The Rays’ ballpark proposal is “set to face definitive votes” over the next two days, as the Tampa City Council will vote Thursday, with the Hillsborough County Commission following Friday. At the “center of debate” will be the primary ballpark agreement (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/26). In Tampa, John Romano wrote the ballpark plan “carries risks.” It is “on such a rushed timetable that it involves far more unknowns than a multibillion-dollar deal should.” But despite that, “there are reasons this project may be better than your typical subsidized” ballpark. Romano: “Is it worth the investment? Is it worth the risk to Tampa and Hillsborough? … I think so.” Romano added Tampa “is far from perfect as a baseball market, but it can work under optimal circumstances.” Romano: “I don’t see a scenario where the Rays pack their bags and move somewhere else by 2029 if this stadium deal isn’t approved, but MLB’s patience with Tampa Bay is not endless” (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/26).
