Tampa Bay Rays and Pinellas County's deal for new stadium on pause

[@Gunnar_Blackburn]

Rays really out here trying to strong arm a county recovering from 2 major hurricanes when the Rays can't even create enough of a draw to fill their seats without tarping off half the stadium

[@dancahill9585]

More likely they are trying to get out of a shitty location for a team and are using the hurricanes and the county being unable to fulfill their duties as a landlord to do it. Let's face it, St Pete/Tropicana field has been a disaster from the start. They'd instantly become a bigger market team if they just moved across the Bay to Tampa. They can also work with MLB to relocate to Nashville or Charlottesville if they can't make anything happen in Tampa. St. Pete would be a good place for a minor league or Spring Training team, but that's about it.

[@HunterMaggiacomo]

@@dancahill9585It bugs me that the rays and Yankees haven’t at least had a conversation about swapping grounds. It would work perfectly. Yankee fans don’t have a problem with coming to the trop it’s always filled with them when they play lol

[@jozimoto]

St. Pete is a lousy location for the Rays. The attendance history speaks loudly on this.

[@auxpowerunit]

Why are billionaire team owners always demanding money from average taxpayers ?

[@PWdogdad]

Because in the end, cities/states always pay

[@York-Isles-63]

​​​​@@PWdogdad if the billionaire buffoons don't stop fooling around The Rays could possibly move out of Florida not definitely but anything is possible look at everything going on who knows if or when the roof at Tropicana Field will be repaired now there are possible delays on Stadium deals translated this is an absolute mess keep screwing around and the Rays could leave Florida for Nashville Montreal heck anything is possible at this rate

[@99somerville]

@@York-Isles-63I don’t think the majority of people in Tampa Bay or FL really care if they leave. The attendance figures show that. They can stay and build with their own money if they want to.

[@tringuyen7519]

@@99somervilleRays won’t stay. Nashville already told the Rays owner that it will give the team a new stadium in Nashville!

[@williamford9564]

Because they can.

[@Atyomommahouse-p2m]

Rays suck. No public money. Let the owner build what he wants with his money

[@sarahlachman1349]

Beaches over Baseball PERIOD for St.Pete! Send the Rays to Ybor or better yet, have them build a NEW Stadium Complex next to the Bucs, maybe even build the NEW RayJay and Rays area together at the same time to save costs, share parking, concessions, the village etc. Both teams are Sea-themed anyways. Imagine a pirateship hanging over a stingray tank! That Al Lopez area by the airport would be AMZING if given the Midtown, and Edition treatment like by Amelia with the lightning. This is a great oppertunity I hope Tampa doesn't pass on!

[@tonygoochafanchi578]

Small town St Pete trying to be a big city, it will never work

[@johnwoa]

St. Petersburg, Florida has been described as "The home of the newlyweds and the nearly deads"..........

[@tringuyen7519]

Just don’t have a hissy fit when the Rays move to Nashville who’s been waiting to the St. Pete deal to die!

[@jpracin]

let them leave beach's bring more money then rays

[@williamford9564]

"Hello Nashville City Council. This is Stuart Sternberg. LETS MAKE A DEAL."

[@michaelleroy9281]

Stuart Sternberg will have to pay for the damn thing himself there is no public money for a ballpark in Nashville it all went for the Titans

[@nobiedavis5294]

Bring the Stadium in Tampa we have plenty space

[@SKS8080]

Ybor!!!!!!

[@zoeclearwater]

Give the Tampa thing a rest . The roads are a complete mess . At least Pinellas has money to fix our roads. The pot holes in the Tampa area are probably the worst in the whole state .

[@robertsarakowski1414]

​@@SKS8080where in ybor? Next to ikea??

[@SKS8080]

@ yeah. And around the Port of Tampa area. But way this is going it will be wishful thinking.

[@robertsarakowski1414]

@@SKS8080 i know people that work for the Port. They want nothing to do with that project.

