Battle of the Bay: Where Do You Think the Rays Should Play?

St. Petersburg wants to remain Tampa Bay’s home of baseball, but that doesn’t mean Hillsborough County has given up its designs to lure the Rays across the bay.

Hillsborough County Commissioners upped their game Wednesday by voting unanimously to name the Tampa Sports Authority as the official negotiator on their behalf in an effort to get the Rays to play on this side of the bay, The Tampa Tribune reported.

A battle with St. Petersburg and Pinellas County on one side and Hillsborough County on the other has been heating up for more than a year. While the Rays are contractually obligated to play at Tropicana Field through 2027, Major League Baseball has made it clear a new stadium is needed.

The Rays and St. Petersburg have been in talks for quite a while to brainstorm a solution that would put the team in better standing while also making sure St. Pete doesn’t face a major loss financially. With attendance at Tropicana Field dismal in 2014, the need to act fast is becoming evident, the Tampa Bay Times pointed out.

Whether the Rays can get out of the deal with St. Petersburg remains unclear. It’s also unclear whether the Rays would even seek to stay in Tampa Bay if they were able to broker a deal that would end the obligation to play at Tropicana Field.

Even so, Hillsborough Commissioner Ken Hagan wants to send a message that Tampa Bay isn’t ready to give up on the Rays.

“The message we are looking to send to the Rays and Major League Baseball is that Hillsborough County is ready,” the Times quoted him as saying in reference to Wednesday’s vote.

Where do you think the Rays should play? Share your thoughts by commenting below!

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See Also:

• Tampa Bay Rays: Should St. Pete Let Go?
• Tampa By Rays Need New Stadium, MLB Says