Thrive
St. Petersburg has likely lost Major League Baseball
The Tampa Bay Rays have likely taken their last at-bat in St. Petersburg, a reality begrudgingly recognized Thursday night by the team’s most ardent supporters in and outside City Hall.
This much is clear: The current iteration of a partnership that Mayor Ken Welch compared to an engagement in January 2023 is over. The team said as much in a letter sent Tuesday to Pinellas County Commissioners, who were supposed to help pay for the wedding.
Rays president Brian Auld quashed any remaining optimism Thursday evening as the St. Petersburg City Council debated approving a bond sale to finance the city’s contribution for a new $1.37 billion stadium. “We need to accept the facts on the ground as they are,” he said.
“I hate to be the one to keep suggesting it, but I can’t continue to move forward based on what I’ve seen from the county,” Auld continued. “We sent the letter, quite simply, because the conversations we’ve been having don’t seem to be landing.”
The council voted 5-2 to postpone the vote no later than Jan. 9. The county will revisit its bond issuance Dec. 17.
Mayor Ken Welch told the city council he would not ask for additional project funding. Rendering: Hines/Tampa Bay Rays.
The team’s letter stated that the commission’s Oct. 29 decision to postpone a perceived formality rendered agreements approved in July financially unfeasible. It also referenced a Nov. 5 deadline. Voters elected two new commissioners with varying levels of opposition to replace staunch supporters.
Before the bond discussion, the city council approved a $23.7 million contract to repair Tropicana Field’s storm-damaged dome. Auld told officials to save their money. Council members later reversed their vote.
“I believe it is going to be next to impossible for the Trop to be repaired in time for the 2026 season,” he explained. “Efforts to try and repair it in time for that will cause us to have a parallel path for some other alternative for the 2026 season.
“And that feels to me like a bad use of funds across the entire group.”
The Rays prefer a settlement to negate the current use agreement with the city for Tropicana Field. City Administrator Rob Gerdes has told commissioners and the council that those discussions were ongoing but declined to discuss the financials publicly.
He and Welch have repeatedly stated that it is in the city’s best interest to repair the Trop and keep the Rays in St. Petersburg. Gerdes will now seek an annulment.
“Based on the comments that were made by Mr. Auld tonight, I think the respectable thing (for the Rays) to do would be to deliver us a written notice of termination,” he said.
There is a sliver of hope – although it is harder to see than a baseball navigating the Trop’s catwalks – that the partners can work out a new agreement to save the $6.7 billion Historic Gas Plant redevelopment project. A new ballpark was supposed to anchor and increase the viability of a vibrant mixed-use district that would help right some of the past wrongs endured by the previously displaced Black community.
Mayor Ken Welch shares a moment with Gwendolyn Reese, president of the African American Heritage Association and a former Gas Plant resident, after the long-awaited project received approval in July. Photo by Mark Parker.
“While we are disappointed that we are pausing the repair of Tropicana Field and the bond issuance that would finance the city’s contribution to a new stadium, we believe there remains a path forward,” Welch said in a prepared statement. “My administration is prepared to bring a modified plan back to city council for their consideration. However, I want to make it clear that this plan will not include additional funds from the city.
“We maintain our position that the Historic Gas Plant District is an equitable economic driver that will benefit future generations. Ultimately, we remain committed to carrying out our contractual obligations and stand ready to work with our partners in the weeks ahead.”
Gerdes said the administration assumes the Rays are raising private equity to offset the likely loss of $312.5 in county tourist tax dollars. The team’s letter concluded by stating their willingness to work on a new solution; Councilmember Gina Driscoll said that gave her hope.
“Let’s explore that,” she told a somber chamber. “I can’t wait to hear what happens.”
Auld told the council that the letter was not meant to sound threatening. “I apologize for the tone in which it was received,” he said.
Rumors of the team relocating to another market have recently hit a crescendo. However, the team’s letter reiterated their goal to keep “Major League Baseball (MLB) in Tampa Bay for generations to come.”
