The County Commissioners in Pinellas restated their dedication to developing the Historic Gas Plant District, including the planned $1.3 billion domed stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, but the situation is far from resolved.
Following a 5-2 vote by officials to authorize $312.5 million in bonds for the construction of a 30,000-seat, fixed-roof arena, the team issued a statement indicating that projected cost increases were hindering the feasibility of the current agreement.
Commissioner Chris Latvala, recognized as a pivotal voter, recommended Rays owner Stuart Sternberg to divest the club. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Latvala only cast a positive vote out of concern that a negative vote could trigger Sternberg to exercise a buyout option for 65 acres of public land surrounding the proposed stadium without constructing a ballpark. Latvala also criticized the discussions between the county and the team, citing a conversation with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.
“I do not have faith in the Rays owner, I trust Manfred,” Latvala proclaimed in the statement. “MLB is aware of multiple occasions where the Rays organization actively attempted to hinder the very deal they had agreed to.”
In a reflection of the discord between both parties, the Rays released a statement blaming the county for potentially prolonging construction for another year, leading to cost escalations. The county vote on Tuesday occurred after two prior postponements.
“As it has been clarified, the County’s delay has resulted in the ballpark’s completion being pushed back to 2029,” the team stated. “Consequently, the project’s costs have risen significantly, and we are unable to bear this additional burden alone. If the County and City decide to engage, we are prepared to collectively address this funding shortfall.”
The approved bonds will be financed through tourism taxes and are not eligible for hurricane recovery. Nonetheless, the bonds will not be issued until the Rays fulfill pre-construction criteria and allocate their funds towards construction initially. The Rays, valued at $1.33 billion and ranking 28th in Sportico’s MLB franchise valuations, are reportedly contributing $700 million for construction costs and are responsible for any budget overruns.
On July 30, before Hurricane Milton necessitated a return to voting procedures and an election took place, the previous set of commissioners approved the plans by a 5-2 margin. A separate approval of funding for district revitalization was also passed. Earlier in that month, the city council of St. Petersburg endorsed $287.5 million for stadium construction and infrastructure, with $130 million allocated for road and sewer development.
The November election introduced two new Republican commissioners to the board. Vince Nowicki has been previously labeled as strongly opposed to the agreement, according to the Tampa Bay Times, while Chris Scherer demanded proof from the team to confirm their contribution towards the stadium’s construction costs. Both Nowicki and Scherer cast dissenting votes in the recent bond approval.
The Gas Plant stadium was initially slated to be ready for the 2028 season, just a few months after the lease for Tropicana Field is due to expire.
Although the Rays are remaining in St. Petersburg, the Tampa Bay Times recently detailed a meeting between the team and representatives from the Tampa Sports Authority, a municipal entity, to explore the construction of a new stadium in late 2023 independently from the publicly announced project. The authority oversees Raymond James Stadium (home of the NFL’s Buccaneers) and three of Tampa’s public golf courses, and serves as the proprietor for both Steinbrenner Field and Amalie Arena, the home venue of the NHL’s Lightning.
The reported meeting followed a prior effort to relocate the Rays to Tampa itself. In July 2018, the Rays disclosed plans to build a new facility in the Ybor City area of Tampa, with an anticipated opening in 2023. However, those plans were ultimately abandoned a few months later.
The Historic Gas Plant District, where the new stadium is set to be the central attraction, is named after the mostly Black neighborhood that was displaced due to the construction of Tropicana Field and an adjacent interstate highway.
St. Petersburg officials informed the Rays that repairs at Tropicana Field would amount to $55.7 million. These repairs, encompassing the replacement of the translucent fiberglass roof, are unlikely to be finished before the 2026 season, potentially necessitating the team to find a temporary relocation beyond the upcoming season.
The Rays are scheduled to play their entire 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field, the spring training headquarters of the New York Yankees and the Class-A affiliate Tampa Tarpons.
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