(St. Petersburg) The Tampa Bay Rays are well on their way to getting their much-desired new stadium.
A vote by the St. Petersburg City Council on Thursday cleared the way for the team to remain in place for at least 30 years.
The stadium is part of a $6.5 billion downtown project that includes plans for a black history museum, affordable housing, a hotel, green space, entertainment venues, offices and retail.
The council voted 5-3 in favor of the plan, which must also be approved by the Pinellas County Commission. A vote is scheduled for later this month.
“The implications go far beyond a baseball field,” said board member Ed Montanari.
PHOTO DIRK SHADD, ASSOCIATED PRESS
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch hugs Rays owner Stuart Sternberg after the city of St. Petersburg voted to approve the 12 agreements with the Rays and Hines that form the basis of the stadium plan, Thursday, July 18, 2024.
A 1.3 billion euro indoor stadium with 30,000 seats is planned to open in 2028.
It will end years of uncertainty about the Rays’ future, including rumors of a move to Tampa or Nashville.
The idea of sharing home games between St. Petersburg and Montreal had been rejected by Major League Baseball.
Rays principal owner Stu Sternberg said the final green light for the project would settle the question of the club’s future.
“Our intention was always to stay here,” Sternberg said. “We never considered taking the team out of the area.”
The Rays are 48-48 this season.
The plan calls for the city to spend around $417.5 million, including $287.5 million for the stadium itself and $130 million for infrastructure.
The city is not considering new taxes or increasing existing ones.
Pinellas County would spend about $312.5 million.
The remainder of the funding would come primarily from a partnership between the Rays and Houston-based Hines.