In the middle of July, Stu Sternberg agreed to a sale of the Rays to Jacksonville-based real estate developer Patrick Zalupski for around a $1.7 billion purchase price. Sternberg won’t immediately leave the organization completely, however.
Evan Drellich and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report that Sternberg and other current partners will retain an approximate 10% stake in the franchise in the short term. Sternberg is still expected to eventually depart the organization entirely, but that won’t happen concurrent with this month’s sale.
The transaction has been expected to be finalized in September. That timeline is still in place. Drellich and Rosenthal write that the sale should be complete around the end of the regular season. Zalupski’s group is expected to keep the franchise in the Tampa area, preferably with a new stadium to be built in Hillsborough County. (Tropicana Field, located in St. Petersburg, is in Pinellas County.) Nina Moske of The Tampa Bay Times wrote this afternoon that one site under consideration is at Hillsborough College.
The Rays’ previous stadium deal with Pinellas County collapsed after the team sought additional funding following delays after last fall’s hurricanes. That proved an impetus for Sternberg to turn to selling his majority share. The club’s lease at Tropicana Field runs for three seasons from whenever The Trop becomes playable — hopefully by the beginning of next season.
Lol. Rays fan here, I love this. It’s stupid. It’s possibly petty. It’s probably the amount he should have had from the start.
How would Hillsborough be travel wise for Rays fans?
Other worldly… it will increase exposure to many many many more fans within an hour drive.
A significant improvement.
Yes because your support of the team in Pinellas has be so stellar. The solution has been obvious for 20 years
Any news on where Rays will call home longterm? Are they still planning to move the team to Tampa proper?
They’re staying in the area. Manfred wants the balling rolling on two expansion teams by 2029.
They literally talked about it in this article
C’mon….be nice. This is the first time I’ve heard about the HCC site, which is right next to the Yankees ST site they’re playing at now. As a Rays fan, there’re much better options but it’s not my money.
Is there still a chance the rays move out of Tampa or is there no way they abandon the hills borough plan?
I remember when clay Bennett bought the sonics he said he’d keep them there but look what happened
The Sonics moved because Bennett never intended to stay there. Seattle voters also wouldn’t approve public funding on a new arena or stadium improvements. MLB has properly vetted the new Rays’ owner before the approval of the July sale. Tampa residents and city officials want the team to stay. There is a lot of old money in that area.
It is my understanding that the drive to Tropicana Field is a pain and is part of why attendance is low. This new site, is this better Rays fans?
If better you mean attendance might exceed 12,000 – yes