Rays Owner Stu Sternberg said "things are moving along" on a deal for a new ballpark in the Ybor City area of Tampa, according to a front-page piece by Marc Topkin of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. After the Rays "unveiled the fixed translucent roof design and hefty price" in July, the focus has "increased on how, and who, will pay" for the $892M project that includes a 28,216-seat ballpark the team hopes to open in '23. Sternberg said that it is "'going to be a combination obviously' of funding sources, with contributions from the team, corporate community and local governments." Sternberg: "We're obviously talking to Hillsborough (County), we're talking to the city of Tampa. We're trying to come up with solutions both obvious and creative, and out of the box, and in the box, and from the playbook and everything possible to try to give this thing the best chance of happening." Topkin noted Sternberg has "not said how much the team would contribute ... except that it would be 'well north'" of the $150M he first mentioned last November. The talks between the team, business and governmental leaders are being "conducted with a looming Dec. 31 deadline" for the Rays to "notify St. Petersburg officials if they will proceed with a pre-negotiated deal to leave Tropicana Field" before the '27 end of their original 30-year agreement (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 9/28).
