Rays Officials Say Stadium Deal ‘Is Dead’ w/ Tampa Bay Times Reporter Colleen Wright| Locked On Rays
The Locked On Rays crew sits down with Colleen Wright, St. Petersburg reporter for the Tampa Bay Times, to break down the latest with the Tampa Bay Rays stadium deal, over the course of two episodes.
In Part 2, Colleen shares the latest insights from contentious Pinellas County Commission and St. Pete City Council meetings, including some of the wildest moments and key ultimatums, like Commissioner Chair Kathleen Peters’ letter demanding clarity from the Rays.
We also discuss the Rays consistent lack of communication with local city and county officials, if the Rays will ever play in the Trop again, and what the city and county bond funding could be utilized for – instead of a new MLB stadium.
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5 comments
This is all so dramatic and depressing.
If Stu says he can't afford it and Pinellas has the ability to pass the bond measure and lock the Rays into this deal, surely Stu isn't stupid enough to NOT give the termination letter by Monday, right?
Re: Tropicana Field lease, the relationship between the Rays and Pinellas County is ugly, I'd fully expect for Pinellas County to let them go for a small amount. I mean, the Rays pay how much for rent each year? $350k?
Since it's a topic of debate, I would assume that the city would ask the Rays to relinquish any agreement they had on the 65 acres of land that they were offered for $105 million dollars in exchange for getting out of their lease early. I believe Oakland ended up in a similar situation, trying to buy back land that had been sold to the A's for pennies on the dollar. Hopefully, it Stu backs out, St. Pete will have the ability to cancel that sell.
It took us so long to get a baseball team, now they're almost out the door. I guess that happens when you have a transient population with little local civic pride.
I hope the new stadium bond is approved but if not I hope Stu still develops the land per the agreement. The alternative development won’t be the same without a stadium but I’d unofficially rename it Sterberg city just to annoy the haters. 😂
Why doesn’t the state of Florida spend money to refurbish the beaches and rebuild people’s homes? Why is the federal government being asked to do it?
I wrote a letter to th Commision asking why they couldn't refurbish the Trop and continue using it. Cost less, could be done sooner. Did not get an answer.
St. Petersburg does not work…difficult to get to the ballpark for the majority of the Tampa Bay Area population….losing out on massive population growth east and northeast of the Bay. Even from coastal areas north of Tampa, route 19 is a big hassle. Yes, for the first year, attendance spike, but novelty wears off …. The Rays have been trying to get a new stadium for 10-15 years. Yes, the public financing is an issue, but it is crunch time now. Stop grandstanding and virtue signaling and make a decision either way. If not let Rays leave, if yes, build a new facility in Tampa…