[@jefferygreening5665]

Rays are going to leave Florida

[@77-ty7gb]

They should

[@moose2021]

It's not if they leave Florida, but when they'll leave, and also where they'll go to.

[@tobarstep]

I'll miss the Rays if they leave the area, but here in Lakeland the Detroit Tigers have been the "home team" for my entire life (long before the Rays even existed) due to them coming here for spring training. If the Rays leave, I'll just revert my loyalties back to Detroit.

[@RyanRe-rd6wv]

I’ll support the lousy pathetic Marlins for most games n see the Marlins against Tigers Brewers n Red Sox. You can still see the Tigers play in Florida in regular season if bye bye Rays

[@despinoza0391]

Tax payers money should go into infrastructure since these past hurricanes has made it abundantly clear the city is not prepared.

[@supremeb3563]

Find a spot in Tampa. Or they moving to Salt Lake City.

[@SKS8080]

Ybor!!!!!

[@michaelleroy9281]

Then a new team will have to move to the AL east, they're not going to be in AL east in Salt Lake City

[@louiscypher4186]

​@@michaelleroy9281 You act like this is 1970. They're already over a thousand miles away from NYC. Even if the extra 1.5 hr flight was a deal breaker the league has rebalanced several times.

[@williamford9564]

@@louiscypher4186 The team, the players and the union will never allow it. Big travel costs for the team owners. The team on the field will be at significant disadvantage versus the teams in their division because they have to spend much time traveling. It is not only exhausting but cuts into the time for practice sessions. What does make sense may be a 3 way realignment. The new Salt Lake City team goes to the West. Texas or Houston moves to the Central and Cleveland moves from the Central to the East.

[@michaelleroy9281]

A ballpark in Salt Lake City won't completed if started now won't be open for 3 -4 years

[@utrinqueparatusman]

Rays will end up in Tampa for sure. It’s been the plan all along!

[@katemoo9581]

I hope so

[@SKS8080]

Ybor!!!!!!!!

[@garycurry4600]

I respectfully disagree. That being said, I’d rather drive to Tampa from Pasco. I think the writing is on the wall, though. This market won’t support a Major League Baseball team not named the Yankees or Red Sox.

[@moose2021]

They're leaving Florida. It's just a matter of when and where they'll move to.

[@brian4019]

Making a shiny new ballpark, or relocating it somewhere else won't make people in Tampa Bay care about MLB. They don't.

[@ncdad1995]

The Rays should tell the commissioners they want to discuss an exit fee. They no longer want to talk as the county renege. What would they Ray's lose by relocation. The commissioners cut the insurance not the Rays.

[@Drummer8282]

Montreal Expos !!! ⚾️

[@sprintkick9793]

Good. Make that cheap franchise pay for its own stadium. Or better yet, just leave.

[@louiscypher4186]

If they have to pay for their own stadium they will leave. St Pete can't fill a stadium for a playoff game.

[@akou6567]

The DEAL that should NOW be happening is a NEW Stadium COMPLEX for both the Bucs and Rays at the AL Lopez TPA Site. The Rays and Bucs could share PARKING & The NEW Sports Village making the cost lower, and profits higher for more frequent uses. Both complexes be DOMED so to get more butts in seats on hot, humid days and get more events happening there, including it becoming an auxiliary location for the convention center The Historic Al Lopez site has had baseball there since the 1950s, its a CENTRAL Location with MANY KEY Roads ending or going near it; Dale, Suncoast, 275, the CCC & HF Bridges, etc. Its near the airport and its hotel district on westshore, and the New Midtown development. Those who did Midtown or Waterstreet need to work on that complex and that needs to be pushed! Hillsborough voters will be more inclined to support the Rays at that site, especially if the project is tied with the Bucs. That would have a higher starting cost, but working a single site would be more cost-effective, and again, sharing the same parking and amenities would lower costs for construction. These are the talks that are needed NOW. The Al Lopez Redevelopment Concept people have talked about is the BEST Solution for Tampa, and the teams, Bucs & Rays. It would be tragic if it didn't gain momentum. I'm sure once the Rays play there at the Yankee park, people will push for them to stay and build their new home either on the Yankees field itself, across the street or next door. That area is PRIMED for REDEVELOPMENT. Lets make that happen!

