New Rays owners promise Tropicana Field repairs, search for new ballpark around Tampa

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The new owners of the Tampa Bay Rays are promising to get hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field repaired in time for next season and beginning a search for a new, permanent ballpark to open in 2029.

The group led by Florida-based real estate developer Patrick Zalupski finalized a $1.7 billion purchase last week from Stu Sternberg, who owned the Rays for 18 years and had long sought to find the team a new stadium. Zalupski and other top executives Ken Babby and Bill Cosgrove said at a news conference Tuesday they intend for the team to remain in the Tampa Bay area.

Zalupski said the search is on for a site in the region that could include roughly 100 acres (40 hectares) that would support retail shops, bars, restaurants and other amenities along with a ballpark. The stadium itself, he said, would be a domed ballpark with a fixed roof.

“We need a new ballpark. I don't think that's disputed by anyone,” Zalupski said. “We want to build a sustainable championship team. We're confident we can be successful in Tampa Bay.”

Babby, described as the team's new CEO, acknowledged there is longstanding “fatigue” in the area about where the Rays would build a new home — with frequent speculation they might decide to leave altogether. But MLB has repeatedly said it wants the team to stay. Several sites in the area have previously been considered, such as the nightlife-rich Ybor City neighborhood, the grounds of a Tampa community college and even an old greyhound racetrack.

“We're looking at everywhere,” Babby said. “We don't want to pigeonhole ourselves to one location or site.”

Meanwhile, work continues on Tropicana Field, which had its roof ripped off and suffered significant internal damage last October during Hurricane Milton. By the end of the week, Babby said, half of the Trop's 24 roof panels will be installed.

Under their current lease with the city of St. Petersburg, the Rays are obligated to play at the Trop for three more seasons. The mayors of both Tampa and St. Petersburg attended the news conference.

The Rays in March withdrew from a $1.3 billion project to construct a new ballpark adjacent to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, citing the hurricane and delays that likely drove up the proposal’s cost. That led Sternberg to sell the team, which had to pay the New York Yankees $15 million to play this season at the Yankees' spring training ballpark, Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

Zalupski, CEO of Jacksonville-based Dream Finders Homes Inc., will be the team’s control person and a co-chair along with Cosgrove, CEO of Union Home Mortgage in Ohio. Babby will run day-to-day business operations.

Babby is CEO of Fast Forward Sports Group, which owns the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, a Miami Marlins’ affiliate, and the Double-A Akron RubberDucks, a Cleveland Guardians farm team.

During their time in St. Petersburg, the Rays have struggled with poor attendance, although they've been successful on the field. The Rays won American League East titles in 2008, 2010, 2020 and 2021 and twice reached the World Series, losing to Philadelphia in 2008 and to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.

This year, the Rays missed the playoffs with a 77-85 record.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB