Two weeks before the Tampa Bay Rays begin their 2025 season playing at minor league ballpark Steinbrenner Field, team owner Stuart Sternberg announced on social media that the franchise “cannot move forward” with a new ballpark and development in St. Petersberg, Florida.
“After careful deliberation, we have concluded that we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment,” Sternberg wrote in a statement. A series of events beginning in October that no one could have anticipated led to this difficult decision.”
“We continue to focus on finding a ballpark solution that serves the best interests of our region, Major League Baseball, and our organization,” he continued.
Sternberg added that the city of St. Petersburg is working to restore Tropicana Field, which was significantly damaged during Hurricane Milton, and the team will play there in 2026.
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The Rays’ announcement comes ahead of a March 31 deadline for the team to put forth $700 million toward a $1.3 billion new ballpark development in the region’s Historic Gas Plant District. Construction on the project was to begin over the winter, but Hurricane Milton and disagreement between the team and the St. Petersburg City Council over costs for the development stalled those plans.
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Damage to the roof and interior of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida necessitated the Tampa Bay Rays playing at minor league Steinbrenner Field for the 2025 MLB season. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson, File)
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In December, the city council voted to approve bonds that would help fund the new ballpark project. The vote, which passed by a 4-3 margin, effectively called the Rays’ bluff as the team attempted to back out of the original deal in an effort to restructure its financial obligation.
“We put it out there, we’re in. We’re a partner in this. Hopefully, the [Pinellas County Board will follow suit, council member Brandi Gabbard said at the time, via The Athletic.
“And then it will be up to the Rays to decide. It will be up to them to go back to their partners — go back and find other funding. And then when they can’t perform, it’ll be up to them to come back and say they can’t.”
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The Pinellas County Board voted the project forward two weeks later, which put the onus on the Rays to come up with their financial obligation toward the ballpark development.
The Rays’ annoucement was made amid reports that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and other team owners are pressuring Sternberg to sell the team. The league reportedly wants the franchise to remain in Florida, whether in downtown Tampa or Orlando.
At least two ownership groups have emerged to express interest in buying the franchise, The Athletic reports. One of the groups includes the family of Edward DeBartolo Jr., members of which still have a stake in the San Francisco 49ers, in addition to former New York Yankees minority owner Joe Malloy. In the meantime, Sternburg is attempting to recruit minority investors.
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Plans to repair Tropicana Field continue, with St. Petersburg recently approving an additional $950,000 toward a preconstruction phase of the project. Total costs for the city are expected to be $56 million with the project projected to be completed in January 2026.
The Rays open the 2025 MLB season at Steinbrenner Field on March 28, hosting the Colorado Rockies.