[@ryanschubert368]

Make the officals who decided to get rid of the insurance pay for the repairs

[@markamarka2204]

St Petersburg should learn a lesson from Glendale Arizona and the best option is terminating the Rays lease. Remember the Arizona Coyotes?

[@torang_]

Let them leave already, why waste that money if it wont change the attendance of the games. That area is horrible to get to.

[@glengoad7846]

Even if the Rays move, they will still have to negotiate a stadium deal with either Nashville or Charlotte. 1st Horizon Park in Nashville only seats 10,000. The Titans are having a new dome built, ready for the 2027 season. I seriously doubt it will be dual purpose for both football and baseball. It should, with the $2B price tag. It will be very difficult to get a 2nd stadium project at the same time in today's environment, although it happened when the Oilers and Predators came to town in the late 90's. It would be easier for Charlotte to get another ball park deal going.

[@povertyspec9651]

Nobody builds dual purpose stadiums anymore. The new Titans stadium is for football and it can also accommodate soccer if desired.

[@glengoad7846]

@@povertyspec9651 And I know that. That's why a 2nd stadium deal in Nashville probably not happening unless it's for an expansion team, which I prefer, with a new ownership group.

[@BRC332]

Bring it to Tampa! More people will attend

[@AustrianPainter14]

I lived in Clearwater for 6 months when the rays were good, but it’s just not a baseball town. For some reason hockey and football do well, but not baseball. Florida and Nevada are too transient.

[@billymuellerTikTok]

hockey and football do well because they have a lot less tickets to sell - and also because they won championships

[@AustrianPainter14]

Not true. Tampa and Miami were good yet never drew. Hockey had 41 home games

[@billymuellerTikTok]

@@AustrianPainter14 baseball has 81 home games and a much smaller arena to fill. Football has 8 games & they get blocked out on local TV if they don’t sell out the game.

[@AustrianPainter14]

Baseball ticket sales are less important because of the tv revenue. It’s much more impressive they fill the hockey arena.

[@billymuellerTikTok]

@@AustrianPainter14 they've only filled the hockey arena because they've been winning championships

[@JoMilli]

No public money to sports teams. Should be illegal.

[@RhinoXpress]

Don't. Rays need to play in TAMPA!

[@phily4084]

Rays New stadium may be delay to 2029 because hurricane Milton.

[@chuckdameron5626]

Let the rays leave if the owner wants a new ball park he can pay it

[@povertyspec9651]

St Pete and Pinellas County is a congested dump.

[@kobyschechter8163]

The Rays will be saying goodbye to Florida entirely sooner than later. Really unfortunate how their dire stadium situation has been dealt with.

[@zoeclearwater]

Wow the Tampa idea just needs to stop really. At least Pinellas fixes it’s roads . The Tampa area is just a huge embarrassment- pot holes everywhere. We have a great stadium already- the Baycare field. That’s actually where Pinellas wants the Rays to play .

[@master-kq3nw]

Where they going

[@ProfessorOfLogic980]

Sternberg won the lottery on this hurricane damage. get out of jail free card. The Rays are as good as GONE

[@tonyfranklin2179]

They never fill the trop anyway I think it's needs to be built at the fairgrounds there is plenty of room and can start building the new stadium right now from a clean slate and the reason why they are playing at Yankee Field because if it wasn't for George we wouldn't have the rays here

[@i13tony]

Well done council persons and mayor and so on. Well done. The new stadium should be *opening* on opening day 2025, but instead, everyone is still standing around the toilet, flushing and watching the water go down. Completely inept leadership; no one with the stoones to stand up and lead; utter failure. Congratulations. The state of the Trop is a fitting end and result to your comprehensive lack of vision and effort.

