Even if the city of St. Petersburg is preparing to invest a lot of public money in the construction of a brand new stadium estimated at $1.3 billion, there is no question that the Rays will be renamed.
The team will continue to bear the name of the Tampa Bay Rays, even if it is the city and the taxpayers of St. Petersburg, Florida who will make the necessary efforts to provide the team with a brand new worthy home. of this name.
However, members of the municipal council and certain influential people who reside in St. Petersburg requested that the name of the city be permanently visible on the new structure and that it be mentioned regularly during the broadcast of the matches of the team.
In addition, it is proposed that the Rays have a game jersey used alternately and which would feature the city logo.
These conditions are not exaggerated considering the fact that it is the city of Tampa Bay which will continue to receive the most visibility despite the fact that it is St. Petersburg which will ensure to keep the team in the region.
Remember that the construction of a new stadium had become necessary due to the miserable conditions of the current Tropicana Field and that the city of Montreal was part of the discussions aimed at welcoming the Rays in the event of a move. Shared custody was even discussed at the time.
If all goes according to plan, the Rays could occupy their new stadium at the start of the 2028 season.
The use of public funds for the construction of sports infrastructure is a delicate subject and the city of St. Petersburg may not set a precedent in this area, as cities such as Phoenix, Kansas City and Alexandria, Virginia are currently being pulled over. ear for the realization of such projects.
For its part, Oklahoma City recently confirmed the injection of $850 million for the construction of a new arena to accommodate the Thunder, their basketball team playing in the NBA.
