This was not totally unexpected, given the lack of recent commitment to the project: Owner Stuart Sternberg announced today he was scrapping plans for a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark as the centerpiece of a new St. Petersburg development next to the Trop.
As noted, this is not a surprise–we covered the collapse of the project last November when the team halted planning and site prep work on a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark. The plan was for a larger redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District, with a $1.3-billion Rays ballpark as its centerpiece. But negotiations with the city and Pinellas County proved contentious, and the cost of the project kept rising, it was clear that with two weeks left before the team needed to make a commitment to the project on March 31, there was a palpable lack of enthusiasm surrounding the project.
Here’s the full statement, as posted to X:
Opening Day is right around the corner, and we are eager and prepared for what promises to be an exciting and fun season of baseball. Thanks to our dedicated staff and players, our fans will experience the game in one of the most intimate settings in modern baseball history.
As we all recover from impacts of the hurricanes, we are incredibly grateful for the support from our fans and the wider Tampa Bay community. We are especially appreciative of how our corporate partners have stepped up during this challenging time for our organization.
After careful deliberation, we have concluded we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment. A series of events beginning in October that no one could have anticipated led to this difficult decision.
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.
The City of St. Petersburg is currently advancing plans to restore Tropicana Field for the 2026 season. We are thankful for their efforts and are excited to return to our home field next spring.
As noted, the decision to scrap the current plans for a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark was not unexpected, as this statement from St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch indicates:
While the decision of Tampa Bay Rays ownership to terminate the agreements for a new stadium and new development is a major disappointment, it is not unexpected. Nor is it the end of the Historic Gas Plant District story.
The city will continue to pursue all avenues that will help us deliver on our ultimate goal: utilizing the HGPD property to benefit the community and fulfilling the 40-year-old promises of economic development and opportunity made to the African-American community in St. Petersburg, as well as the community priorities identified through the current development process, which began in 2022.
The city intends to honor our current commitment to repair Tropicana Field in accordance with the current use agreement. As for the future of baseball in our city – if in the coming months a new owner, who demonstrates a commitment to honoring their agreements and our community priorities, emerges – we will consider a partnership to keep baseball in St. Pete. But we will not put our city’s progress on hold as we await a collaborative and community-focused baseball partner.
Given the rather improvisational nature of Florida politics, the repair of the Trop is not a finalized deal; the city council is set to discuss and perhaps finalize a plan on March 27. That seems to address the short-term future of the Rays.
There have been recent reports of suitors for the team, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred reiterated the sport’s commitment to Tampa Bay:
Commissioner Manfred understands the disappointment of the St. Petersburg community from today’s announcement, but he will continue to work with elected officials, community leaders, and Rays officials to secure the club’s future in the Tampa Bay region.
A commitment to Tampa Bay, of course, opens the door to working with Tampa and/or Hillsborough County on some sort of new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark deal.