Tampa Bay Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg recently announced the organization will not proceed with plans for a new $1.3 billion stadium in St. Petersburg.
The new ballpark was set for completion for the 2028 season near Tropicana Field, the Tampa Bay Rays' longtime home.
"After careful deliberation, we have concluded we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment," Sternberg said. 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," Sternberg added.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor acknowledged her disappointment with the decision in a Facebook post over the weekend.
"I am disappointed to hear that the Rays don't intend to follow through with stadium plans in St. Petersburg. The goal has always been to keep the team in Tampa Bay. The City, Tampa Sports Authority, and the County are happy to speak with the team once again, but any proposal will have to make sense for our taxpayers and community."
The Rays have played at Tropicana Field since the team's inaugural season in 1998. "The Trop" is currently undergoing renovations after Hurricane Miltion ripped off large sections of its roof in October.
Sternberg said the organization is going forward with plans to restore Tropicana Field for the 2026 season. While seemingly good news, the ballpark has been ranked as one of the worst ballparks in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the past.
Last season, Tampa Bay averaged about 16,500 fans at home games, the third-worst attendance in MLB. The team recorded a pedestrian 80-82 record in the American League East and failed to reach the playoffs.
The Rays' remaining fan base has otherwise enjoyed some success despite the team's low payroll and lackluster-looking stadium. Since 2008, Tampa Bay has made the playoffs nine times with two World Series appearances.
Without a home now or in the future, the Rays will play their home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa - the spring training home of the New York Yankees. Notably, the field holds about 11,000 fans, which will make it the smallest ballpark in the MLB this season.
