@GOCAPSDMV well said. Totally opposite situations. The Rays would have continued playing in the Trop until they moved, had it not been for a hurricane.
@@Parlimant_Strifey The city built the stadium, the city is the landlord, it is up to the city to maintain the stadium sufficiently so that the tenants will sign new leases... Otherwise tenants tend to leave after finding a better option elsewhere...
Petition: Keep the Rays in Tampa - A Proposal for the Yankees and Rays to Swap Locations and Revitalize Tampa Bay Baseball We, the undersigned, call on the management of the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees to collaborate on a solution that benefits both teams, their fans, and the entire Tampa Bay area. Specifically, we propose that the Rays lease Steinbrenner Field in Tampa as their new permanent home, with the necessary upgrades and accommodations to meet Major League Baseball standards. By doing so, we can keep the Rays in the region, solve their attendance issues, and revitalize the community. Why This Deal Makes Sense for Everyone: 1. Steinbrenner Field is in the Heart of Tampa Bay * Accessibility: Steinbrenner Field is centrally located in Tampa, making it easier for fans across the Tampa Bay area to attend games. Unlike Tropicana Field, which is in St. Petersburg and difficult for many fans to reach, Steinbrenner Field is closer to a larger population base in Hillsborough County and the northern suburbs. * Public Transportation: The location has better access to major highways like I-275, I-4, and Veterans Expressway, with proximity to Tampa International Airport. This improves accessibility not only for local fans but also for visiting fans and tourists. * Proximity to Business and Entertainment Hubs: Being near downtown Tampa and the Westshore Districtmeans that fans can enjoy a full entertainment experience before and after the game. Hotels, restaurants, and other attractions make this a more vibrant, year-round location. 2. Tampa Bay Fans Deserve a New, Modern Stadium * Upgrade Steinbrenner Field: With a long-term lease, Steinbrenner Field can be upgraded to meet Major League Baseball standards, with added seating, modern facilities, and a roof or retractable roof to handle Florida’s unpredictable weather. * Lower Construction Costs: Upgrading an existing facility like Steinbrenner Field would be more cost-effectivethan building an entirely new stadium from scratch. This would save taxpayers and the Rays ownership money while improving the fan experience. 3. A Solution to the Rays’ Attendance Problem * Prime Location for Fans: The Rays have struggled with attendance at Tropicana Field due to its inconvenient location. Relocating to Steinbrenner Field would make the Rays more accessible to Tampa's larger fan base and other surrounding communities. The Tampa area has a population of over 3 million people, and by moving to a more central location, the Rays can tap into a larger pool of potential fans. * Economic Benefits: More fans attending games means more ticket sales, merchandise sales, and concessions revenue, which will improve the financial stability of the Rays and benefit local businesses. 4. A Win for Both the Rays and the Yankees * Yankees’ Spring Training: The New York Yankees have long conducted their Spring Training at Steinbrenner Field, but this is a temporary commitment. By transitioning to a new Spring Training facility in the future, the Yankees would still maintain a presence in the Tampa Bay area while shifting the Rays to a permanent home at the field. * Maintain Legacy and Community Ties: The Yankees' ties to Tampa are strong, but their presence is short-term-just one month a year. This proposal allows the Yankees to still keep their historic connection to the area while supporting the long-term health of the Rays. The Yankees can focus on expanding their facilities to another location, possibly even in the South Tampa area or nearby. 5. The Local Economy Will Thrive * Job Creation and Local Businesses: Having the Rays play in Tampa year-round will help create jobs in the local economy, including positions at the stadium, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Tampa’s economy will benefit from increased tourism, especially if a new stadium becomes a tourist attraction in addition to hosting games. * Neighborhood Revitalization: The Rays’ relocation to Steinbrenner Field could help further revitalizeneighborhoods around the Westshore and Ybor City areas. The region is already experiencing significant growthand development, and having a Major League Baseball team in the area can attract further investment. 6. Commitment to Keeping the Rays in Tampa Bay * Tampa Bay’s Identity: The Rays are an integral part of the Tampa Bay region’s identity. Moving the team to Tampa would allow the Rays to finally have a home that reflects their importance to the local community, ensuring their place in Tampa Bay’s sports landscape for decades to come. What Needs to Happen: 1. Rays Management and Ownership: Engage in discussions with the New York Yankees and Tampa City officialsto discuss a deal that would allow the Rays to lease Steinbrenner Field and upgrade the stadium for Major League Baseball standards. 2. Local Government and Funding: Work with Tampa City officials, Hillsborough County, and state officials to secure financing and public-private partnerships to cover the costs of upgrading the stadium. 3. Community Engagement: With support from local fans and businesses, this proposal can become a reality. A shared vision between fans, local leaders, and team owners can make this deal a win for everyone involved. Sign the Petition: We, the undersigned, believe that this proposal is in the best interest of the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees, and the entire Tampa Bay community. By relocating the Rays to Steinbrenner Field and making the necessary upgrades to bring it to Major League Baseball standards, we can ensure that the Rays stay in the region for generations to come. Join us in supporting this exciting opportunity for Tampa Bay and the Rays. Sign your name below to show your support for keeping the Rays in Tampa!
MLB is at a huge impasse. They have 6 teams with no local TV deal. 4 Teams up for sale. Also, 2 teams playing at a minor league stadium. Huh? I thought it was called MAJOR league baseball! It’s frustrating to watch any pro team leave their region. Especially, at the cost of taxpayers in other cities. The owners are like billionaire hobos looking to move anywhere where they can get a handout. Politicians are supposed to protect taxpayers from fiscal predatory practices like these. Good Riddance! Fans don’t need MLB; MLB needs fans.
Like that time the guy on shark tank was like my wifes father in law runs the factory we use and the sharks were like that means it's your dad and he was like ya 😂
With the Rays playing in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field for 2025, how about the Bucs and the Rays work together with Hillsborough county and propose a new joint sports epicenter off Dale Mabry that includes both a new, modern design enclosed football stadium and enclosed baseball park. They could then build a common use parking area in between the two structures and If they really got creative, they could cover most of the asphalt parking surface area with solar panels to provide both shade and energy for the complex.
I'm a homeowner in St. Pete. I've been lucky, Real lucky, that I had no damage through two storms. However, many of my friends and co-workers lost their cars or homes, or both. If it's so important for billionaires for a stadium, then buy the land and build the stadium with your own money or take your team and leave. Also, we MUST vote out Mayor Welch and anyone who are on the city council that voted for the bad deal.
