Stuart Sternberg, principal owner of Tampa Bay Rays, says the plan to split the seasons between Florida and Montreal starting in 2028 will be the “only option” once her lease at Tropicana Field expires, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
“We’re approaching 2028 and you can’t snap your fingers and just point the stadium,” Sternberg told Topkin.
“It gets more difficult every year to get something done. This year certainly set things back, but luckily we have a strong group of people working for us and we have a very motivated group of people in Montreal who want us. And I think we have a plan that makes incredible sense. At least that’s what I do. And we’ll try to keep it up. “
The team’s lease at Tropicana Field expires after the 2027 season, and Sternberg said the team had not been approached by any local group about building a stadium and / or buying the team. His main focus remains on the division of campaigns with new open air stadiums in Montreal and in either St. Petersburg or Tampa. He calls this the “only option on my mind”.
Sternberg said there has been “tremendous strides” in efforts to bring MLB back to Montreal with stadium plans and business with the group in Canada, led by potential partner Stephen Bronfman. The project envisaged that for the first time since 2004, when the Expos were relocated to Washington as Nationals, baseball would be played in the Major League in Montreal.
“Not only have I been encouraged, I’ve been delighted with the way things are going up there,” he said.
And that’s a good thing, because as Sternberg says, it remains the club’s only option – for now.
“I’ll find out what the next step is at this point,” he replied when asked what happens if the proposal fails.
“But at the moment there is no plan B.”
