ST. PETERSBURG, Florida: The Tampa Bay Rays have decided not to move forward with a $1.3 billion plan to build a new stadium next to Tropicana Field. They cited damage from a hurricane and delays that likely made the project more expensive.

Team owner Stuart Sternberg said events in October, including severe damage to the Trop and financing delays, forced them to make this difficult decision. As a result, the Rays will play their home games this season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, which holds 11,000 seats. Meanwhile, repairs will be made to Tropicana Field, including a new roof, so that the team can return in 2026.

Major League Baseball (MLB) said it remains committed to finding a permanent home for the Rays in the Tampa Bay area. Commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledged the disappointment in St. Petersburg but promised to work with local officials to secure the team's future.

Tropicana Field has been the Rays' home since 1998. St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, who supported the "Here To Stay" plan to keep the team in the city for 30 more years, said the decision was disappointing but not surprising. He also mentioned the possibility of the team being sold and said the city would only work with a committed and community-focused ownership group.

Under their contract, the Rays will play at Tropicana Field for three more seasons after repairs. Their future beyond that remains unclear. MLB officials will use the upcoming season at Steinbrenner Field to assess fan interest and potential stadium locations.

The canceled stadium was a key part of a larger US$6.5 billion redevelopment project called the Historic Gas Plant District. The project aimed to revitalize an 86-acre area that was once home to a Black neighborhood displaced by Tropicana Field's construction. The plan included a Black History Museum, affordable housing, entertainment venues, offices, and retail spaces. However, with the stadium on hold, the broader project is now uncertain.

The Rays had until March 31 to decide on the stadium. The city and county had agreed to split the cost, with the Rays and their partner Hines covering the rest. However, a delay in the county's final vote last October increased costs beyond what the team could afford, leading to their withdrawal.