The Trop Has New Amenities for Fans

Fans are worried that the Tampa Bay Rays might split the season with Montreal, but it looks like Tropicana Field is doubling down with it comes to new attractions for baseball fans.  Read more and view photos here.  Speaking of Montreal, read more here.

Rays’ Sternberg Makes First Public Comments About Playing in Two Home Ballparks

At times wistful and at other times defensive, Stu Sternberg made his first public comments since Commissioner Rob Manfred surprised the baseball world last week by announcing that he’d granted the Tampa Bay Rays permission to explore splitting home games between Tampa Bay (FL) and Montreal (QC).  Read more and watch full press conference here.

Rays Ybor City Ballpark Plan Dead

Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg said the plan to build a stadium in Ybor City (FL) is no longer viable but the team remains committed, for now, to looking again for a new home in the Tampa Bay area.  Read more here.

Manfred: Time to Move Rays Ballpark Decision to Front Burner

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred wants Tampa Bay to work a little quicker on getting the Tampa Bay Rays a new ballpark.  Read more here.  Read more here from Times Sports Columnist Tom Jones.

So, No State Funds for Rays New Ballpark?

Well into its search for a new ballpark, the Tampa Bay Rays are finding that the era of easy public money is over.  Not only is the Legislature opposed to using state money for stadiums and arenas, but lawmakers are increasingly hostile to using any type of public support — even if local taxpayers agree to it.  Read more here.

St. Pete Makes Pitch for Rays

Shortly before throwing out the first pitch at Tropicana Field on Wednesday evening, St. Petersburg (FL) Mayor Rick Kriseman made a much more important pitch to the Tampa Bay Rays: Stay put.  Watch video here.

Top-Five Locations for Tampa Bay Rays Ballpark Not Available

According to principal owner Stuart Sternberg, the Tampa Bay Rays’ top-five choices for a new stadium — three in Tampa and two in St. Petersburg — are unavailable.  That may push the team’s time line for finding a new site from August to the end of 2017.  Read more here.

With World Series Over, Time for New Rays to Montreal Rumors

On Sunday, a Montreal freelance journalist, Pierre Trudel, tweeted that Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg had commissioned a viability study for a baseball stadium in Montreal’s Griffin Town neighborhood.  Read more here.

Hillsborough County Exploring Ways to Fund New Rays Ballpark

The brainstorming is well underway for Hillsborough County (FL) officials who are exploring creative ways to fund a new ballpark in Tampa to lure the Tampa Bay Rays from St. Petersburg across the bay.  Read more here.

Rays Launch Ballpark Website

The Tampa Bay Rays on Monday launched ballparkreimagined.com where fans can submit ideas about what they see as must-haves in a new ballpark.  Read more here.

A Look at 17 Possible Sites for New Rays Ballpark

As efforts ramp up to keep the Tampa Bay Rays in Pinellas County — and ward off a heavy challenge from Hillsborough County — officials recently identified 10 possible locations for a new stadium.  To add to the 10, county commissioners recently asked staffers to find more St. Petersburg sites.  Tampa Bay Times staff writer Mark Puente has compiled a list of 17 sites with the pros and cons of each.  Read more here.  Read more and view photos of the Snug Harbor site here.

Council Votes 5-3 to Let Rays Looks Elsewhere

A nearly decade-long stalemate between the city and the Tampa Bay Rays ended Thursday after the St. Petersburg (FL) City Council agreed to let the club look elsewhere for a new home.  Read more and watch news report here.

Rays Reject St. Pete Stadium Exploration Proposal

As expected, the Tampa Bay Rays have rejected a proposal by St. Petersburg (FL) City Council member Jim Kennedy that would have allowed the team to explore locations for a new stadium, but cost them millions if they left the city.  Read more here.

Mayor Will Not Ask Council to Vote on Revised Rays Relo Proposal

St. Petersburg (FL) Mayor Rick Kriseman has decided against asking the City Council to vote on a revised proposal to allow the Tampa Bay Rays to search for new ballpark sites on both sides of Tampa Bay.  Read more here.

