. Skanska declined to comment on the matter.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nIn July 2024, Pinellas County commissioners approved public financing for the new stadium, which would have replaced Tropicana Field, where the Rays were still set to play until 2028. But then in October, county commissioners voted to delay the approval of bonds, claiming uncertainty after Milton tore off the Trop\u2019s roof.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nIn a letter sent to the board in November, Rays team presidents Brian Auld and Matt Silverman said the delay had put construction in jeopardy, making its 2028 timeline for opening impossible. The delays proved to be too much for the team.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cAfter careful deliberation, we have concluded we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment,\u201d Sternberg said in his statement. \u201cA series of events beginning in October that no one could have anticipated led to this difficult decision.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nThe City of St. Petersburg is still working to restore the Trop so it can be used for the 2026 season, Sternberg said, and the team will play its home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the 11,000-seat spring training home of the New York Yankees in Tampa, Florida.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nThe Rays would play three more seasons at the Trop after it\u2019s repaired, per their current contract with St. Petersburg, AP reported. After that, the Rays\u2019 future home \u2014 both the physical stadium and indeed the city that they\u2019d represent \u2014 is now unclear.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cAs for the future of baseball in our city \u2014 if in the coming months a new owner, who demonstrates a commitment to honoring their agreements and our community priorities, emerges \u2014 we will consider a partnership to keep baseball in St. Pete,\u201d Welch\u2019s statement said. \u201cBut we will not put our city\u2019s progress on hold as we await a collaborative and community-focused baseball partner.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n[ad_2]
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