The Tampa Bay area is set to be a Major League Baseball stronghold for many years to come, and the onus is now on the team’s management to ensure they capitalize on their on-field success by investing more to stay competitive. The cheers could be heard all the way to the MLB offices in New York, where both the Rays and the soon-to-be Las Vegas A’s have secured their futures.
The Rays’ quest for a new ballpark has come to a successful conclusion as the Pinellas County Commissioners have approved the county’s portion of the funding for the 30,000-seat stadium. On Tuesday, the commissioners voted 5-2 in favor of allocating approximately $312.5 million from revenues raised through a bed tax, which is designated for tourism-related and economic development expenditures. Earlier in the month, the St. Petersburg City Council had agreed to contribute $417.5 million towards the stadium costs.
“This is quite a momentous day for our franchise, our fans and the entire Tampa Bay region – the Rays are here to stay in St. Petersburg,’’ said Tampa Bay Rays Principal Owner Stuart Sternberg. ‘’We look forward to building the best neighborhood ballpark in Major League Baseball, which will blend in beautifully with a world-class, mixed-use real estate project that honors the past and looks toward the future. We thank St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, the St. Petersburg City Council and the Pinellas County Commission for their hard work. We look forward to working together with our partners for years to come on our shared vision for this transformative project.’’
“Hines is thrilled to join the Rays in this model public-private partnership to create the largest mixed-use development in the southeast United States,’’ Hines Senior Managing Director Michael Harrison said. ‘’This is a unique opportunity to create an exciting and inclusive destination that honors the Historic Gas Plant neighborhood, offers well-paying jobs and new spaces for locally owned businesses, and attracts visitors from throughout the Tampa Bay region and beyond. It’s an honor to partner with the Rays, the City, the County, and the entire community to create this landmark project that reflects the vibrancy and values of St. Petersburg.”
“This is a historic day for St. Petersburg,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch. “We have ensured that our Major League Baseball franchise will remain ours for generations, and the new ballpark will be a tremendous community asset that will be a hub of activity year-round. The Historic Gas Plant District will be a welcoming neighborhood that will offer unprecedented opportunities for jobs and local businesses, a neighborhood that will help us meet pressing needs for workforce/affordable housing and new office space. Most importantly, this visionary development will honor descendants of the Historic Gas Plant neighborhood and deliver on unmet promises of housing, jobs, and opportunity. I thank the St. Petersburg City Council and the Pinellas County Commission for their bipartisan support, and I look forward to working closely with our Hines/Rays partners to transform our exciting vision into reality.’’
“This is anticipated to be the largest economic development project in our County’s history, cementing our position as an international tourism destination,” said Pinellas County Commission Chair Kathleen Peters. “The economic growth stemming from this partnership with the City of St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay Rays will help fuel the Board’s future ability to fund key services in areas like law enforcement, housing, emergency response and more. It honors what was voted on by residents decades ago – keeping baseball in St. Petersburg for all Pinellas residents to enjoy.”
The new $1.3 billion ballpark is designed to ensure the team’s presence for a minimum of 30 years. This initiative is a segment of a larger $6.5 billion redevelopment effort aimed at revitalizing an 86-acre area in the heart of the city. The project envisions the future construction of a Black history museum, affordable residential units, a hotel, parks, entertainment facilities, and commercial spaces, with the prospect of creating thousands of new jobs.
The centerpiece of the project is the proposed roofed stadium, set to open for the 2028 season. This marks the end of years of speculation regarding the Rays’ future, which included potential relocations to Tampa or Nashville, Tennessee, or the concept of dividing home games between St. Petersburg and Montreal, which Major League Baseball dismissed.