New 1,800-Seat Amateur Ballpark for St. Pete

St. Petersburg (FL) Mayor Rick Kriseman recently announced plans to build a new 1,800-seat ballpark in west St. Petersburg to host local, international and collegiate tournaments.  City Council Chairman Charlie Gerdes said the ballpark would fill the gap created by the conversion of Al Lang Field to a soccer stadium for the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer club.  Read more here.

Rays to Seek New Home by 2022, With or Without St. Pete’s Permission

In an interview with Tampa Bay Times staff writer Stephen Nohlgren, Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg vows to seek a replacement for Tropicana Field no later than 2022, with or without approval from St. Petersburg (FL).  Read more here.

New MLB Commish Optimistic About Tampa Bay

Though talks between the Tampa Bay Rays and St. Petersburg (FL) officials on the stadium issue are again stalled — at least publicly — since the failed vote, new baseball commissioner Rob Manfred spoke encouragingly Friday about a new facility and the Tampa Bay market overall.  Read more here.

Council Nixes Deal Struck by Mayor, Rays

The future of the Tampa Bay Rays in the area seems more uncertain than ever after the St. Petersburg City Council on Thursday rejected a deal to let the team explore new stadium sites in the region.  Read more here.

St. Pete, Rays Reach Departure Deal

Mayor Rick Kriseman and the Tampa Bay Rays have negotiated an agreement to let the team search for new stadium sites in Hillsborough County in exchange for payments to the city if the team leaves before its contract at Tropicana Field expires in 2027.  Read more here.

Selig Blames Ballpark Troubles for Key Tampa Bay Departures, Rays Owners Ponders Move to Montreal

Commissioner Bud Selig traced the Tampa Bay Rays’ inability to retain key personnel — at least in part — to the inability to secure a new ballpark.  Read more here.  Meanwhile, Rays owners Stuart Sternberg has reportedly had discussions with wealthy Wall Street associates about moving the Rays to Montreal.  Read more here.

It’s Goodbye Baseball for Al Lang Stadium, Rowdies Take Control

St. Petersburg’s historic waterfront baseball stadium is now a soccer pitch managed by the Tampa Bay Rowdies (North American Soccer League).  The city council approved a new management deal for Al Lang Stadium through 2018.  Read more and watch news report here.

Rowdies, Al Lang Stadium Deal Back On

A deal brokered by St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman to turn over operations of Al Lang Stadium to local businessman Bill Edwards and his Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer franchise fell through Sept. 17 when the St. Petersburg Baseball Commission balked, but the deal appears back on, after attorneys for the Rowdies and the commission informed the city Monday that they have settled a related lawsuit.  Read more here.

Soccer Team Sues Baseball Commission Over Al Lang Conditions

After months of criticizing the nonprofit St. Petersburg (FL) Baseball Commission for substandard maintenance of the downtown soccer field at Al Lang Stadium, Tampa Bay Rowdies (North American Soccer League) owner Bill Edwards filed a lawsuit this week that claims the commission has violated its contract and hurt business for the sports franchise.  Read more here.

Rowdies Pushing St. Pete Toward New Soccer Tradition

Over the next few weeks, the turf at Al Lang Stadium will be ripped up and replaced — a $250,000 investment by St. Petersburg (FL) to placate Tampa Bay Rowdies (North American Soccer League) owner Bill Edwards.  That’s a short-term fix, as Edwards wants the aging facility replaced with a soccer-only venue.  Ultimately, as the city considers a developing downtown waterfront master

Mayor Seeks $250K Field Improvement for Al Lang Stadium

St. Petersburg (FL) Mayor Rick Kriseman is proposing a $250,000 field upgrade at Al Lang Stadium following complaints from the Tampa Bay Rowdies (North American Soccer League) owner Bill Edwards that the unlevel field is dangerous for players.  The baseball facility no longer hosts a professional baseball team, but there is a desire to keep the field available for baseball events.  Read more here.