A team in Nash, Charlotte, or Raleigh would run into the exact same problems that the Rays, Marlins, Dbacks, etc, have run into: these are all cities whose growths are entirely dependent on out-of-towners who bring their existing rooting interests with them. They'll spend years and years playing road games at home, esp against the Yanks and Sox and Cubs and Braves of the world.
Ron Clark problem is the Marlins are not going to be on the market for relocation for at least 15 years from now to leave Miami. Especially since Mr Samson’s former Employer the Marlins and MLB signed an iron clad agreement than they must stay in that City of Miami ballpark that opened in 2012, for at least 35-30 years guaranteed. Or they pay Miami a couple of billion dollars to be able to leave. Just had to correct you Ron Clark 9724.
No they wouldn’t. All those teams had pro sports come to their city and now have PLENTY of fans. I’m a Braves fan but not because I’m from Atlanta. I’m from the south tho and will root for the new team over them if we get a team. Tampa would do fine with MLB if it were in Tampa. NHL does well. It takes time to grow a fanbase
MLB should go back to 28 teams. Shorten the season, expand the playoffs to 7 teams in each conference. Best of 7 series. Number 1 seed gets first round bye.
Discussion for new stadium should have never happened. Third to last in avg attendance, can't even sell out a playoff game. Not a baseball town, let them go.
I'm tired of these team owners looking for handouts from taxpayers. Who does a new stadium benefit other than the team and its fans? No one. So guess how it should be paid for. Here's a hint: not by taxpayers.
Good maybe this will get the rays to finally move to Tampa. If the rays attendence increases by playing in the Yankees preseason stadium in Tampa, then it will show that the problems with attendance was always the location.
This video has the potential to be the biggest public display of putting your foot in your mouth in quite a while. Who else is going to give the ridiculous deal that St. Pete stupidly gave them?
Even if this stadium does end up getting built its just going to be empty all the time anyway, it's a nightmare to get to for the vast majority of people in the Tampa Bay area. This isn't an NFL team that plays on 8 Sundays a year. With 81 home games, most of which on weeknights, this is all a gigantic waste of time and money. If Tampa won't make a deal with them, and if they won't finance it themselves, relocate the team to another market. This is basically the Arizona Coyotes situation all over again...the city does not want to give you any incentives...either build one yourself or just move the freakin team. If Pinellas County and St Pete want to have a gentrification project they should build all the other stuff in this project but without wasting money on the stadium.
I would like to build a million dollar house in Tampa. I will finance 100k and have the city float bonds for the remaining 900k. Then the tax payers can pay the bond interest for 30 years. Unfortunately for me the city council will not support this, but if a billionaire asks for it ,…. AND the profits from the ball park go to the billionaire. Sounds like socialism for the billionaire.
MLB should go back to 28 teams. Shorten the season, expand the playoffs to 7 teams in each conference. Best of 7 series. Number 1 seed gets first round bye.
Best news I have ever heard, now the Rays can come home to Tampa at last. Get out of St Pete. St Pete is to small of a market for a MLB team. That is why they use the name of Tampa when they are actually not even in Tampa.
Not gonna happen. Any politician who advocates building a stadium for Sternberg would be voted out. That is why Manfred ordered Sternberg to stop trying to negotiate with Tampa/Hillsborough.
No, they would have a better chance of moving to Kansas, St pete essentially is the winning bid for the Tampa Bay area if they can't close the deal its relocation, MLB and the Rays understand this, it's the Tampa Bay area, this is it
This is akin to the NFL having two of its teams playing in FCS stadiums indefinitely. Manfred has been a disaster as commissioner. The citizens of these municipalities are tired of carrying debt for these billionaire owners to build these stadiums that 80% of them can't afford to go to on a regular basis. These cities see very little from the revenue generated from these palaces. I've said before, the leagues generate so much revenue that they could create a financing arm to build their stadiums.
Trust this man, he’s never wrong. After all, he set us straight on the value of Shohei 50/50 ball letting us know it was worth WAY less than we thought. Maybe, MAYBE, 100k tops.
It is a surreal dichotomy while at the same time some owners will shell out millions of dollars for free agents like Juan Soto, we have two franchises who will be playing in minor league ballparks in 2025. With relocation inevitable in one case (A's) and looming in another (Rays). It is any wonder why people are so repulsed by MLB's economics?
I live in Orlando. It's by far the largest metro area in the US without a minor league baseball team. People here just don't care. Also, the economic/corporate base just isn't there to support any more teams than we have now (and no, Disney on its own isn't enough)
@@jayboogie1295the Magic games were ghost towns when the team was terrible (they just inflated the numbers for years). Ditto UCF games when they weren't historically excellent. Even Orlando City failed to sell out any of their regular season games this year (and the two 1st-round playoff games, on top of that). It's a town full of "there to be seen" sports fans, and has been so for all of the almost ~30 years that I've been here.
You missed South Central Texas where two large metros are approaching SIX million in combined population and most likely will pass SEVEN million before 2040...
@@willp.8120 Charlotte doesn't have space in their downtown and they are not asking for it. Raleigh would be better. it would also diversify the states major league teams
@@ronclark9724 San Antonio is good because it has a ballpark ready on day 1. What I don't like is rightwing CRT laws in Texas and San Antonio having lowest literacy of any major American city.
The Tampa area has its own set of negatives, and Florida in general has huge demographic obstacles to the success of a baseball, but let me speak a bit about the South in general since Nashville, Charlotte and Raleigh are being considered as candidates. (And if they are being considered, Richmond should be too since it is thriving and growing like mad.) Northerners just don't understand the Southern mentality. Northerners assume that any locality would be thrilled to get a pro team at the highest level of its sport, and the fans would support the new team. 90% of the outcry for a MLB in Charlotte, Raleigh or Nashville is coming from transplanted Northerners and Californians. It's not coming from the natives. Many of these people didn't grow up with spectator sports and don't care about them at all. Those who are sports-oriented are very satisfied following college and even high school sports. I keep reading that people in Nashville, Charlotte or Raleigh are currently Braves fans, and that they would gladly transfer their support from Atlanta to a franchise nearer their home. From my 8 years in North Carolina I can tell you this isn't true at all; they are NOT Braves fans. They couldn't name 3 players on the Braves. They don't follow MLB at all. I try to engage them in talking about baseball and they have no interest at all. But they'll talk your ear off about college basketball or football. Don't be deluded by Northern transplants clamoring for building stadiums in the South to lure MLB teams. They do not speak for the natives here.
