Tampa Bay Rays

Franco is accused of committing sexual and psychological abuse of the minor. The deadline to press charges was July 5, but Dominican Republic law allows a judge to grant an extra 10 days for prosecutors to present their conclusions.

St. Petersburg City Council members voted 5-3 to move forward with the plan to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District. A final vote is scheduled for July 11.

The deal to redevelop Tropicana Field into a mini city-within-a-city took one step closer to reality Wednesday. St. Petersburg City Council members appear to back the plan — with some revisions. Their first vote is Thursday.

Tampa Bay’s All-Star shortstop has not played since Aug. 12 while MLB continues its investigation into an alleged relationship with a minor.

The 30,000-seat stadium would include an open feel, including a pavilion, and is envisioned as a multi-purpose facility that could be used for concerts and festivals.

During a workshop with the Rays-Hines partnership, City Council members asked about affordable housing, jobs, a timeline and reconnecting the site with neighborhoods.

St. Petersburg City Council members will offer comment on a document that outlines how the Tropicana Field site will be redeveloped.

They center around a redeveloped site of Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, and a renovated stadium for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

This week on The Florida Roundup, we discuss Florida’s 6-week ban as it goes into effect, the latest on campus protests, the arrests at the University of Florida, a proposed stadium in St. Petersburg for the Tampa Bay Rays, negotiations between the city of Jacksonville and the NFL Jaguars over massive stadium renovations, and a roundup of environmental stories.

Comcast/Xfinity shut down Bally Sports Sun (channel 402) and Bally Sports Florida (channel 401) Wednesday. The cable company posted a disclaimer on the channels saying it couldn’t reach a programming agreement with Bally’s parent company Diamond Sports.

The taxpayer research institute identified two potential risks: one if the new stadium is built and one if it's not.

Franco, who has a $2 million salary this year, remained in his native Dominican Republic while authorities there investigate.