Stadium moves from on deck circle as Rays sale goes final

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(The Center Square) – Patrick Zalupski, as expected, has closed the sale and is owner of the Tampa Rays.

Moving from the on deck circle into the batter's box is the issue of a stadium in which to play.

Zalupski, CEO of Dream Finders Homes with net worth estimated at $1.4 billion by Forbes, has shown intent to keep the club in the 813 area code. Tropicana Field was torn apart by Hurricane Milton in 2024 and the Rays played this year in the minor league facility of the rival New York Yankees.

Before the season began, the Rays said they would abandon a $6.5 billion stadium and downtown redevelopment deal in St. Petersburg that has been two years in the making. The St. Petersburg City Council voted to repair the roof in April at a cost of more than $55 million and have it ready for baseball by next season.

Under the existing stadium agreement between the Rays and the city, each year Tropicana Field remains unusable adds another year to the agreement that was originally to sunset in 2027. Now it's been pushed out to 2028.

The Trop has been the team’s home since 1998. Since then, failed plans for a new stadium have included downtown St. Petersburg (2023), Ybor City in Tampa (2018) and the Al Lang Stadium site in St. Pete (2007).