The discussion surrounding the Tampa Bay Rays and their stadium situation is becoming increasingly complex, especially following the team’s recent confirmation that plans for a new stadium in St. Petersburg have fallen through. Team owner Stu Sternberg’s notification to Mayor Ken Welch marked the end of that initiative, and it’s left Rays fans pondering the future of their beloved team. Amidst this uncertainty, the conversation has shifted toward the possibility of relocating the team to Orlando, which has been gaining traction.
The Orlando Dreamers, a group pushing to bring Major League Baseball to Orlando, has been vocal about its ambitions. This past week, Barry Larkin, MLB Hall of Famer and the league’s ambassador for the Dreamers, shared some promising news. According to him, the Dreamers have found a significant anchor investor for the ownership group, along with a letter of intent that outlines substantial commitments for stadium financing. These developments are crucial as they lay the groundwork for what could potentially become a new chapter in Florida baseball.
An identified site for the proposed stadium sits strategically along International Drive, nestled between Sea World and the Orange County Convention Center, with preliminary renderings already making the rounds. But the pressing question remains: Could Orlando actually become a new home for the Rays?
For quite some time, fans have speculated about the potential for the Rays to make the move to Orlando. This is not just a pipe dream for some locals eager for a more convenient ballpark. Orlando’s burgeoning status as a tourist hotspot—thanks to its theme parks and convention activity—has many convinced that it could naturally accommodate another major entertainment venue. However, it’s essential to take a closer look at the demographics and market strengths of both areas before casting judgment.
When you stack up Orlando against Tampa Bay, the numbers are surprisingly similar. Both regions have comparably sized metro areas, with Tampa Bay slightly ahead at just over 3 million residents, contrasted with Orlando’s just under 3 million. Their demographics tell a similar story as well; both areas hover around a median household income of approximately $70,000. Tampa Bay does enjoy a larger media market, but any team based in Orlando would still likely capture a significant audience in the Tampa area. In fact, the Rays currently dominate the cable television landscape across Central and North Florida, a trend that would likely continue regardless of the team’s location along the I-4 corridor.
Traffic issues plague both metropolitan areas, with Tampa Bay facing challenges due to its bridges and Orlando’s main thoroughfares becoming congested during peak hours. However, Orlando’s progress in developing mass transit—such as the Sunrail commuter train—offers a slight edge over Tampa’s more limited options. That said, many residents remain far from these transit lines, which could hinder access.
One notable advantage Orlando, or more specifically, Orange County, has over Tampa Bay is the formidable hotel tax revenue generated within its borders. This income stream is crucial for the financing of sports venues and infrastructure. To give you a sense of scale, Pinellas County, home to St. Petersburg, collected around $100 million in hotel taxes recently, while Orange County’s revenue hit an impressive nearly $360 million for the same period. This significant flow of cash has the potential to finance a new baseball stadium, which could be a game changer in the search for a new home for the Rays.
However, the situation is complicated by how those hotel tax funds are allocated. State law dictates that revenue from hotel taxes must be used for “tourism purposes,” which can be open to interpretation. Each county designates a board to make decisions on spending, predominantly consisting of tourism industry representatives. Historically, this board has prioritized the renovation and expansion of the Orlando Convention Center over other projects like affordable housing or transit, despite greater pressing needs within the community.
In the past, the definition of “tourism purposes” was broadened to include professional sports venues—a move spurred by the desire to attract major sports franchises to Orlando. Still, county leaders have not shown enthusiasm for taking on financial obligations for new stadium projects, in addition to existing commitments for large-scale renovations of local sports venues.
For the Dreamers and the prospect of a Rays move to Orlando, the key question is whether there is sufficient political will to redirect future hotel tax revenues toward building a baseball stadium. While the group boasts a “letter of intent” for a billion dollars in private financing, clarity on who would back that funding remains murky, especially as the total project cost could soar to around $2 billion.
In sum, while the dream of relocating the Rays to Orlando has captured the imagination of many, there remain significant hurdles to clear before it becomes a reality. A commitment from Orange County towards this project, particularly in the form of hotel tax revenues, could prove indispensable in paving the way for a new era of baseball in Florida. Only time will tell if the Rays will find a new home or if they will continue to navigate the complexities of their current situation.