Pinellas and Hillsborough counties need to get together for a Joint-profitsharing deal to MOVE THE RAYS to the Steinbrenner Field location PERMENTELY & force the Ray's owner to pay the Yankees for that land, as his spinless *** should have done years ago! If he's unwilling to move to that location he forfiets ownership and a new owner should be installed who actually has connections with Tampa, and isn't some scumbag New Yorker who doesn't even have the mind to speak to the people after a storm destroyed their land. This **** owner just wants out of Tampa, he must be PUNISHED for it, and ALL MONEY form his exit be TAKEN and Given back to TAX PAYERS who NEED THAT MONEY for storm repairs and landbuyouts. Demo the Trop, Demo Steinbrenner and build a NEW MLB Staidum next to RayJay [perhaps along with a NEW Ray Jay aswell, co-currently] and turn that area by the airport into a Modern Sports Center. We need VISONARY LEADERS not COWARDS playing Sneakball. That owner is an Ahole with no vision or skills but a dream of moving to Canada or somewhere, and the current politians are too stuck with keeping a team hostage to a BAD Geograpical location.
@danw2112 They sure didn't come and watch that " winning " Rays team in 2023 ALDS because it was weekday games that's a poor excuse other playoff games that have started at that time have sold out
We don't have a ower who doesn't spend any money on keeping players. And the cheap dude is asking for public escorts for building stadium. Please leave go Charlotte or Nashville. Let someone else to pick up the tab. I don't see business like Publix asking for government hand out for them to build there situation. They create job also. Plus other business open in the same building.
Too many retirees!!! Seniors don't have the energy to make expeditions to ballparks. Wait until you're 72, you're see. They follow sports on TV, not in person. (The Rays' TV ratings are actually acceptable.)
How is Rob Manfred to blame for this? Some of you are ridiculous. A hurricane ravaged an existing stadium and then the people of Pinellas County voted in new officials who tanked the agreed upon deal for the new park. In part, because of said hurricane. Which part of that did Manfred cause? 😂
Agreed Roger Bates. Manfred has had made some terrible mistakes as Commish in particular the Astros and Red Sox video tape scandals. With that said, the hurricane hitting the Rays St Petersburg aging ballpark was not his fault and out of his control.
Very well put, Roger. The outrageous commitments that the mayor of St. Pete made to Sternberg supported people in office at the time, but the commitment got them voted out. And that is precisely why the mayor and officials of Tampa/Hillsborough refused to meet Sternberg's demands: they knew that if they did, their careers would be over.
I am getting to the point that the MLB is pissing me off. Currently there's drama with two teams. I can see the A's when they are trying to get a new stadium built in Vegas but now the Rays? Come on man! Give people a fn break with this BS. It's very near of me saying screw it, I wont watch the MLB after me not caring to watch the NHL over this same crap involving the Arizona Coyotea relocating to Utah. If the Rays don't play in Tampa where are they gonna relocate to? Lol. after hearing of two possible expansion teams. The MLB don't need to add two more. They just need to get a team out of Los Angeles, Chicago and New York as these three cities don't need two teams. Make them be like rest of the nation with having only one team!
David Sampson, cry a river to the community who has serious needs. This development project is still in the ghetto. Send the cry baby on his way. He has traded every all-star the team has had under his ownership.
I went to the Charlotte mayor's office and begged them to start a committee to investigate starting a consortium to lure the Rays. They looked at me like I was insane! I was told the Rays would be welcome to move to Charlotte but the city wouldn't lift a finger to make it happen.
The Rays got A LOT further along than the A's ever did in Oakland. Oakland NEVER agreed to fund its own infrastructure AROUND the area to support Howard Terminal and to this day still doesn't. 20 years from now Howard Terminal will still be a storage lot for the Harbor. Vegas came to the rescue of the A's, and what's going on in Tampa proves it. Vegas got a the deal of the century but it also saved MLB by using ownership ($1.1B), business ($500M) and public funds ($350M) to give it the home it has needed for 20 years thanks to Government mismanagement of the facilities. The A's and the Rays are completely different. The A's wanted to spend $1B for a stadium but the City FAILED to support its own needs. The Rays claim they need the money to build the actual stadium. WHICH IS WORSE? Its the Rays without question.
tell me you don't know wtf your talking about w/o saying it, first off the Howard Terminal development was pitched at $12 billion and the city and team were reportedly on $80 million away before the plug was pulled, not only that, the Governor earmarked $380 million for the infrastructure ONLY FOR THAT SITE, as far as Vegas goes, the city doesnt even want the team, $350 is ALL their getting from the state, your making up the $500 million from business and Fischer is so desperate he wants to sell a fifth of the team so do some research.....................
@@ike041476 Its pretty clear you don't understand what was going on at Howard Terminal. By the Mayor's OWN WORDS after the deal fell apart, she said she had $380M in TAXPAYER money (Fed and CA grants) but was still $300M short by the City's own estimate for the infrastructure to make HT buildable. That 80M you talk about was the difference between what the A's wanted and the City wanted for affordable housing to be able to build on Howard Terminal. It had NOTHING TO DO with the infrastructure money. Two separate things which are often confused by poor reporting in the media. She offered MLB no path to get it other than Tax increment financing, which is essentially tax payer money. There was no appetite by the City Council or the public or Labor Unions for that. There was no path to get more public money. FIsher promised $1B for his part to build the actual stadium. He's now spending $1.1B in Vegas. Oakland failed to get all the $750M for their part for the surrounding infrastructure. Oh, BTW, Fisher bought into the A's as a minor partner. Happens all the time because its an asset he owns and can leverage. Isn't that better than "taxpayer money"? And let me ask you this... if Fisher was selling part of the team to build Howard Terminal, would you still consider that "desperate"? Somehow, I don't think so..........
Oakland had more money set aside for the Stadium plus housing and shopping. Fisher is so greedy he wanted everything for himself by not allowing affordable housing. He needed to come up with 80 million extra. He did no want to build a stadium. That is why he is taking a handout from his friend that owns the Sac triple AAA team and Sac Kings.
excellent news, not one dime of taxpayer money should be used for a private sports team. say no to billionaire welfare. tell them to use you own money if it is that great a deal.🤣😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
No, you don't understand. St. Pete's mayor pushed the sweetheart deal through, and the council backed him. It was so outrageous that it got the council voted out. That's democracy in action. Tampa never made such an outrageous offer, because the politicians never it would get them all voted out.
