Rays get permission to look for new stadium sites outside St. Pete

The old stadium in St. Petersburg has been home to the Rays since they joined the league and it hasn’t aged well over the years.

The Rays, eager to leave Tropicana Field, have pushed for years to wiggle out of their lease and explore other nearby stadium sites.

It also contains a provision for the team to benefit economically from the redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site, which St. Petersburg mayor Rick Kriseman believes is the best location to build a new stadium. At a Friday press conference, Buckhorn heralded the deal as one that looks out for taxpayers while securing the baseball team’s commitment to stay in the Tampa Bay area. At the moment, the Rays are under a lease with Tropicana Field until 2027.

After Thursday’s St. Petersburg city council decision, Rays owner Stuart Sternberg told a new conference, “I have no sites in mind…I’m a very big believer in not spending a lot of time on things until the opportunity presents itself”.

Now that the Rays are allowed to officially look for other stadium sites, where are the best options? Still, this process will take some time: the Rays have a three-year window to search, and we may not have a new site or two or three until 2020.

“It’s a win-win for the city of St. Pete and for the Rays”.

“I’m concerned that with the passage of this (memo of understanding) that we could create a situation where we allow the Rays to use negotiating leverage to pit leverage the city of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County against Tampa and Hillsborough County”, he said. “We look forward to further progress in the weeks and months ahead as the Rays strive to ensure the future of the franchise with a first-class ballpark in the region”.

The Tribune reports the proposal “maintains a $24 million buyout, but also includes incentives that would pay the team half of potential development revenue on the 85-acre Tropicana site if it stays up to or beyond 2027”.

As one might imagine, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn was pleased with the events of January 14, 2016.

Tampa and Hillsborough County officials have set up a committee to put together a proposal.

Hillsborough County is prepared to begin meaningful discussions with the Rays, commissioner Ken Hagan said before the vote.

This is good news for the Rays, who have not been able to provide much fanfare despite being successful in the 2010s.