New Tampa Bay Rays stadium in St Pete

[Uffda]

Check out renderings of the Rays’ new stadium in St. Petersburg

The Tropicana Field replacement is years away, but here’s an early look at the ballpark and surrounding Historic Gas Plant District.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-peters ... ht-images/

Here’s what else is in the $6.5 billion Tropicana Field redevelopment

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-p ... velopment/

[Garrett]

Wow, that’s quite the impressive transformation. Interesting to see that Hines, who is also involved in the ConAgra redevelopment, is working on this. 6,000 new apartments is absolutely massive.

[Greg S]

This looks awesome!

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Hope it works out this time.

[Uffda]

‘St. Pete City Council approves new Rays stadium and redevelopment of the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District


In a historic vote, St. Petersburg City Council voted 5-3 to approve an agreement to build a new 30,000-seat stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays and redevelop the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District site in downtown St. Pete.

The plan calls for the City of St. Petersburg to spend $417.5 million, including $287.5 million for the stadium and $130 million in infrastructure. The city would also fund a $12 million wastewater facility.

Pinellas County would chip in roughly $312.5 million for its share of the ballpark costs.

The Rays will cover $700 million and any cost overruns for the ballpark. The team will partner with Hines to for the rest of the development.

The remaining costs will be funded using a mix of debt, equity, and other sources.

In total, the project will include nearly 8 million square feet of mixed-use development anchored by a new baseball stadium and cost north of $6.5 billion over 20 years.


https://stpeterising.com/home/st-pete-c ... t-district

[Greg S]

‘St. Pete City Council approves new Rays stadium and redevelopment of the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District


In a historic vote, St. Petersburg City Council voted 5-3 to approve an agreement to build a new 30,000-seat stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays and redevelop the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District site in downtown St. Pete.

The plan calls for the City of St. Petersburg to spend $417.5 million, including $287.5 million for the stadium and $130 million in infrastructure. The city would also fund a $12 million wastewater facility.

Pinellas County would chip in roughly $312.5 million for its share of the ballpark costs.

The Rays will cover $700 million and any cost overruns for the ballpark. The team will partner with Hines to for the rest of the development.

The remaining costs will be funded using a mix of debt, equity, and other sources.

In total, the project will include nearly 8 million square feet of mixed-use development anchored by a new baseball stadium and cost north of $6.5 billion over 20 years.


https://stpeterising.com/home/st-pete-c ... t-district

I think this looks really cool. How do the locals feel about it? It seems like ever since that franchise, the location (being in St Pete) is something i heard was the the main impediment to greater attendance.

[CBJason]

I think it looks great also. It didn’t seem like local citizenry groups were that thrilled with this and I think polls generally seemed to reflect that. I believe there’s one more hurdle to this, Pinellas County approval, which will happen. I guess eventually we will see if attendance issues there really about a bad stadium or location. Let’s face it, the Rays have been a really good team for a long time now, can’t say it’s about the product on the field.

[Uffda]

Well because of the damage to the roof of Tropicana Field, the Rays will play their home games at the Yankees’ Steinbrenner Field which is right across the street from Raymond James Stadium.

On another note, the new Rays baseball stadium deal might be in jeopardy.

Rays say county’s stalling has likely killed the new stadium deal

“Last month, the County Commission upended our ballpark agreement by not approving their bonds, as they promised to do,” team owner Stuart Sternberg said. “That action sent a clear message that we had lost the county as a partner.

“The future of baseball in Tampa Bay became less certain after that vote.”



https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2024/11 ... inbrenner/

[Greg S]

Well because of the damage to the roof of Tropicana Field, the Rays will play their home games at the Yankees’ Steinbrenner Field which is right across the street from Raymond James Stadium.

On another note, the new Rays baseball stadium deal might be in jeopardy.

Rays say county’s stalling has likely killed the new stadium deal

“Last month, the County Commission upended our ballpark agreement by not approving their bonds, as they promised to do,” team owner Stuart Sternberg said. “That action sent a clear message that we had lost the county as a partner.

“The future of baseball in Tampa Bay became less certain after that vote.”



https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2024/11 ... inbrenner/

That's too bad. Obviously this has been going on for a while. The longer this drags out the more likely a move may be. Keep us posted if the County Commission responds.

[Uffda]

That's too bad. Obviously this has been going on for a while. The longer this drags out the more likely a move may be. Keep us posted if the County Commission responds.

Rays president says stadium deal is dead, while St. Pete city council reverses course on Trop repairs

In a wild back-and-forth St. Petersburg City Council session, Tampa Bay Rays Co-President Brian Auld told city council the deal for a new stadium and massive St. Pete redevelopment is effectively dead before council members voted to delay approving more than $300 million in bonds need to finance their share.

https://www.wtsp.com/article/sports/mlb ... 2c382302d4

[damonhynes]

Round up the usual suspects: Nashville/Charlotte/Salt Lake City, mebbe New Orleans, Memphis and Montréal.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Maybe a silly question, but can they not just operate as an open air stadium?

[CBJason]

Round up the usual suspects: Nashville/Charlotte/Salt Lake City, mebbe New Orleans, Memphis and Montréal.

LOL…New Orleans and Memphis are not the usual suspects. Memphis can’t even come up with money for a minor league soccer stadium!

[CBJason]

Maybe a silly question, but can they not just operate as an open air stadium?

