Nov 22, 2024
The Rays have suffered yet another serious hit to their hopes of building a $1.3 billion ballpark and staying in the Tampa area, as the St. Petersburg, Fla., city council voted Thursday to delay issuing bonds funding part of the construction. But it’s the team itself that likely has rendered the largest amount of damage to the pursuit.
The decision by a 5–2 margin puts on hold $287.5 million of bonds—nearly half of the planned public-sector contribution toward the new stadium. The council also approved and then later rescinded its approval of $23.7 million in appropriations for repairs to the Tropicana Field roof, which suffered major damage last month from Hurricane Milton and represents the largest and most critical part of an estimated $55.7 million bill for initial stadium restoration.
The city vote on the bonds for the new ballpark closely followed and mirrored Tuesday’s move by the Pinellas County commission to delay for a second time its consideration to issue bonds supplying another $312.5 million toward the stadium. Like the county’s consideration, city leaders are grappling with using taxpayer funds for a new stadium during a time of extreme local need because of the storm.
“I need to know more. There’s too much that’s vague with our infrastructure needs,” said city council member Gina Driscoll.
Source: Front Office Sports