Both A's and Rays will cease operations after 2025 season ends. Both franchises sold to new owners, with new stadiums opening by 2030 (potentially in Oakland/Tampa areas but not guaranteed). Reverse expansion draft to disperse current rosters, new owners will get expansion draft when returning. Then actual expansion another 4ish years later. Let teams have expanded roster sizes of 28 active, 42 total MLB roster size to allow no jobs lost by player association members during the cease of operations.
@ highly likely the Rays rights would be sold to an owner in a new location, I’d give better odds at A’s returning to Oakland if both cease operations.
But it's OK for the taxpayers to be forced to pay for museums, symphonies, operas and theater that are 90% patronized by DEMOCRATS! Apparently you object to the taxpayers spending money on activities enjoyed by Republicans but you're just fine with the taxpayers spending money on activities enjoyed by Democrats. Don't be a hypocrite.
Even if this stadium does end up getting built its just going to be empty all the time anyway, it's a nightmare to get to for the vast majority of people in the Tampa Bay area. This isn't an NFL team that plays on 8 Sundays a year. With 81 home games, most of which on weeknights, this is all a gigantic waste of time and money. If Tampa won't make a deal with them, and if they won't finance it themselves, relocate the team to another market. This is basically the Arizona Coyotes situation all over again...the city does not want to give you any incentives...either build one yourself or just move the freakin team. If Pinellas County and St Pete want to have a gentrification project they should build all the other stuff in this project but without wasting money on the stadium.
Going into 2025 with two MLB teams playing in non MLB parks is pathetic.
Sorry but you can’t really just move a stadium out of the way of a hurricane. Sure the A’s situation sucks but a hurricane is inevitable bud😂.
@GOCAPSDMV well said. Totally opposite situations. The Rays would have continued playing in the Trop until they moved, had it not been for a hurricane.
@@RogerBates7 he never maintained the building. The owner is 100% responsible for this situation ever happening to the Rays.
@@Parlimant_Strifey The city built the stadium, the city is the landlord, it is up to the city to maintain the stadium sufficiently so that the tenants will sign new leases... Otherwise tenants tend to leave after finding a better option elsewhere...
Not a good look to say the least for MLB.
When the hurricane hit, I had a feeling this was going to be he result.
Petition: Keep the Rays in Tampa - A Proposal for the Yankees and Rays to Swap Locations and Revitalize Tampa Bay Baseball
We, the undersigned, call on the management of the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees to collaborate on a solution that benefits both teams, their fans, and the entire Tampa Bay area. Specifically, we propose that the Rays lease Steinbrenner Field in Tampa as their new permanent home, with the necessary upgrades and accommodations to meet Major League Baseball standards. By doing so, we can keep the Rays in the region, solve their attendance issues, and revitalize the community.
Why This Deal Makes Sense for Everyone:
1. Steinbrenner Field is in the Heart of Tampa Bay
* Accessibility: Steinbrenner Field is centrally located in Tampa, making it easier for fans across the Tampa Bay area to attend games. Unlike Tropicana Field, which is in St. Petersburg and difficult for many fans to reach, Steinbrenner Field is closer to a larger population base in Hillsborough County and the northern suburbs.
* Public Transportation: The location has better access to major highways like I-275, I-4, and Veterans Expressway, with proximity to Tampa International Airport. This improves accessibility not only for local fans but also for visiting fans and tourists.
* Proximity to Business and Entertainment Hubs: Being near downtown Tampa and the Westshore Districtmeans that fans can enjoy a full entertainment experience before and after the game. Hotels, restaurants, and other attractions make this a more vibrant, year-round location.
2. Tampa Bay Fans Deserve a New, Modern Stadium
* Upgrade Steinbrenner Field: With a long-term lease, Steinbrenner Field can be upgraded to meet Major League Baseball standards, with added seating, modern facilities, and a roof or retractable roof to handle Florida’s unpredictable weather.
* Lower Construction Costs: Upgrading an existing facility like Steinbrenner Field would be more cost-effectivethan building an entirely new stadium from scratch. This would save taxpayers and the Rays ownership money while improving the fan experience.
3. A Solution to the Rays’ Attendance Problem
* Prime Location for Fans: The Rays have struggled with attendance at Tropicana Field due to its inconvenient location. Relocating to Steinbrenner Field would make the Rays more accessible to Tampa's larger fan base and other surrounding communities. The Tampa area has a population of over 3 million people, and by moving to a more central location, the Rays can tap into a larger pool of potential fans.
* Economic Benefits: More fans attending games means more ticket sales, merchandise sales, and concessions revenue, which will improve the financial stability of the Rays and benefit local businesses.
4. A Win for Both the Rays and the Yankees
* Yankees’ Spring Training: The New York Yankees have long conducted their Spring Training at Steinbrenner Field, but this is a temporary commitment. By transitioning to a new Spring Training facility in the future, the Yankees would still maintain a presence in the Tampa Bay area while shifting the Rays to a permanent home at the field.
* Maintain Legacy and Community Ties: The Yankees' ties to Tampa are strong, but their presence is short-term-just one month a year. This proposal allows the Yankees to still keep their historic connection to the area while supporting the long-term health of the Rays. The Yankees can focus on expanding their facilities to another location, possibly even in the South Tampa area or nearby.
5. The Local Economy Will Thrive
* Job Creation and Local Businesses: Having the Rays play in Tampa year-round will help create jobs in the local economy, including positions at the stadium, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Tampa’s economy will benefit from increased tourism, especially if a new stadium becomes a tourist attraction in addition to hosting games.
* Neighborhood Revitalization: The Rays’ relocation to Steinbrenner Field could help further revitalizeneighborhoods around the Westshore and Ybor City areas. The region is already experiencing significant growthand development, and having a Major League Baseball team in the area can attract further investment.
6. Commitment to Keeping the Rays in Tampa Bay
* Tampa Bay’s Identity: The Rays are an integral part of the Tampa Bay region’s identity. Moving the team to Tampa would allow the Rays to finally have a home that reflects their importance to the local community, ensuring their place in Tampa Bay’s sports landscape for decades to come.
What Needs to Happen:
1. Rays Management and Ownership: Engage in discussions with the New York Yankees and Tampa City officialsto discuss a deal that would allow the Rays to lease Steinbrenner Field and upgrade the stadium for Major League Baseball standards.