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred recently pledged the league’s regional commitment. He told mlb.com Wednesday that “we’re focused on (keeping) our franchise in Tampa Bay right now.”
The team will play at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa for at least the 2026 season. Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan, a longtime advocate for bringing the Rays across the bay, believes the city could still provide a permanent home.
“Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been laying the groundwork with our team,” he said Wednesday on the JP Peterson Show. “When the time comes … we’re going to be ready.”
Before Thursday evening’s discussion concluded, City Council Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders encapsulated the mood likely shared by Rays fans throughout St. Petersburg. “This is a sad place,” she said.
“I’m extremely disappointed,” Figgs-Sanders added. “I thought we were better than this.”
Peter
November 29, 2024at8:00 pm
I’ve lived here since 1981 and this plot of land was a slum. Seems the first deal was a shame cause they city made very little money. This time they will lose more and yet its all about giving back to the black families. The site is a waste hot zone. No drainage due to what is under the dirt. Rail yard/ fuel field. Yet its going to rob business away from the downtown area just like moving the pride parade did to central. We pay so rich folks make billions. They say they will build low income housing No they will not. Promises that will never happen. This mayor will be known for losing baseball, but the city can grow without this
Steve Sullivan
November 25, 2024at6:34 pm
Funny how few of you are mentioning the black folk who used to occupy the land. How many are for giving it back. I would rather have the Rays plan than your ideas because you are not considering the prior promise nor the people. You just want to have a place for your fellow whyte people to go drink and party. Enough with the clubbing and endless rebel rousing
Mike C
November 25, 2024at7:56 am
Pete, Thanks for the link… good information.
Negotiate a deal without the aspirational feel good stuff and have the Rays pay for the stadium. New England Patriots were planning to leave MA, then the Kraft family decided to privately finance the project because MA would not. Negotiate a deal instead of a taxpayer give away for a Mayor and City Council vanity project.
Christopher Lerbs
November 24, 2024at12:52 pm
It’s helpful to compare the Rays contractural obligations against all those fancy renderings. Here is what the Rays are not obligated to build: a museum, a performing arts center, any affordable housing, reasonable size grocery store, housing for sale, or a convention center. What we are getting: market rate rental housing and student housing (subsidized by taxpayers). What happened to “ building generational wealth” and “creating good jobs”?
Jay
November 24, 2024at11:41 am
Giving money to the Rays to help build a stadium would be like Publix asking the taxpayers for money to build a new super-sized store. It would never happen.So why should taxpayers give their money to the Rays billionaire owners. They want a new stadium let them pay for it just like Publix.
Kurt R Anderson
November 24, 2024at9:53 am
EDIT: “…likely loss of $312.5 in county tourist tax dollars.” Only $312 dollars and 50 cents? I think you forgot an “M”?
pete
November 24, 2024at7:04 am
https://www.cato.org/commentary/sports-are-great-stadium-subsidies-stink
Linda DeHaan
November 24, 2024at12:15 am
Being a resident since 2009 i have been to the Tropicana once. That was for my daughter’s graduation. I looked forward to going to a baseball game there but.with all the fees that go with the price of parking and any souvenir or food makes it out of the reach for most people. What are they going to do with the building and parking spaces across the street? I went to AA farm teams and spent less than 50.00 for a family of 4.
Laura
November 23, 2024at7:09 pm
After all these years of playing here, the Rays decide to cut and run now, when the community is suffering? Wow. Talk about kicking A community when it is down. This just proves the point of those who have said all along that the team owners are opportunistic low lives. If this is their response to a local disaster, we are probably better off without them.