The theory is that there’s always too much summer WX to contend with in Florida…rain/thunderstorms, everything just popping up all the time, from what I’ve always heard.

[nebugeater]

Maybe a silly question, but can they not just operate as an open air stadium?

Total guess, but I bet it would cost about the same to convert to an open-air stadium vs replacing the roof.

[strangerthings]

Maybe a silly question, but can they not just operate as an open air stadium?

Total guess, but I bet it would cost about the same to convert to an open-air stadium vs replacing the roof.

Nothing is water proof or weather-resistant. There is no drainage system or gutters. There are no shingles over the concession stands, offices, or suites Plus, much of the interior was wrecked.

[Uffda]

Maybe a silly question, but can they not just operate as an open air stadium?

Sorry haven’t been in here in awhile. As one poster said weather is a big problem in the summer. We have the ‘rainy season - lots of afternoon showers…. And of course the FL heat and humidity.

I think I read that they are shifting some start times this year to try to avoid the afternoon showers

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Maybe a silly question, but can they not just operate as an open air stadium?

Sorry haven’t been in here in awhile. As one poster said weather is a big problem in the summer. We have the ‘rainy season - lots of afternoon showers…. And of course the FL heat and humidity.

I think I read that they are shifting some start times this year to try to avoid the afternoon showers

I thought about weather, but also recall the Marlins had an open-air stadium for a couple decades. Surely not ideal, but they made due. I could see lack of drainage and un-weather-proofed elements being a huge problem though and that being more expensive than a new roof.

[CBJason]

I thought about weather, but also recall the Marlins had an open-air stadium for a couple decades. Surely not ideal, but they made due. I could see lack of drainage and un-weather-proofed elements being a huge problem though and that being more expensive than a new roof.

No not ideal, and they battled it those couple decades which is why they jumped at the chance to have a dome when they designed their new stadium. As for the Rays, just a couple weeks ago they actually did a trade with the Twins of scheduling dates for this coming season to help address the issue even more.

[Uffda]

And now they approve it

St. Petersburg City Council approves bonds for Rays stadium, Gas Plant

https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-peters ... gas-plant/

[Greg S]

And now they approve it

St. Petersburg City Council approves bonds for Rays stadium, Gas Plant

https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-peters ... gas-plant/

Hopefully they can get this to the finish line.

[CBJason]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/430 ... s-ballpark

The next hurdle was passed. The county approved their portion of the financing like St. Pete previously had. However, the team still says they can’t solely cover cost overruns from delays, so further negotiations will likely need to be had to get this whole mess past the finish line.

[Uffda]

Breaking news today

Tampa Bay Rays announce they won’t move forward with stadium deal


“The Rays made the news official in a post on X with a statement from owner Sternberg.

After careful deliberation, we have concluded we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment,” he said. “A series of events beginning in October that no one could have anticipated led to this difficult decision.”

Sternberg continued: “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 interest of our region, Major League Baseball and our organization.””

https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-peters ... -deadline/

[nebugeater]

Breaking news today

Tampa Bay Rays announce they won’t move forward with stadium deal


“The Rays made the news official in a post on X with a statement from owner Sternberg.

After careful deliberation, we have concluded we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment,” he said. “A series of events beginning in October that no one could have anticipated led to this difficult decision.”

Sternberg continued: “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 interest of our region, Major League Baseball and our organization.””

https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-peters ... -deadline/

So is that code speak for "we're moving."

[Louie]

Billionaire speak for ‘who wants to give us more money’

[omaha79]

So, this puts to bed the new stadium in St. Pete, but also they are stating that Tropicana will be open next year and they will play there for 3 years, minimum. That seems to put to, at least for now, put to bed the need for a more permanent temp home like omaha. Not that i really thought they'd end up here, but who knows. I fully expect a statement to come out in another month stating Tropicana will never be used again and it's breach of lease, etc.

Lots of backbiting and gamesmanship going on by both the Rays owner and St. Pete. Let's see what their city council says on the matter.

[Uffda]

Then I saw this today

St. Paul and Pete developer offers cash for Tropicana Field land, stadium repairs

A local private equity firm has offered St. Petersburg $260 million in cash for the 86 acres on which Tropicana Field sits after the Tampa Bay Rays pulled out of a redevelopment deal.
Blake Investment Partners delivered an unsolicited bid for the land on Thursday. Founder and CEO Thompson Whitney Blake said, "It's time for positivity," following years of negotiations with the Rays. With or without the team, commercial real estate observers consider the land some of the most valuable in the Southeastern U.S.

https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/ne ... posal.html

[Uffda]

This $22.5 million is just to replace the roof. Once rook replaced they can work on other damage. No new deal with team and city at this time for a new stadium.

“The St. Petersburg City Council voted 7-1 to approve $22.5 million to begin the repairs at Tropicana Field, which will start with a membrane roof that must be in place before other work can continue. Although the Rays pulled out of a planned $1.3 billion new stadium deal, the city is still contractually obligated to fix the Trop.”
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/445 ... field-roof

[Uffda]

The Tampa Bay Rays are being sold for $1.7 billion. The news is the owners would like the new stadium to be located in Tampa.
The plan of putting it at the location of Tropicana field totally collapsed a couple months ago

Here are 5 possible locations.

Potential new Rays owner reportedly prefers a Tampa stadium. Where could it go?

https://www.tampabay.com/news/real-esta ... -zalupski/