Tampa Bay Rays Could Move To Pasco County

There's already news about the Tampa Bay Rays spring training. Now that we know there will be a 2022 Major League Baseball Season, it's time to start finding out what the Rays have in their future.

We already know there is a plan to try to move the team to Tampa's Ybor City district. We're now learning that there could also be a project that moves the team's spring training facility to Pasco County, and the state of Florida is already planning to toss in a $35 million check to get it rolling.

State legislators made the $35 million appropriation for a complex in Pasco County that would be used for spring training and youth baseball tournaments. The site that is being considered for this plan is north of State Road 54, about 2 1/2 miles west of the Suncoast Parkway.

The facility would have several full-sized practice fields in addition to a stadium with fan seating and lights. There would also be facilities for the team, training facilities, player housing and plenty of parking. Though the Rays have yet to comment, the complex would be built with the Rays as the main tenant.

The team's lease with their Spring training facility in Port Charlotte runs through 2028.
[Source: TampaBay.com]

The Tampa Sports Authority had researchers put together a new report on the financials of putting in a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays in Ybor City. Where would it be? How much would it cost? Who would pay for it? What about parking? Fortunately the Tampa Bay Times and Tampa Bay Business Journal did all the heavy lifting so I could create this nifty little recap. [Sources: TBBJ, Tampa Bay Times]