Displaced Diogenes
November 23, 2024at3:24 pm
$1.4 Billion Taxpayer Boondoggle: Reparations in a Dollar-Store Disguise
Let’s call it what it is: the City’s plan to blow $1.4 billion of taxpayer and tourist tax money on the “Historic” Gas Plant District is nothing more than a botched attempt at reparations wrapped in a threadbare, virtue-signaling bow. It’s like they took the concept of reparations, ran it through a bureaucratic blender, and served it up as lukewarm policy soup.
Let’s unpack the absurdity:
1. History, but Make It Selective:
The Gas Plant District saga is over 50 years old. Most of the original property owners are either long gone or wouldn’t even recognize the area today. These folks were compensated under eminent domain laws, likely with fair market value for their properties—plus legal fees on top. So, what exactly are we “righting”? It’s not like anyone’s digging up receipts from 1968.
2. Reparations, but Without Saying the R-Word:
This isn’t social justice; it’s public policy karaoke. You can hear the tune of reparations, but the words don’t match. If this is a fix for the past, then why is it being handed to a different generation? The City is essentially writing checks to a crowd yelling “We deserve it!” while crossing their fingers no one asks questions.
3. New Taxpayers Get the Shaft:
As a new taxpayer here, I have to wonder: why am I footing the bill for decisions made when bell-bottoms were still in style? I didn’t buy property in the Gas Plant District; I bought a house across town—and yet, here we are, robbing Peter to pay Paul, who may not even be related to the original Gas Plant owners.
4. Unconstitutional and Cringe-Worthy:
Policy aimed at benefiting one racial group? That’s not just bad optics—it’s a legal landmine. The Equal Protection Clause exists for a reason, and this plan’s not-so-subtle code language about “historic wrongs” is a court challenge waiting to happen.
This isn’t reparations—it’s like a knockoff handbag sold out of someone’s trunk: cheap, embarrassing, and bound to fall apart. If the City wants to make meaningful investments in communities, let’s talk about doing it in a way that doesn’t make taxpayers of all races feel like they’re funding a high-stakes game of racial guilt bingo.
$1.4 billion for this? At least have the decency to give us a good laugh and throw in a free T-shirt that says, “I paid for Gas Plant reparations, and all I got was this lousy policy.”
drew w hooe
November 23, 2024at1:18 pm
See ya, now maybe we could get these roads (pothole city) fixed.
Angel Torres
November 23, 2024at1:00 pm
I always thought and still do, the fairgrounds is the perfect place for a new stadium. You have I-74, I-4 and 275 to allow fans to go to the game.
You’ve got the casino, the girls can go gamble if they don’t want to watch baseball. The casino could even help with the cost. Was there supposed to be a train going from Tampa to Miami? They could but in a stop there to bring in Miami fans.. I’ll even buy season tickets.
Tom
November 23, 2024at12:43 pm
Kari nailed it.”Maybe if the Rays hadn’t been so greedy and asked for so much more in addition to $600 million in public subsidies for the stadium, the new commissioners would have voted for approval.”
Kari supported substantial community benefits that would have won public support had they been included in the contract. A fair deal for citizens might have been voted on months before elections brought new voices to decision making bodies. Five stadium boosters were on the ballot and four lost their elections. The public learned that taxpayers were paying much more than we were told and promised benefits were not required.
Bruce Mahoney
November 23, 2024at8:49 am
I hope all involved in this decision are out of office during the next election. Just like most of the people in this area,you don’t realize what you have in the rays baseball team!
brad k
November 23, 2024at4:13 am
Odessa Jackson wrote
“Wow 😦😳 ..who knew it would take two major hurricanes to get rid of them and displace them.. like they displaced the black people in the Gas plant neighborhoods.. Thank God and Mother nature 🙏”
Wow. God created two hurricanes that destroyed millions of dollars in property, killed hundreds, and permanently changed the lives of thousands, all to get the Rays to move as retribution for people being displaced four decades ago. And you’re thanking God for this. Please re-evaluate what you think God does.
brad k
November 23, 2024at4:04 am
Where to start. Wow.
