A plurality of St. Petersburg residents are willing to let the Tampa Bay Rays buy out their Tropicana Field lease and pursue a new ballpark anywhere in the Tampa Bay area. This was released in a poll released this morning. The poll, conducted on behalf of the Tampa Bay Times, Bay New 9 and WUSF […]
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Selig: No updates on Rays ballpark situation
There’s been no progress on a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark this fall, but MLB Commissioner Bud Selig says he plans to address the issue after the World Series. Earlier this year it appeared St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster was softening his stance that the Rays completely play out their lease at Tropicana Field. But […]
PETA revives call to close down stingray touch tank at the Trop
With another home run hit in the stingray touch tank past the outfield wall at Tropicana Field, PETA is calling on the Tampa Bay Rays to shut down the fan attraction. It’s not a new plea: PETA contacted the Rays about shutting down the tank earlier this year. Since it opened, three batters have managed […]
Measuring MLB’s winners and losers in costs per win
Every year we attempt to measure how well MLB teams did in spending money to procure wins. Here’s this year’s ranking, and, to no one’s surprise, Oakland excels. With the 2013 season completed, it’s time to look at how well MLB team did in translating payroll to wins. Despite what many fans think, there’s not […]
Rays: We won’t buy out Trop lease on St. Pete’s terms
No wonder talks over the future of the Tampa Bay Rays stalled: St. Pete officials say the team refuses to pay anything toward retirement of debt or a future demolition of Tropicana Field. Now, it’s defensible that the Rays pass on paying to demolish the Trop down the road: that’s the responsibility of the owner […]
St. Pete mayor: Talks with Rays going poorly
St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster, tied up in a tight reelection battle, says talks between his office and the Tampa Bay Rays over Tropicana Field lease are not going well — and blames MLB for the impasse. In a report to the City Council, Foster took aim at the commissioner’s office as he declared talks […]
Poll: Little support for public funding of new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark
A poll of Tampa residents reveals little appetite for public funding of a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark, as residents would rather use proceeds from a downtown tax district to house the homeless or transit upgrades. Now, it’s not unusual to see ballpark funding plans receive poor ratings in polls — people love the idea […]
Feeding frenzy begins on siting potential Rays ballpark
The Tampa Bay Rays haven’t even received permission to explore new-ballpark sites in the region, but some Hillsborough County officials are pushing alternative sites to a downtown Tampa location. Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist is already pushing a new ballpark at the former Tampa Greyhound Track site off I-275, which could also include a new […]
Selig: Time to resolve Tampa Bay Rays ballpark situation
Despite some recent breakthroughs in the Tampa Bay Rays ballpark situation, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig may intervene to find out “what the hell is going on.” To say it’s been a long slog toward a new home for the Rays is to underestimate the time of a long slog: Tropicana Field was outdated a decade […]
Negotiations begin: Tampa asks for at least $200M from Rays for new ballpark
After years of relative inactivity, things are moving on a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark, with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn launching things publicly with a stance that the Rays put up a third of the cost of a new $600 million ballpark. From the Tampa Tribune: Buckhorn and Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan held […]
St. Pete mayor relents on Rays lease; Tampa moves to woo team
With St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster finally facing reality and softening his stance on a move of the Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa officials are already prepping a game plan to lure the franchise across the bay. In the middle of a tough reelection campaign, the hardnosed Foster — who has insisted from Day One that […]
Hillsborough County ready to talk new Rays ballpark
If the Tampa Bay Rays can extract a concession from St. Pete to look at new-ballpark sites in the region, Hillsborough County is ready to talk about a new downtown Tampa facility. The Rays and St. Petersburg officials met Wednesday to discuss a change in the Tropicana Field lease that would allow the Rays to […]
PETA: Save the rays at the Trop
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) wants to see the Tampa Bay Rays remove a “touch tank” from Tropicana Field, saying that it puts the 30 or so rays living there in danger of bring struck by a ball. Since the touch tank was installed, two batters have managed to hit a ball […]