GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – The owner of the Tampa Bay rays agreed in principle to sell the franchise to a group of investors led by a University of Florida Board of Trustees member.
The head of the group is University of Florida Board of Trustees member Patrick Zalupski, who is a developer in Jacksonville.
According to a report from The Athletic, the $1.7 billion deal is expected to be closed as early as September with the group eying Tampa rather than St. Petersburg for the future of the team.
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The Rays are planning to move back to Tropicana Field next season.
They’ve been playing home games at the spring training stadium of the New York Yankees after Hurricane Milton took the roof off Tropicana Field.
Leaders approved millions of dollars in repairs.
The team was set to get a new stadium across the street, but budget issues and hurricane damage sidelined the plan.
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