Some people are late to the issue. The dog track, the Carrillon area, and sites in Tampa have already been explored. No one wanted to pay the Rays price for a park there.
Building a ball park has nothing to do with helping people who were exploited four decades ago by building a ball park. Instead of spending $400m on this how about we locate the few who are still living and give them some money directly? Wouldn’t that be better?
It’s true housing expenses are rising in the areas south of Tropicana but this is not gentrification. Midtown remains the cheapest area of town. And people who get rent assistance or who buy Habitat houses or who get government down payment assistance to buy houses are not gentry. Get real. Rising housing costs in this area are the result of overall factors not something specific to the area like gentrification.
Baseball does not provide an economic benefit. They talk about all the money baseball generates. Really? It provides a place where locals can spend their entertainment money. It takes away from what they could spend on other entertainment in the city. It is not bringing in outside money. And the biggest single expense of the team is player salaries. Those salaries are not being spent here. The money leaves the area.
Steve Schmidt
November 22, 2024at9:53 pm
Auld, Sternberg, Friedman — Grifters. Like trees…, management dies 1st at the top.
If you build it, they will go anyway.
Jonathan Micocci
November 22, 2024at9:41 pm
I don’t know why there has been almost no talk of replacing the dog track on Gandy with a stadium. Seems to check every box. I’m sure there are problems but I do think the team is good for the city and worth some effort…
John Donovan
November 22, 2024at8:48 pm
Build the St Petersburg Convention Center building instead, at fraction of the time and cost. Much of the rest of the plan might still be viable. Add a dedicated trolley alongside 1st Ave South using the former RR track right of way towards the waterfront. Call it the ‘See-Saw” as in back and forth. As in tourist and convention goers who see and saw St Petersburg. Convention visitor use much more hotel space and spend a lot more. No giveaways necessary. Various constituencies will be clamoring to be included. A rising tide will lift all boats. This is why you shouldn’t look to politicians. I just gave you the $3milliion consultant research study and solution for free. You can thank me later. Nov 22, 2024 -JD
Tatguy
November 22, 2024at8:19 pm
Good Riddens!
The Mayor chose the wrong developer from the start! And who chooses one that is tied to the Team???? His generational project was not going to “right any wrongs” that had occurred when the gas plant was demolished!!! He knew it and we knew it!
There was nothing in this latest deal, that would benefit those displaced(or relatives), very little that would benefit St Pete in general. So who owns the 86 acres of black top now???
Dwtwnguy
November 22, 2024at7:21 pm
Good Riddens!
The Mayor chose the wrong developer to start with! The Mayor kept saying this generationial project would right the wrongs from the first stadium, Wrong! There was nothing in the new development that was going to help anyone who suffered with the first Stadium. It was a bad deal except for the Rays. Who would expect anything different after choosing a developer tied to the the team! Duh.
Do they still own the deep discounted 86 acres?????
Odessa Jackson
November 22, 2024at6:22 pm
Wow 😦😳 ..who knew it would take two major hurricanes to get rid of them and displace them.. like they displaced the black people in the Gas plant neighborhoods.. Thank God and Mother nature 🙏
Dr. Anak
November 22, 2024at5:14 pm
I hear there’s a baseball field at Countryside High School in Clearwater. The stands hold 250 people. They Rays might sell it out 2 or 3 times a year.
Tom
November 22, 2024at5:10 pm
You made a statement that could use an explanation. Do two wrongs make a right?
You said: “A new ballpark was supposed to anchor and increase the viability of a vibrant mixed-use district that would help right some of the past wrongs endured by the previously displaced Black community.”
My neighborhood south of Tropicana had long been known for affordable homes but now is undergoing displacement of residents through gentrification and double digit rent increases. People who were displaced for the Trop suffered but did find affordable homes. These homes are not available now. If anything, the Gas Plant redevelopment will accelerate this displacement, including families that have been displaced before.
