69 out of the remaining 103 games on the road. This is all to try and avoid the summer rainy season in Florida. From May till September, there is a chance of rain every day. A series scheduled versus the Los Angeles Dodgers has been moved from April 7th-9th to April 8th-10th. The second series between the two teams will be played in Anaheim, California. The dates on that series will be changed as well from August 4th-6th to 5th-7th. It has been chaos for the Tampa Bay Rays with no ending in sight.

Are the Tampa Bay Rays done in Florida? Leave a comment below.

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