The Rays are moving to Tampa
Rays owner Stuart Sternberg made it official today in a press conference. The Rays are officially moving to Tampa. The Rays will target the 14 acre site in Ybor City that sits just North of the Ybor channel.
There are still a lot of uncertainties about the move and a lot of details that need to be worked out. The most important factor will be how to come with the dollars to cover the cost. It is expected to cost north of $800 million. Hillsborough County and the Rays are far apart as to where the money will come from.
Also, Sternberg said no decision has been made as to whether the new park will have a retractable roof or not as that could add millions of dollars to the cost. Really? You think attendance is bad now. Who is going to sit in 95 degree heat with 100% humidity to watch a team lose 100 games.? You know Sternberg will not put dime one into talent acquisitions. If you’re a Rays fan you have to resign yourself to the fact that the Rays are rebuilding and will be for a few years.
It’s 95 degrees the first month of the football season for the first couple of home games for the Bucs games and people complain that it is to hot to go the game. In September no less.
The Rays are hoping to move into the new stadium in 2020. But that depends on how quick the two parties can come to agreement on the cost.
So now that this site has officially been chosen as the new home for the Rays, the real work begins as to how to pay for the stadium and what the cost of the new ball park will be. Tropiciana Field in St. Petersburg will remain the home of the Rays until the move to Tampa is complete
—This is the 20th anniversary of the Rays and the team will be celebrating all season long with special promotions as the Rays will be wearing the throwback Devil Rays uniforms on March 31, June 9, June 23, and Sept. 8th.
The 1998 Devil Rays team will also be honered on March 31. The 2007 World Series team will be honored on August 4th.
—All has been quiet on the trade front since the Rays parted ways with Longoria right before Christmas. I still think Alex Colome will be traded before the start of the season and either Chris Archer or Jake Ordorizzi
Stuart Sternberg wants the payroll to be in the 70 million dollar range for the 2018 season. Right now the payroll is somewhere in the 75-80 million range.
—Spring training will open Feb 14th for the Rays with pitchers and catchers reporting. And the full squad reports on Feb 19th. The Rays will play their first spring training game on Feb 23 against the Orioles.
Photo courtesy of draysbay.com
