Tampa Bay Rays announce support for Ybor City stadium

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The Tampa Bay Rays announced their support for building a new stadium in Ybor City on Friday afternoon.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan has been working on a deal to bring the team from their current location in St. Petersburg to Tampa.

Hagan announced several weeks ago that a group has worked to acquire rights to land in Ybor for a stadium to be built, but many questioned the Rays’ support for the plan and questioned if funding could be put into place for its construction.

“Tomorrow is a major step toward allowing us to have that conversation and one of the major elements of the announcement is going to be a privately led initiative to secure corporate sponsorships and community support,” said Hagan.

Mayor Rick Kriseman addressed St. Petersburg City Council about the announcement on Thursday.

Kriseman said he continues to believe the Tropical Field site is best for the future home of the Rays, but said as a city, St. Petersburg is prepared to begin “phase two of the master plan for that site, and envisioning what that site would be without a stadium.”

Kriseman said the Rays are not announcing their final decision, so there is no termination of the agreement between the Rays and the Tropicana Field site.