Community Corner

Should Pinellas Trade the Rays for Tampa's Cruise Business?

A county commissioner has floated an idea that could benefit both Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, according to the Tampa Bay Times: Send the Rays across the bay in return for Tampa's cruise ship business.

Here's an interesting plot twist in the ongoing conversation about where the Tampa Bay Rays' next home should be.

Hillsborough County commissioner Victor Crist threw out this idea, according to the Tampa Bay Times: Send the Rays to Hillsborough County in exchange for Tampa's cruise ship business.

According to the Times, the newest cruise megaships are too large to squeeze under the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Hillsborough County is trying to figure out how to accommodate them, possibly with a new terminal outside Tampa.

Meanwhile, the Rays have proposed to move out of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, where they are currently contractually obligated to play through 2027. As reported in the Times, a coalition on the issue explored moving the team out of downtown St. Petersburg and into the Pinellas Gateway area or Hillsborough County, to prevent the Rays from leaving the Bay area entirely.

Is this closer to a win-win proposal for the two counties? Should Pinellas pursue a plan that would include losing the Rays if it meant a boost in tourism? Let us know what you think in the comments.


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