Sternberg said that the Rays will remain at Tropicana Field for at least the next four or five yearsGETTY IMAGES
Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg said that progress "continues to be made" on a new ballpark, adding that he "might be willing to pay more" of his own money if the venue lands a big naming-rights deal, according to Tom Jones of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. Sternberg noted the Mets' $25M-a-year deal for Citi Field, saying if his team gets $25M a year, he will "go halfsies." He also reiterated that a new ballpark would cost about $800M, but added that the price could increase "with each passing year." In November, Sternberg said that the Rays would chip in $150M, but said Thursday the number is just an "estimation." He added that financing is the "largest issue" for a new ballpark. Sternberg said that the team will remain at Tropicana Field "for at least the next four or five years." Jones notes the Rays and Hillsborough County have agreed on Ybor City as a preferred site for the new ballpark, but there is still "a long way to go before a shovel is put into the ground there, or anywhere." Sternberg, asked if he thought Hillsborough would help pay for the ballpark, said, "I'm not confident, I'm not certain, but I'm optimistic" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 3/30).
