St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman believes time is "running out for the Rays if they want to build" a new ballpark in his city, according to Josh Solomon of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. St. Petersburg gave the team a three-year window to "explore its options in Tampa," but that "window closed at the new year without a deal because of the lack of financing." Pinellas County has "earmarked a boatload of tourism dollars" for a new Rays ballpark, but Kriseman "fears it won't be there forever." He said, "I don't truthfully think we have another year of indecision. That's a significant source of revenue, it's a significant amount that will help get the stadium built. And if that goes away, it makes it very difficult -- not impossible -- but certainly very difficult to get a stadium done." Kriseman added that he "impressed that urgency upon Rays leadership at a recent meeting," his first with the team since the Tampa window closed. Kriseman also said that he is "confident that if the team does approach the city" about a new ballpark, they could "work out a deal." Kriseman on the proposal to split the team between St. Petersburg and Montreal said that he would "never let that happen while the Rays are under contract" in St. Petersburg (TAMPABAY.com, 3/6).