2. Local Government and Funding: Work with Tampa City officials, Hillsborough County, and state officials to secure financing and public-private partnerships to cover the costs of upgrading the stadium.
3. Community Engagement: With support from local fans and businesses, this proposal can become a reality. A shared vision between fans, local leaders, and team owners can make this deal a win for everyone involved.
Sign the Petition:
We, the undersigned, believe that this proposal is in the best interest of the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees, and the entire Tampa Bay community. By relocating the Rays to Steinbrenner Field and making the necessary upgrades to bring it to Major League Baseball standards, we can ensure that the Rays stay in the region for generations to come.
Join us in supporting this exciting opportunity for Tampa Bay and the Rays.
Sign your name below to show your support for keeping the Rays in Tampa!
312 Million in public bonds to build a 1.2 Billion dollar stadium which the locals don’t really want or support. Should be an easy vote NO.
Man, both of the Rays fans have to be pissed.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hit the "BRICKS" RAYS No tax payer money for a Billionaire.
Taxpayers need to vote NO. Let billionaires build their own stadiums.
Joe Lacob please find a way to bring the Rays to Oakland!!!
MLB is at a huge impasse. They have 6 teams with no local TV deal. 4 Teams up for sale. Also, 2 teams playing at a minor league stadium. Huh? I thought it was called MAJOR league baseball! It’s frustrating to watch any pro team leave their region. Especially, at the cost of taxpayers in other cities. The owners are like billionaire hobos looking to move anywhere where they can get a handout. Politicians are supposed to protect taxpayers from fiscal predatory practices like these. Good Riddance! Fans don’t need MLB; MLB needs fans.
Until you bring in big name players that fans can be proud of wearing their jerseys, it doesnt matter where or what kind of stadium you build.
I know right. Time to get Wander Franco back in the house.
How can you justify spending money on big name players when fans don’t show up even when they have great teams?
@@MGAF688I believe his ass is headed to jail!
"our owner"...translation: My father-in-law.
Like that time the guy on shark tank was like my wifes father in law runs the factory we use and the sharks were like that means it's your dad and he was like ya 😂
Building a new stadium, when they could not fill the old stadium, unless the Yankees were in town, makes absolutely no sense at all.
All they need is a minor league stadium. Double A would do.
With the Rays playing in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field for 2025, how about the Bucs and the Rays work together with Hillsborough county and propose a new joint sports epicenter off Dale Mabry that includes both a new, modern design enclosed football stadium and enclosed baseball park. They could then build a common use parking area in between the two structures and If they really got creative, they could cover most of the asphalt parking surface area with solar panels to provide both shade and energy for the complex.
Great Idea 💡❤😊
Ray's news to forget about to play in the bay . And work to make another ball pal to like you said And the attendance will increase for sure
Stop! You’re making too much sense…
Makes great sense. They have a chance to create an innovative area.
@@Vette2112 similar to the kc idea
I'm a homeowner in St. Pete. I've been lucky, Real lucky, that I had no damage through two storms. However, many of my friends and co-workers lost their cars or homes, or both. If it's so important for billionaires for a stadium, then buy the land and build the stadium with your own money or take your team and leave. Also, we MUST vote out Mayor Welch and anyone who are on the city council that voted for the bad deal.
Apparently MLB isn't wanted in Florida... Better to relocate the teams to cities that will support MLB properly...
A team in Nash, Charlotte, or Raleigh would run into the exact same problems that the Rays, Marlins, Dbacks, etc, have run into: these are all cities whose growths are entirely dependent on out-of-towners who bring their existing rooting interests with them. They'll spend years and years playing road games at home, esp against the Yanks and Sox and Cubs and Braves of the world.
Ron Clark problem is the Marlins are not going to be on the market for relocation for at least 15 years from now to leave Miami. Especially since Mr Samson’s former Employer the Marlins and MLB signed an iron clad agreement than they must stay in that City of Miami ballpark that opened in 2012, for at least 35-30 years guaranteed. Or they pay Miami a couple of billion dollars to be able to leave.
Just had to correct you Ron Clark 9724.
To be fair Stu Sternberg helped self sabotage the team out of Tampa
No they wouldn’t. All those teams had pro sports come to their city and now have PLENTY of fans. I’m a Braves fan but not because I’m from Atlanta. I’m from the south tho and will root for the new team over them if we get a team. Tampa would do fine with MLB if it were in Tampa. NHL does well. It takes time to grow a fanbase
MLB should go back to 28 teams. Shorten the season, expand the playoffs to 7 teams in each conference. Best of 7 series. Number 1 seed gets first round bye.
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Discussion for new stadium should have never happened. Third to last in avg attendance, can't even sell out a playoff game. Not a baseball town, let them go.
I'm tired of these team owners looking for handouts from taxpayers. Who does a new stadium benefit other than the team and its fans? No one. So guess how it should be paid for. Here's a hint: not by taxpayers.
Good maybe this will get the rays to finally move to Tampa. If the rays attendence increases by playing in the Yankees preseason stadium in Tampa, then it will show that the problems with attendance was always the location.
This video has the potential to be the biggest public display of putting your foot in your mouth in quite a while. Who else is going to give the ridiculous deal that St. Pete stupidly gave them?
Even if this stadium does end up getting built its just going to be empty all the time anyway, it's a nightmare to get to for the vast majority of people in the Tampa Bay area. This isn't an NFL team that plays on 8 Sundays a year. With 81 home games, most of which on weeknights, this is all a gigantic waste of time and money. If Tampa won't make a deal with them, and if they won't finance it themselves, relocate the team to another market. This is basically the Arizona Coyotes situation all over again...the city does not want to give you any incentives...either build one yourself or just move the freakin team.
If Pinellas County and St Pete want to have a gentrification project they should build all the other stuff in this project but without wasting money on the stadium.
As a Yankees fan, I’m so sorry guys. Really sucks. Rays fans are extremely loyal. You don’t deserve this BS.
Watch your grammar. I think you meant, "The Rays' fan is extremely loyal."
No he got is right 😂 stop trying to be a social media teacher and go do something with your life@@whitneymacdonald4396
I would like to build a million dollar house in Tampa. I will finance 100k and have the city float bonds for the remaining 900k. Then the tax payers can pay the bond interest for 30 years. Unfortunately for me the city council will not support this, but if a billionaire asks for it ,….
