Major League Baseball in Tampa could be at risk, according to a story by John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times.
The combination of a natural disaster (Hurricane Milton), politics (the recent elections in the U.S.), and impending funding deadlines appear to be conspiring against the survival of the Rays in Tampa.
According to Romano, the postponements by the Pinellas County Commission of voting on bonds that are needed to finance the construction of a new ballpark to replace Tropicana Field for the franchise have had a domino effect on a series of deadlines that are delaying plans on the stadium.
“Last month, the County Commission upended our ballpark agreement by not approving their bonds, as they promised to do,” team owner Stuart Sternberg told the Tampa Bay Times. “That action sent a clear message that we had lost the county as a partner.
“The future of baseball in Tampa Bay became less certain after that vote.”
The recent U.S. elections have altered the composition of the local city council and county commission, diminishing support for a planned $1.3 billion stadium near the site of Tropicana Field that has been in the works for nearly two decades.
In addition, damages to Tropicana Field by Hurricane Milton have created a potential $56 million bill for repairs and are forcing the Rays to play at the Yankees’ spring training facility in 2025. Local support for fixing up a stadium that was due to be demolished in three to four years also appears to be a factor.
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