[@James-di7th]

Come on Rays. Nashville is waiting…

[@stevem-h5e]

They better build one that floats.

[@Skroskznik]

It's wild how so much people think moving the team won't have a ripple effect on a lot of things for the area. Revenue from the team solely helps provide housing and jobs the government is stingey enough to provide when they're not lining their pocket books. What about the jobs in the team. The MLB fans obviously have no sympathy for this all they want is expansion for themselves. The Rays were not even a bad team, just a team with a life full of badluck, horrible ownership, horrible location, with a corrupt county government. I don't want to hear that FL cant support baseball except when the marlins came in the league they won 2 WS relatively early. The Rays were just dealt a bad hand from the start and nothing changed.

[@robl326]

No public money for professional sports teams. Let their multi-billion dollar leagues foot the bill.

[@zcorpalpha2462]

Rays moving to Nashville

[@77-ty7gb]

They 100% should move. Tampa doesnt deserve them.

[@SoshoallyUnfit]

My brother's job depends on the trop development. I hope it gets fugured out.

[@Dt1996]

I’m over this ownership how can we support a team like this

[@qstaratma9096]

Excellent!

[@JuanTorres-hv5ig]

Orange County* desires a MLB franchise. * #1 Tourist destination

[@77-ty7gb]

Move the team. Tampa doesnt deserve a MLB team. Nashville, Montreal.

[@edwardkim9757]

Rays will open a new Stadium in 2029

[@JeffBezosIsSanta]

Lol… bottom line. Pinellas is delaying the inevitable.. Rays have all the leverage now.

[@TuckerVerse]

Tampa loses baseball ⚾️ …. These commissioners will be voted 🗳️ out

[@sarahlachman1349]

Hahaha NO! We Beaches over Baseball VOTED The NO Voters IN! They'll be BOOTED if they put that stupid park over our Redevelopment. Money for Seawalls & Sand thank you! Besides all the actual baseball fans live across the bridge anyways or are snowbirds/superfans VISITIN for the AWAY Team. Kick out the Yankees and put the Rays there were they belog, next to the Bucs!

[@glennelbey4454]

Rays will be eventually moving to another city.

[@l.reales8415]

Tax players say Goodbye!

[@gualbertogarcia305]

FLORIDA “IS NOT” for Baseball in the Summertime ! Even if the Stadium is Domed and Air-Conditioned ! The Tampa Bay Rays “NEED” to be Moved to a Northern City !

[@johnwoa]

Montreal!

[@sarahlachman1349]

@@johnwoa There's a reason why Montreal's team left; TOO Cold up there and no Canadian tax payers wanting to waste money on an American sport played by Japanse nationals lol Still waiting for Japan to host the WORLD Series; seriously Japan puts America to shame in baseball these days!

[@robertsarakowski1414]

Bye bye Rays!! The WORST MLB owner in the league can go and kick rocks!!

[@robbburr8486]

The real story is back in the day. The city council that was there was corrupt. The city council members bought that property there at gas plant then no matter what the people said the same people approved that site for a stadium they had no team Those city council members back in the day made a fortune of the taxpayers and Saint Pete because they own their property Have the roof put back on but better this time If the rays what to stay so be it If they want to move go we don’t need you Make the place like the old bayfront center We can have concerts. Bring the circus back have all kind of different shows. The place will never be empty. We don’t need a cheapskate baseball team owner make tons more money on us taxpayers

[@lRaf_1]

Rays need to relocate to Las Vegas! Not the athletics

[@giuso001]

Rays, they just need to continue playing at the tropicana field, there is way more important issues ( hurricanes) than some stupid team. How come owners want to build without money? Pathetic