TAMPA, Fla. — On Friday, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and County Commissioner Ken Hagan both said they’re open to starting negotiations with the team again, and that the land previously offered is still an option.
The last area Tampa pitched to the Tampa Bay Rays for a stadium to be built is now being developed as the GasWorx District near Ybor City.
“We’re going to do everything we can to keep the Rays here in Tampa Bay, preferably in the city of Tampa, under an agreement that is good for our community and good for baseball,” said Castor.
While at an event Friday, she said Major League Baseball leaders have consistently told her they want the team in Tampa Bay, and have every intention of keeping them there.
Castor says they’ll dust off Tampa’s proposal, but, “Any agreement to have the baseball stadium built here in the city of Tampa will have to be something that certainly takes our taxpayers dollars into consideration and has to be a plan that is good for our community.”
Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan, who says he started the “crusade” to bring the Rays to Tampa in January 2010, agrees with Castor.
“What I’ve said for 15 years, what’s paramount, is protecting the taxpayers, in any model that we base is going to be with that assumption up front. And what we’ve provided them with in the past, they were simply unwilling, or unable financially to make the deal work,” he said.
The last proposal presented to the Rays included a new stadium in the GasWorx district in Ybor City. Hagan says the city, county, and Tampa Sports Authority already met months ago to discuss moving forward, and they’re ready to hit the ground running.
“I hope that they can come to an understanding on repairing Tropicana Field as soon as possible so they have a home for the next few years, and then ultimately ends up selling the team to a local ownership group that’s willing and financially able to make the investment and commitment necessary for the team to remain here,” said Hagan.
Hagan says the land is still available right now, but if there is a change in ownership, and the new group is interested in other locations, they’ll be open to that as well.