ST. PETERSBURG — Thousands of baseball enthusiasts swarmed Tropicana Field on Saturday to celebrate the upcoming season, but many were thinking well beyond spring training to the day the Tampa Bay Rays decide where to build a new stadium.
Last month the St. Petersburg City Council approved a plan, proffered by Mayor Rick Kriseman, to allow the team to look for stadium sites beyond the city. A prior agreement with St. Petersburg prohibited the team from looking at potential sites elsewhere until 2027, a restriction Kriseman said could sour the team on staying in St. Petersburg long term.