The purchase of the Tampa Bay Rays by Florida developer Patrick Zalupski on Tuesday sparked new hope among St. Petersburg merchants, who’ve weathered tough times since the team’s move.
Sales plunged after Hurricane Milton forced games to Tampa. “We have been down 30% through the Summer … now that football has started, it’s turning back around,” Fergs Sports Bar and Grill owner Mark Ferguson said per Tampa Bay 28.
Brooklyn South sandwich shop owner Karen Kramer voiced mixed feelings. “I’m nervous about the future, I do have hope, but I am definitely nervous about the future and what it holds for us here,” she said.
The team’s home after 2028 remains uncertain. They’re weighing options between Steinbrenner Stadium in Tampa and a rebuilt Tropicana Field.
Brooklyn South co-owner Mark Walters stressed the team’s impact on small shops. “For a small business like ours, it hurts bad…and it just really hurts. We really need the Rays back and the whole $1.2 billion restoration they were going to do, all the businesses were looking forward to it,” he said.
Shop owners want to prove their city’s worth. “I think if we can show the new owners that we can draw better this first year, it’s going to mean a lot to them. So we need to get out and get people buying season tickets,” Ferguson said.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for this coastal city. “St. Pete is a major league city because of the Tampa Bay Rays. We need them here, we need their business,” Ferguson added.