St. Petersburg's Name Change Proposal for Tampa Bay Rays Faces Opposition
The St. Petersburg City Council has debated the possibility of changing the name of the Tampa Bay Rays to the St. Petersburg Rays to reflect the team's actual location. While some supporters argue that the city's investment in the new ballpark justifies the name change, the Rays oppose the idea, stating that their name is deliberately inclusive and changing it could jeopardize the entire $6.5 billion ballpark and downtown redevelopment project. The resolution adopted by the City Council directs the mayor's staff to prepare a report on the issue by January 4, considering other possibilities such as including St. Petersburg in the new ballpark's name or having players wear city-branded uniforms occasionally.