The city promised to build 1,250 affordable homes and paid the Rays for this through hundreds of millions of dollars discounted from the cost of 65 acres. This could have gone a long way to bring justice to victims of city policy, if it were required in the contract.
The area is in a food desert but the city did not require that a new grocery store be built until over 20 years from now.
There may be a cemetery for original Gas Plant residents but there is no commitment to preserve graves if any are found during redevelopment.
A handful of well off black professionals and business owners may live or work in the new neighborhood. This project does nothing for the original residents and their descendants who were displaced or for us neighbors who lost an important part of our community.
Oval Hunter
November 22, 2024at4:57 pm
Why do the Rays and the city council think tax payers should pay for a place for the Rays to run their business? If the company wanted to do business downtown was Amazon, would we expect the cities tax payers to fund that facility?
If the Rays want a new stadium, let them pay for it themselves. Save the tax/bond money to be used for projects that benefit all citizens.
JRL
November 22, 2024at4:49 pm
I’m honestly asking a question (s) ….can someone refresh my memory as to why we didn’t get this stadium issue done under the former mayor?I haven’t followed this closely, but I thought there was a plan/deal under the old mayor for the Rays, then the new mayor tossed that out to make amends for the past or something. I’m curious how much this has cost the City (taxpayer)s from the old mayor’s plan to the current mayor’s efforts. Was the old mayor’s plan a bad deal for the city? It just seems like we have wasted so much money fiddling around…the consultants and lawyers are getting rich off of wishy washy leadership while the roads are deteriorating, sewage seems to continue to spill in our waterways and leadership basically seems to have sold the soul of the city to developers for unaffordable housing. If we would have moved forward under the old mayor, wouldn’t we have a stadium well under way by now for the Rays? If it was also a bad deal, I get it…but it seems we’ve wasted so much time and money that maybe it wasn’t so bad afterall. I have no expertise…but it seems like this whole thing is an expensive fiasco. I feel bad for the fans and the business that will be hurt by this as well as all us residents who pay taxes and see community needs go unattended.
Chris
November 22, 2024at4:31 pm
All you keyboard warriors have it figured out. So the Rays leave and the stadium is torn down. Now what do you do with the land? Develop it? Who pays for that? Affordable housing? Who defines affordable and I hope you know those agreements only last three years and then the rent can be adjusted up. There will be several full and part time jobs lined dt to losing baseball. 81 home games and a travel roster of 30 plus support is 40+ rooms at the Vinoy or the Don. Fans who travel down to support the visiting team impacts restaurants, servers, etc.
Most of you complain about attendance and attendance is great but where the team makes money in MLB is the TV rights. Although they are near last in. Butts in seats, it’s your current cable/tv package that really counts. This area is the 11th highest in the league in viewership. Losing this team will hurt the area short and long term. But hey, we can always use more high rises!
Ryan Todd
November 22, 2024at4:20 pm
Welch is still trying to make a deal happen. Tone deaf?
Fire this imbecile already. This deal was his administration’s main-effort and it’s a tremendous failure. He still wants to sell the taxpayers out to Stu Sternberg.
Recall election already. How can we trust him to lead us?
Steve Sullivan
November 22, 2024at4:17 pm
Everyone on here is talking like they were personally affected by the gas plant site being taken from the black folks who lived and worked there and none of you or your families have. If you are not going to build that stadium for baseball give it back to the families who lived. But,no you will claim stolen land as your own and then say you know what’s best for black people. Get out of here!!!!!!!
Dan Mayer
November 22, 2024at3:02 pm
Oh no , what will we do without a bunch Drunk drivers on the road Clogging up downtown once a week min ….. what a tragedy …dont let the door hit you on the way out and take the new pier along with all your 50 story new york paid eyesore skyscrappers give us back our small artsy community vibe .good riddance
Alan DeLisle
November 22, 2024at2:55 pm
Kari said it well. Terrible deals die; fair deals survive. This deal violated every principle associated with quality public-private development. The Rays got too greedy and the city folded with horrible leadership.
