Tampa Bay Rays

The on-again, off-again quest to build a new baseball stadium as part of the massive Historic Gas Plant redevelopment is now in the hands of Pinellas County commissioners.

A judge in the Dominican Republic granted the delay at the request of prosecutors who said several key witnesses were absent.

The trial begins Thursday. He's been charged with sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking.

Tampa Bay's manager says playing at Steinbrenner Field a “fun, exciting, good challenge." The team is playing at the Yankees' spring training ballpark because of hurricane damage at Tropicana Field.

Tampa Bay will now open March 28 against Colorado. The one-day delay will allow the Rays to prepare their temporary Tampa home, where they will play because Tropicana Field is in disrepair.

The vote to allocate bonds to build a new stadium and pay for infrastructure around the proposed Tropicana Field redevelopment site means Pinellas County commissioners must come up with their part of the money for the current deal to still be valid.

Will the Rays ever play another game in St. Petersburg? One former sports executive said it's still up in the air. And there's always the allure of a better deal elsewhere.

In a response letter sent Friday, the Rays said the agreements to build the new $1.3 billion stadium are in effect until one of the parties involved backs out or deadlines are reached.

The county commission sent the team a letter seeking a written answer. The Rays had said the deal was in jeopardy because a planned Oct. 29 vote on the bonds was delayed.

Tampa Bay is scheduled to play 19 of its first 22 games at home and 37 of 54 through May 28, then play 64 of its last 108 games on the road. The Rays are home for eight games each in July and August.

It was essentially buried after St. Petersburg City Council members delayed a vote on allocating bonds for the new stadium — and nixed paying for a new roof for storm-damaged Tropicana Field.

After delays in voting to approve financing bonds for the new ballpark, Commissioner Rob Manfred said there has been no thought to allowing the team to explore a relocation.