Where the Rays could play if they leave Tampa Bay

Video above from previous coverage: Rays call for more money after stadium bond vote

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Tampa Bay Rays still remain without a home after Hurricane Milton tore the roof off of Tropicana Field. While a new stadium seems less uncertain than it did even a week ago, it’s still not a guarantee.

New reporting from ESPN’s Jeff Passan lists several cities for a possible relocation of the team if the deal were to fall through and no other agreement was reached to keep the team in the Tampa Bay area.

Passan notes that it’s unknown if Stuart Sternberg would sell the team to someone who would keep the team in the area, continue owning the team but move it elsewhere, or sell it to someone else who would relocate it. Twenty-three of the league’s 30 owners would also have to vote to approve a potential relocation.

Passan reports that several locations for a potential relocation could include Nashville, Tennessee; Salt Lake City; Charlotte, North Carolina; Portland, Oregon; Austin, Texas; and Raleigh, North Carolina.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred previously told the Associated Press that the league is committed to keeping the team in the Tampa Bay area.

How we got here

The team accused the Pinellas County Commission of creating a gap in funding by delaying its vote on the bonds.

After multiple delays, the commission approved the bonds for the new stadium on Tuesday after two commissioners who were opposed to the deal flipped and voted in favor.

However, the team said that because of the delay, the project would not be completed until 2029 rather than 2028—something the team said would cost them extra money.

“As we have made clear, the County’s delay has caused the ballpark’s completion to slide into 2029,” Team President Matt Silverman said in a statement after the vote. “As a result, the cost of the project has increased significantly, and we cannot absorb this increase alone. When the County and City wish to engage, we remain ready to solve this funding gap together.”

The St. Petersburg City Council already approved funding for its portion of the deal.

Where will the Rays play in the meantime?

The Rays are set to play their 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the spring training facility for the New York Yankees. It’s unclear where the team would play in subsequent seasons.

Passan reports that it’s unlikely the team would continue to play at Steinbrenner Field after 2025. The league could allow the team to temporarily play in a potential expansion city.

Fixing the existing stadium is expected to cost an estimated $55 million, and while a timeline hasn’t been announced, it’s unknown if the repairs could be completed in time for the 2026 season.

The city council must approve the funding to complete the repairs.

The team doesn’t expect the repairs to be completed until 2027, which is the final year of the lease, according to Passan.

“Part of the calculus going forward is whether the parties continue with rebuilding the Trop or consider taking the money pledged toward its repair and offer it to help bridge the funding gap,” Passan wrote.

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Where the Rays could play if they leave Tampa Bay

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