AND the profits from the ball park go to the billionaire. Sounds like socialism for the billionaire.
A's and Rays contraction incoming.
That's EXACTLY what should happen.
MLB should go back to 28 teams. Shorten the season, expand the playoffs to 7 teams in each conference. Best of 7 series. Number 1 seed gets first round bye.
@@pm5206There is no news of that happening
@@pm5206That would mean more games with division rivals
@@pm5206 I quite like that idea to be honest. It would be similar to the NHL
they should build in tampa.
Mlb will go bankrupt soon too many high salaries 😢😢😢😢
I sure hope so. They have done it to themselves!
Best news I have ever heard, now the Rays can come home to Tampa at last.
Get out of St Pete. St Pete is to small of a market for a MLB team.
That is why they use the name of Tampa when they are actually not even in Tampa.
Haven't watched a complete game of baseball in over a decade. No surprise; I haven't paid for cable since 2008.
Hillsborough County need to jump in and help build a new ballpark for the Rays
Not gonna happen. Any politician who advocates building a stadium for Sternberg would be voted out. That is why Manfred ordered Sternberg to stop trying to negotiate with Tampa/Hillsborough.
Could the Rays get back in talk with Hillsborough County
No, they would have a better chance of moving to Kansas, St pete essentially is the winning bid for the Tampa Bay area if they can't close the deal its relocation, MLB and the Rays understand this, it's the Tampa Bay area, this is it
Pointless. He wants the taxpayers to foot the bill and the taxpayers of Tampa/Hillsborough just want to furnish the land.
This is akin to the NFL having two of its teams playing in FCS stadiums indefinitely. Manfred has been a disaster as commissioner. The citizens of these municipalities are tired of carrying debt for these billionaire owners to build these stadiums that 80% of them can't afford to go to on a regular basis. These cities see very little from the revenue generated from these palaces.
I've said before, the leagues generate so much revenue that they could create a financing arm to build their stadiums.
Who didnt see this coming?
Survivor legend, David Samson. 😉
Bye bye Rays. They're leaving Florida. The only question is to where they'll go.
Somebody needs to give DJ Kitty a 'Forever Home'.
you got the stadium but it was NOT a success... Disastrous to have a franchise there.
Or in Miami.
Relocate to Orlando and build a better ballpark there
No money to a billion dollar owner if he wants a new ball park let him pay for it
Or a consortium of private investors. That's what they're talking about in Nashville and Montreal, where public financing is out of the question.
You need to get a support structure under that shelf directly behind you. It's sagging.
Good!!!
What a waste of money!!!
Really, the only way into Orlando is I-4. I won't be going there either.
Trust this man, he’s never wrong. After all, he set us straight on the value of Shohei 50/50 ball letting us know it was worth WAY less than we thought. Maybe, MAYBE, 100k tops.
It is a surreal dichotomy while at the same time some owners will shell out millions of dollars for free agents like Juan Soto, we have two franchises who will be playing in minor league ballparks in 2025. With relocation inevitable in one case (A's) and looming in another (Rays). It is any wonder why people are so repulsed by MLB's economics?
We are looking at the New York and California teams having $500 mil. payrolls and everyone else $100-150 mil.
@@GeraldM_inNC That is sad.
What about the rays going to Orlando? that might actually work there.
I live in Orlando. It's by far the largest metro area in the US without a minor league baseball team. People here just don't care.
Also, the economic/corporate base just isn't there to support any more teams than we have now (and no, Disney on its own isn't enough)
People in Orlando show up for all sports even when the teams are bad. Put the rays where the citrus bowl is since the citrus bowl has no tenants.
@@jayboogie1295the Magic games were ghost towns when the team was terrible (they just inflated the numbers for years). Ditto UCF games when they weren't historically excellent. Even Orlando City failed to sell out any of their regular season games this year (and the two 1st-round playoff games, on top of that). It's a town full of "there to be seen" sports fans, and has been so for all of the almost ~30 years that I've been here.
5 Best Cities For A Future MLB Team
- Sacramento
- Portland
- Nashville
- Montreal
- Orlando/Vegas (tie)
Charlotte is better than any of those.
You missed South Central Texas where two large metros are approaching SIX million in combined population and most likely will pass SEVEN million before 2040...
@@willp.8120 Charlotte doesn't have space in their downtown and they are not asking for it. Raleigh would be better. it would also diversify the states major league teams
Orlando
@@ronclark9724 San Antonio is good because it has a ballpark ready on day 1. What I don't like is rightwing CRT laws in Texas and San Antonio having lowest literacy of any major American city.
Baseball is already in jeopardy in Tampa because the owners haven’t put a good product out on the field or experience
Let them go.
So Campbell Park is off the table as well?
You will get a better turnout in Orlando / South Kissimmee. And still a better drive from Tampa than Orlando to St Pete
This should be built in Tampa .
Teams relocate all the time, across all major leagues. Let's not get dramatic about it.
My abuelo and abuelita are still paying for your lavish retirement slush fund. You committed unarmed robbery and got away with it.
Samson got that stadium with a scumbag bait&switch.
The whole deal stunk of corruption.
THE Tampa Bay Rays games at Steinbrenner Field are going to be VERY HOT and HUMID !
GET READY !
@@gualbertogarcia305 and a lot of rain outs and at least 20 fewer games due to inclement weather.
@ YES ! EXACTLY !
Just throw the whole damn team away let's get something in town that people will actually pay to see like basketball
Could Jacksonville be a good relocation spot for the Rays?
It’s barely a good place for the Jaguars who are already there now
@jasonfire3434 lol
The pubic money for a MLB stadium just isn't there. They will be lucky to keep the Jags.
Maybe charlotte or Montreal
Forget Montreal, there's no place to play there either
We have to get a new owner before we can get a deal for a stadium.
The Tampa area has its own set of negatives, and Florida in general has huge demographic obstacles to the success of a baseball, but let me speak a bit about the South in general since Nashville, Charlotte and Raleigh are being considered as candidates. (And if they are being considered, Richmond should be too since it is thriving and growing like mad.)
Northerners just don't understand the Southern mentality. Northerners assume that any locality would be thrilled to get a pro team at the highest level of its sport, and the fans would support the new team. 90% of the outcry for a MLB in Charlotte, Raleigh or Nashville is coming from transplanted Northerners and Californians. It's not coming from the natives. Many of these people didn't grow up with spectator sports and don't care about them at all. Those who are sports-oriented are very satisfied following college and even high school sports.
