Plan outlined for new ballpark
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— A new ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays will be built near the current one under plans unveiled Monday as part of a massive redevelopment project that also includes affordable housing, office space and retail in what was once a thriving Black neighborhood. Mayor Ken Welch, of St. Petersburg, Florida, chose a partnership between the Rays and the Houston-based Hines development company from among four proposals to transform an 86-acre downtown site where Tropicana Field now sits. Welch said the plan should keep the Rays in St. Petersburg for the long term.
“This team is the best partner for this generational endeavor, and now the next phase of work begins to bring this dream to reality for everyone in St. Petersburg,” Welch said in a speech on the steps of City Hall.
The Rays have played at the domed Tropicana Field since their inaugural 1998 season but have considered moving elsewhere, such as neighboring Tampa, amid consistently low attendance. There was also a proposal to split their home games between St. Petersburg and Montreal that was rejected by Major League Baseball.
Rays President Brian Auld, who attended the mayor’s event, said in a brief interview it is “a thrill” to see the project take a major step forward. The plan calls for a new domed stadium to be ready for the 2028 season opener; the Rays’ current stadium lease is up in 2027.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said last year that there is a “sense of urgency” for the Rays to resolve their stadium issue and that MLB wants the team to remain in the Tampa Bay area.
Details remain to be worked out over the next several years, including how to finance the project among the Rays, the city, Pinellas County and other entities. Welch, who is St. Petersburg ’s first Black mayor, emphasized that a key goal is to restore a majority Black neighborhood known as the Gas Plant District that was ousted by the stadium and a highway.
The broader plan includes about 5,700 housing units — a large chunk of them to be deemed affordable — office and retail space, 700 hotel rooms, a 2,500-seat entertainment venue and a new Woodson African American Museum of Florida.
Marlins: Miami acquired reliever Matt Barnes in a trade with the Red Sox on Monday. It sent left-hander Richard Bleier to Boston for Barnes and cash considerations. The 32-year-old Barnes was designated for assignment when the Red Sox signed outfielder Adam Duvall last week.
Royals: Kansas City and Zach Greinke have agreed to a contract for the coming season, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday, making it nine seasons over two stints with the Royals for the six-time All-star pitcher. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the 39-year-old Greinke still needed to pass a physical.
Cardinals: Chip Caray is taking over as the television play-by-play voice of St. Louis, more than five decades after his grandfather and Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Caray became a baseball staple with the same club. Bally Sports Midwest announced Caray's hiring in a statement Monday. The voice of the Atlanta Braves is replacing Dan Mclaughlin, who left the Cardinals booth in December after 24 years following his third arrest for drunken driving.