Baseball fans in Nashville, Charlotte and Montreal have a Ray of hope.
Rays owner Stuart Sternberg announced Thursday the franchise will not move forward 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 said in the statement. “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.”
This announcement casts doubt about whether the Rays will remain in Florida or if they could relocate, which has been a constant topic with the team due to low turnout at Tropicana Field.
The Rays had a March 31 deadline regarding the proposed stadium in the Historic Gas Plant District in downtown Tampa, per ESPN, which included the franchise showing that it would be able to meet its minimum $700 million obligation for the process.
Now, it’s fair to wonder whether the Rays will continue to call Florida home.
Baseball fans have speculated for years whether the Rays could move to a new locale, with the four aforementioned cities often listed as potential sites.
This move surely will not help amid rising calls for Sternberg to sell the franchise, as reported by The Athletic.
The Rays routinely carry one of the lowest payrolls in the majors each year.
As the Rays’ future is up in the air, they won’t have their home stadium for 2025 since Tropicana Field suffered massive damage during Hurricane Milton.
They will instead play at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the home of the Yankees’ Class-A affiliate.