St. Petersburg mayor has spoken with investors interested in buying Rays

The mayor says that the city will work with whoever owns the team to move forward with the agreed upon ballpark and that Gas Plant redevelopment remains a priority.

By Louis Llovio
| 4:25 p.m. March 10, 2025
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The Tampa Bay Rays have done well on the field though questions linger on where it will play if a new stadium is not built.

Tampa Bay-Lakeland

St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth Welch says he has spoken to several investors interested in keeping the Tampa Bay Rays in the city and vows the redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District will continue with or without the team.

Welch made his position clear Monday in statement responding to a report from The Athletic, a prominent sports publication, saying Major League Baseball and its owners want the Ray’s current owner Stuart Sternberg to sell the team.

In the statement, Welch says he and other local leaders have “had conversations with various individuals who are interested in keeping the Rays in St. Petersburg” about the future of the team and a desire to keep it local.