I keep reading that people in Nashville, Charlotte or Raleigh are currently Braves fans, and that they would gladly transfer their support from Atlanta to a franchise nearer their home. From my 8 years in North Carolina I can tell you this isn't true at all; they are NOT Braves fans. They couldn't name 3 players on the Braves. They don't follow MLB at all. I try to engage them in talking about baseball and they have no interest at all. But they'll talk your ear off about college basketball or football.
Don't be deluded by Northern transplants clamoring for building stadiums in the South to lure MLB teams. They do not speak for the natives here.
@@robertgoodson5528 I seem to recall the trip from Charlotte to Atlanta being 5 hours
Good news Rays fans, either the Rays move to Tampa or you get an owner re-roll. Maybe the next one will build in Tampa instead of St. Pete.
Sternberg is firm on demanding $800 mil.-$1 bil. from the taxpayers. St. Pete's mayor met his demand. Tampa just wants to contribute land.
Pinellas and Hillsborough counties need to get together for a Joint-profitsharing deal to MOVE THE RAYS to the Steinbrenner Field location PERMENTELY & force the Ray's owner to pay the Yankees for that land, as his spinless *** should have done years ago! If he's unwilling to move to that location he forfiets ownership and a new owner should be installed who actually has connections with Tampa, and isn't some scumbag New Yorker who doesn't even have the mind to speak to the people after a storm destroyed their land. This **** owner just wants out of Tampa, he must be PUNISHED for it, and ALL MONEY form his exit be TAKEN and Given back to TAX PAYERS who NEED THAT MONEY for storm repairs and landbuyouts.
Demo the Trop, Demo Steinbrenner and build a NEW MLB Staidum next to RayJay [perhaps along with a NEW Ray Jay aswell, co-currently] and turn that area by the airport into a Modern Sports Center. We need VISONARY LEADERS not COWARDS playing Sneakball. That owner is an Ahole with no vision or skills but a dream of moving to Canada or somewhere, and the current politians are too stuck with keeping a team hostage to a BAD Geograpical location.
Tamp fans and the government do not support the team.
A stadium deal should have been done years ago.
Nashville Stars.
Montreal Mounties.
The Tampa Bay Rays need to be CONTRACTED. That simple. If you cannot exist in this fiscal environment, then you don't need to exist.
If one team has to be contracted then so do two
I believe in merging the small-market teams. Rays/Marlins; Pirates/Indians; Snakes/Rockies, etc.
Either Nashville, Charlotte, or Montreal bound.
Nashville and Charlotte would sell out playoff games.
Montreal will never happen lol, they have a horrible ballpark and no plans to build a new one - just like Tampa Bay
@jasonfire3434 And they rather watch the Canadiens with a losing record than a baseball team with a winning record.
@danw2112 They sure didn't come and watch that " winning " Rays team in 2023 ALDS because it was weekday games that's a poor excuse other playoff games that have started at that time have sold out
@@jasonfire3434Olympic Stadium is shut down anyway
Montreal!
We don't have a ower who doesn't spend any money on keeping players. And the cheap dude is asking for public escorts for building stadium. Please leave go Charlotte or Nashville. Let someone else to pick up the tab. I don't see business like Publix asking for government hand out for them to build there situation. They create job also. Plus other business open in the same building.
Florida is not a great market for MLB. There are just too many other activities for people to do.
Too many retirees!!! Seniors don't have the energy to make expeditions to ballparks. Wait until you're 72, you're see. They follow sports on TV, not in person. (The Rays' TV ratings are actually acceptable.)
@@GeraldM_inNC Of course, thanks!
Why in the world would the State of Illinois build a new stadium for a White Sox team that has no place to go?
Lots of places to go.
@ Then let them go. There will be plenty of teams lining up to take their place. And if not, no big lost.
I hope the Rays don’t leave if they do I’m done watching Major League Baseball for good
How is Rob Manfred to blame for this? Some of you are ridiculous. A hurricane ravaged an existing stadium and then the people of Pinellas County voted in new officials who tanked the agreed upon deal for the new park. In part, because of said hurricane. Which part of that did Manfred cause? 😂
Agreed Roger Bates. Manfred has had made some terrible mistakes as Commish in particular the Astros and Red Sox video tape scandals.
With that said, the hurricane hitting the Rays St Petersburg aging ballpark was not his fault and out of his control.
Rob Manfred is not at fault for the weather, do you all blame Rob Manfred for ☔ rainouts?
Very well put, Roger. The outrageous commitments that the mayor of St. Pete made to Sternberg supported people in office at the time, but the commitment got them voted out. And that is precisely why the mayor and officials of Tampa/Hillsborough refused to meet Sternberg's demands: they knew that if they did, their careers would be over.
@@GeraldM_inNC 💯 on point on that comment.
Rays to salt lake or Nashville I’m calling it
Salt Lake City has the public funding, Nashville does not
SLC very prosperous and growing like mad, and with a successful AAA team.
I live in Tampa. F Professional Sports, send the Rays packing to another state…just a waste of people’s time…bread and circus for the unwashed masses
I am getting to the point that the MLB is pissing me off. Currently there's drama with two teams. I can see the A's when they are trying to get a new stadium built in Vegas but now the Rays? Come on man! Give people a fn break with this BS. It's very near of me saying screw it, I wont watch the MLB after me not caring to watch the NHL over this same crap involving the Arizona Coyotea relocating to Utah. If the Rays don't play in Tampa where are they gonna relocate to? Lol. after hearing of two possible expansion teams. The MLB don't need to add two more. They just need to get a team out of Los Angeles, Chicago and New York as these three cities don't need two teams. Make them be like rest of the nation with having only one team!
Ummm so your saying New York don’t need the Yankees or Mets right?
buh bye rays, not gonna miss ya
David Sampson, cry a river to the community who has serious needs. This development project is still in the ghetto. Send the cry baby on his way. He has traded every all-star the team has had under his ownership.
Rays should move to Sacramento
Marlins should move to Charlotte
I went to the Charlotte mayor's office and begged them to start a committee to investigate starting a consortium to lure the Rays. They looked at me like I was insane! I was told the Rays would be welcome to move to Charlotte but the city wouldn't lift a finger to make it happen.
Move to Nashville. It’s not that hard.
No public funding for a ballpark, after a billion was dropped for the Titans
Oh well.
Sad thing is the KC Royals may be Joining the A's and Ray's soon.
