Tampa Bay Rays are buying the Tampa Bay Rowdies, gaining control of Al Lang Stadium

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Tampa Bay Rays are buying the Tampa Bay Rowdies, gaining control of Al Lang Stadium

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https://www.wtsp.com/article/sports/the-tampa-bay-rays-are-buying-the-tampa-bay-rowdies-control-of-al-lang-stadium/67-599741826

The Tampa Bay Rays are buying the Tampa Bay Rowdies, control of Al Lang Stadium

The Rowdies play on the same waterfront site the Rays tried to build a new stadium on in 2008.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Rays are purchasing the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer club, as well as the team's control of Al Lang Stadium on the St. Petersburg waterfront.

St. Pete City Councilman Charlie Gerdes confirmed meeting with Rays president Brian Auld Monday afternoon.

He said Auld told council members the plan to purchase the Rowdies was a business decision independent of the Rays search for a new stadium site.

The Rays indicated they share many of the same sponsors with the Rowdies and the decision to purchase just made sense.

TIMELINE: 10 years of the Rays' Stadium Saga

This news is both sudden and unexpected and will stir endless rumors about the future of both teams.

The Tampa Bay Rays announced in February their preference for a stadium in Tampa's Ybor City over St. Petersburg. But funding appears tough to come by in cash-strapped Hillsborough County.

The Rays unveiled their plans for an $892 million stadium in Ybor City in July but refused to close the door on a new St. Petersburg stadium. The Rowdies currently play on the site of the Rays' failed 2008 stadium bid on the waterfront.

JULY: Don't yet count out St. Pete for possible new MLB stadium

10Investigates has reported how St. Petersburg and Pinellas County can likely offer the Rays significantly more construction money than Hillsborough County.

Calls to the Rays and Rowdies have not yet been returned, but the Rowdies had alerted media last week to a Tuesday morning press conference on an undisclosed topic.

"Mr. Edwards deserves much appreciation for remaking the Tampa Bay Rowdies and investing in Al Lang Stadium and our community," St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman said Monday. "Similarly, the Tampa Bay Rays' leadership has remade their baseball organization and placed considerable emphasis on community engagement. I am confident that this is a positive development for all parties, the great fans of both teams, and the City of St. Petersburg."

HILLSBOROUGH COMMISSION CANDIDATES: Where they stand on a new Rays stadium

Neither Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn nor Hillsborough Commissioner Ken Hagan was available Monday morning either.

10Investigates will continue to update this story.

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https://www.abcactionnews.com/sports/tampa-bay-rays-reportedly-buying-tampa-bay-rowdies?autoplay=true

Tampa Bay Rays reportedly buying Tampa Bay Rowdies

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/9kmhoi/the_rays_are_buying_the_rowdies_what_does_it_mean/

The Rays are buying the Rowdies. What does it mean for Tampa Bay? [Updated Info]

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https://www.tampabay.com/news/breaking/top-5-at-noon-rays-to-purchase-rowdies-gain-control-of-al-lang-stadium-florida-democrats-confident-at-halfway-point-as-gillum-rides-hill-in-polls-and-more-20181001/

Top 5 at noon: Rays to purchase Rowdies, gain control of Al Lang Stadium; Florida Democrats confident at halfway point as Gillum rides high in polls; and more

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https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rowdies/2018/10/01/tampa-bay-rays-to-purchase-rowdies-soccer-club/

The Rays are buying the Rowdies. What does it mean for Tampa Bay?

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/9khypf/rays_buy_rowdies/

Rays buy Rowdies??

Tomorrow's announcement....Rays buy Rowdies???

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/9kgq2n/official_bill_edwards_invites_you_to_join_him_for/

Official Official: "Bill Edwards invites you to join him for an important announcement regarding the Tampa Bay Rowdies" [Tuesday, 10/2, 10:30AM]

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https://twitter.com/UnusedSubsPod/status/1046762709944020994

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@UnusedSubsPod

The #BaselessRowdiesSpeculation will be over around this time tomorrow.

10:04 AM - 1 Oct 2018

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https://twitter.com/noahpransky/status/1046775067609305088

Noah Pransky - WTSP
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BREAKING: #10Investigates confirms @RaysBaseball purchasing @TampaBayRowdies. This gives #Rays control of not just the soccer team, but also Al Lang Stadium on #StPete's waterfront, which owner Stu Sternberg has always been a fan of: http://www.wtsp.com/sports/the-tampa-bay-rays-are-buying-the-tampa-bay-rowdies-control-of-al-lang-stadium/599741826 …
#SportsBiz #StPete

10:53 AM - 1 Oct 2018

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https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/954558

USL Reaches New Heights, Surges Past 2.5 Million Attendance

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/9kljvv/former_usf_phu_soccer_star_ben_sweat_joins_us/

Former USF, PHU soccer star Ben Sweat joins U.S. National Team

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https://www.tampabay.com/sports/usf-bulls/2018/10/01/former-usf-phu-soccer-star-ben-sweat-joins-u-s-national-team/

Former USF, PHU soccer star Ben Sweat joins U.S. national team

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CvmqRiwzY0

tampa bay rowdies

Rowdies' Favorite Candy

Tampa Bay Rowdies

Published on Oct 1, 2018

What sweet treats do the Rowdies like to eat? Find out in our latest feature!

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http://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/tampa-bay-rays-expected-to-buy-the-rowdies

Tampa Bay Rays expected to buy the Rowdies, Al Lang Stadium

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - Multiple sources who have spoken with Rays president Brian Auld confirm to Fox 13 that the team will announce on Tuesday that they are buying the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer team, along with their home field of Al Lang Stadium.

Speculation runs the gamut: Could they use it for a new stadium for themselves? For spring training? To leverage Hillsborough taxpayers into paying more for an Ybor site? Could they even sell the property to help fund a new stadium?

But St. Petersburg city councilors who were briefed by the Rays are taking the purchase at face value

"The ownership had a great interest in soccer," said councilor Gina Driscoll, whose district encompasses the stadium land. "A lot of owners out there own different sports teams, that it is a great way for them to diversify."

This is all coming as the team is now three months away from its deadline to finish its search in Hillsborough. The team needs to piece together $900 million for the Ybor site. Ron Christaldi is leading the effort to raise corporate commitments to show both the team and public officials investments in the Ybor site wouldn't go to waste.

"We have literally raised millions of dollars of new corporate funding for the Rays over time. We are very excited and remain very bullish on everything," he said. (We have) solid commitments."

Christaldi said the purchase of Al Lang and the Rowdies should comfort Rays fans, in that it represents a doubling down by the team, on the entire community.

"It lessens the likelihood that some out of state city is going to approach them and wow them off their feet and take them away," said Christaldi. "I am not aware of any of those discussions, but this seems to further eliminate those prospects."

Christaldi also said Auld told him the Rays are committed to keeping the Rowdies at Al Lang. The top member of the County Commission dealing with the Ybor plan, Ken Hagan, did not immediately respond to our request for comment on Tuesday's news conference.