Baseball followers in Nashville, Charlotte and Montreal have a Ray of hope.
Rays proprietor Stuart Sternberg introduced Thursday the franchise is not going to transfer ahead with a proposed $1.3 billion stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla., seemingly opening the door for potential relocation.
“After careful deliberation, we have concluded we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment,” Sternberg mentioned within the assertion. “A sequence of occasions starting in October that nobody might have anticipated led to this tough choice.
“Our commitment to the vitality and success of the Rays organization is unwavering. We continue to focus on finding a ballpark solution that serves the best interests of our region, Major League Baseball, and our organization.”
This announcement casts doubt about whether or not the Rays will stay in Florida or if they may relocate, which has been a continuing matter with the crew resulting from low turnout at Tropicana Area.
The Rays had a March 31 deadline concerning the proposed stadium within the Historic Gasoline Plant District in downtown Tampa, per ESPN, which included the franchise displaying that it might be capable to meet its minimal $700 million obligation for the method.
Now, it’s truthful to wonder if the Rays will proceed to name Florida dwelling.
Baseball followers have speculated for years whether or not the Rays might transfer to a brand new locale, with the 4 aforementioned cities typically listed as potential websites.
This transfer certainly is not going to assist amid rising requires Sternberg to promote the franchise, as reported by The Athletic.
The Rays routinely carry one of many lowest payrolls within the majors annually.
Because the Rays’ future is up within the air, they received’t have their dwelling stadium for 2025 since Tropicana Area suffered huge harm throughout Hurricane Milton.
They’ll as an alternative play at Steinbrenner Area in Tampa, the house of the Yankees’ Class-A affiliate.