Good. Tired of hearing about this for over a decade. Move the team
The Rays got A LOT further along than the A's ever did in Oakland. Oakland NEVER agreed to fund its own infrastructure AROUND the area to support Howard Terminal and to this day still doesn't. 20 years from now Howard Terminal will still be a storage lot for the Harbor. Vegas came to the rescue of the A's, and what's going on in Tampa proves it. Vegas got a the deal of the century but it also saved MLB by using ownership ($1.1B), business ($500M) and public funds ($350M) to give it the home it has needed for 20 years thanks to Government mismanagement of the facilities. The A's and the Rays are completely different. The A's wanted to spend $1B for a stadium but the City FAILED to support its own needs. The Rays claim they need the money to build the actual stadium. WHICH IS WORSE? Its the Rays without question.
tell me you don't know wtf your talking about w/o saying it, first off the Howard Terminal development was pitched at $12 billion and the city and team were reportedly on $80 million away before the plug was pulled, not only that, the Governor earmarked $380 million for the infrastructure ONLY FOR THAT SITE, as far as Vegas goes, the city doesnt even want the team, $350 is ALL their getting from the state, your making up the $500 million from business and Fischer is so desperate he wants to sell a fifth of the team so do some research.....................
@@ike041476 Its pretty clear you don't understand what was going on at Howard Terminal. By the Mayor's OWN WORDS after the deal fell apart, she said she had $380M in TAXPAYER money (Fed and CA grants) but was still $300M short by the City's own estimate for the infrastructure to make HT buildable. That 80M you talk about was the difference between what the A's wanted and the City wanted for affordable housing to be able to build on Howard Terminal. It had NOTHING TO DO with the infrastructure money. Two separate things which are often confused by poor reporting in the media.
She offered MLB no path to get it other than Tax increment financing, which is essentially tax payer money. There was no appetite by the City Council or the public or Labor Unions for that. There was no path to get more public money. FIsher promised $1B for his part to build the actual stadium. He's now spending $1.1B in Vegas. Oakland failed to get all the $750M for their part for the surrounding infrastructure. Oh, BTW, Fisher bought into the A's as a minor partner. Happens all the time because its an asset he owns and can leverage. Isn't that better than "taxpayer money"? And let me ask you this... if Fisher was selling part of the team to build Howard Terminal, would you still consider that "desperate"? Somehow, I don't think so..........
Oakland raised several hundred million dollars for infrastructure earmarked for Howard Terminal from various grants
Oakland had more money set aside for the Stadium plus housing and shopping. Fisher is so greedy he wanted everything for himself by not allowing affordable housing. He needed to come up with 80 million extra. He did no want to build a stadium. That is why he is taking a handout from his friend that owns the Sac triple AAA team and Sac Kings.
@@troyhoffman6012yes they did but Manfred and the owners rejected that deal. They want public money which Oakland wasn't willing to put in the deal.
Tampa or Orlando!
No more Florida MLB teams, it hasn’t worked
🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷 San Juan Ray's🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷
Move to Orlando
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 hopefully they dont olay at the bay anymore
excellent news, not one dime of taxpayer money should be used for a private sports team. say no to billionaire welfare. tell them to use you own money if it is that great a deal.🤣😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Perhaps they could start with changing their name to St >Petes Rays
Totally agree……..they are not in Tampa …..
Vote no for this greedy billionaire.
Just relocate them to Montreal, call the X-Rays
Take the old Expos logo and give it xray look to it.
This would be so sick 😂
there's no need to keep the rays name if they move to Montreal. its tied to Florida
Ewww French Canadians Canada is jays country only
Who said a new team in Montreal would be called the Expos? not set in stone a new team might want a new name
You mean Ex Rays a future former team in Major League Baseball
They may be done in St Petersburg, but maybe they can relocate to Tampa, which would be a much better place to have their new stadium anyway.
The bad look is on Floridians for never fully embracing this team. They don’t deserve them. It’s time to move on. Portland or Salt Lake is ready.
Salt Lake City is ready Portland isn't
The demographics of Florida are the worst possible for a MLB team.
Orlando, Orlando, Orlando
Only in MLB can you reach an agreement and still fall apart after the agreement was already reached.
No, you don't understand. St. Pete's mayor pushed the sweetheart deal through, and the council backed him. It was so outrageous that it got the council voted out. That's democracy in action. Tampa never made such an outrageous offer, because the politicians never it would get them all voted out.
Move the the team to Charlotte
Or Nashville. Baseball doesn't belong in a hot humid summer climate like Florida. Domes aren't fun to watch baseball in either.
Both A's and Rays will cease operations after 2025 season ends. Both franchises sold to new owners, with new stadiums opening by 2030 (potentially in Oakland/Tampa areas but not guaranteed). Reverse expansion draft to disperse current rosters, new owners will get expansion draft when returning. Then actual expansion another 4ish years later.
Let teams have expanded roster sizes of 28 active, 42 total MLB roster size to allow no jobs lost by player association members during the cease of operations.
If they cease operations after 2025 they're gone forever there's your contraction
@ highly likely the Rays rights would be sold to an owner in a new location, I’d give better odds at A’s returning to Oakland if both cease operations.
MLB has too many teams. Just like NFL, NHL, AND MLB
At least six too many. Which is why there isn't enough talent to go around, causing salaries to go insane.
Move the team please no likes the rays and their cocky fans. Not to Montreal French lost their opportunity move them to Nashville
Move rays and fischer team to Vegas 😂😂😂😂😂
let the poor republiCON billionaire owners build their own stadiums.
Trump won, get over it
But it's OK for the taxpayers to be forced to pay for museums, symphonies, operas and theater that are 90% patronized by DEMOCRATS! Apparently you object to the taxpayers spending money on activities enjoyed by Republicans but you're just fine with the taxpayers spending money on activities enjoyed by Democrats. Don't be a hypocrite.
Even if this stadium does end up getting built its just going to be empty all the time anyway, it's a nightmare to get to for the vast majority of people in the Tampa Bay area. This isn't an NFL team that plays on 8 Sundays a year. With 81 home games, most of which on weeknights, this is all a gigantic waste of time and money. If Tampa won't make a deal with them, and if they won't finance it themselves, relocate the team to another market. This is basically the Arizona Coyotes situation all over again...the city does not want to give you any incentives...either build one yourself or just move the freakin team.
If Pinellas County and St Pete want to have a gentrification project they should build all the other stuff in this project but without wasting money on the stadium.