Perhaps Welch should call Midtown!! After all his shortsighted decision making and lack of economic development knowledge, good luck with that call. Maybe Mayor Kriseman can help.
I guess it’s easier to cancel projects than to get them approved and built.
MIKE F
November 22, 2024at2:54 pm
I’m not understanding why a new stadium would be built in St Pete? Have you seen the attendance the last 20 years EVEN when they are in contention?
Why not closer to the I-4 corridor near Hard Rock/ Fairgrounds where fans from Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando would fill the stadium if located there
It will be the same old story if they locate it in the same spot
Jerry
November 22, 2024at2:49 pm
Why do sport teams that pay employees ( players) millions of dollars a year think hard working locals who make a fraction of that money should help pay for anything to keep them employed?
John
November 22, 2024at12:26 pm
Welch has been a total disappointment as Mayor. Botched the Moffit Deal, couldn’t get this deal done and the Hurricane Piles are still all over the city, let alone his issues within his own staff.
Kari Mueller
November 22, 2024at12:22 pm
The impacts to residents and the beaches from the hurricanes made it impossible for Pinellas County commissioners to vote to dedicate $312.5 million in hotel taxes to the stadium without knowing the full impact to the beaches and tourism first. These taxes can’t be used for infrastructure, however, the County Commissioners have a duty to serve the residents and the local businesses that were affected in addition to the Rays.
The Rays claim the delay by the County Commissioners killed the deal. When the County Commissioners met again, there were two newly elected commissioners who were skeptical of the deal and three previous supporters were no longer on the commission.
Maybe if the Rays hadn’t been so greedy and asked for so much more in addition to $600 million in public subsidies for the stadium, the new commissioners would have voted for approval. It had been stated previously by County Commissioners that the Rays should receive the stadium subsidy OR the land and infrastructure but not BOTH.
The Rays shouldn’t have been so greedy and asked for more than was acceptable knowing that the make up of the County Commission could change before final approval of the financing. I would go one step further and say the public elected commissioners specifically because they were dissatisfied with the unbalanced deal and this contributed to the loss of 2 yes votes and the election of 2 commissioners who were critical of the deal.
Yesterday during the City Council meeting, it was astonishing to watch Brian Auld tell the media during the City Council recess that the deal was off, and not tell City Council, the Mayor or the administration.
This was AFTER the council approved $23 million to pay for roof repairs to the Tropicana. Council took up the stadium bond deliberations not knowing his statements.
For the Rays to allow the council to continue deliberating without knowing Brian Auld told the press the DEAL IS OFF shows you exactly what kind of “partner” the Rays are. This after we gave them EVERYTHING they wanted, that’s how we get treated. There is nothing that the Rays have asked for from the City that they haven’t received.
Now it is becoming more apparent who we are dealing with. There is no respect even for the City Council who approved the deal, nor the Mayor, nor the administration. The blame for this deal falling apart lies squarely on the Rays organization.
If it wasn’t for the hurricane, it’s likely the County would have approved the bonds. However, we would be embarking on a 30 year partnership with a “partner” that has no loyalty, respect or care for the public, the Council, the Mayor or even the fans.
Rob Gerdes asked for written notice to terminate the deal. Now we’ll see who we’re dealing with in the upcoming months.
Rob Defield
November 22, 2024at12:08 pm
We didn’t lose the teams, the team lost the city.
What did they expect when they decided to threaten and demand more money after TWO devastating hurricanes?
The owners are greedy, arrogant opportunists who’ve spent the last 10+ years insulting the area instead of showing their actual commitment to being a part of the area.
The sad part is Figgs Sanders and the other 3 supporters on council who STILL think a multibillion dollar team deserves money and attention over thousands of citizens who are still suffering from the effects of the storms. Makes you wonder who was getting paid to vote and endorse this travesty.