St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman yesterday decided that he "doesn't have enough City Council votes to forge an agreement" that would allow the Rays to explore potential new ballpark sites on "both sides of the bay," according to a front-page piece by Stephen Nohlgren of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. Kriseman said that it "keeps the team playing at Tropicana Field into an indefinite future ... and prevents the city from developing the Trop's 85 acres." Kriseman: "We are at a standstill." Nohlgren notes Kriseman on Friday "had released a new proposal" to allow a region-wide ballpark search. It "revised a version the council had rejected 5-3 in December." Kriseman said that he had "hoped it would persuade at least two of the five negative votes to switch sides." But after "consulting with three key council members" yesterday, Kriseman "threw in the towel, saying the proposal lacked enough support to pass." Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg said, "It is disappointing not to be able to move forward cooperatively with St. Petersburg." Kriseman added, "I thought that would be enough for their approval -- for those who voted no. But apparently it's not enough" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 3/31). MLB.com's Bill Chastain noted with the latest proposal "off the table, the next move could be a workshop to create a proposal between the Rays and St. Petersburg that would work." However, plans for such a workshop "are only speculation at this point" (MLB.com, 3/30).
