“They’re doing everything they can... for our fans”: Rays skipper Kevin Cash praised the front office following St. Petersburg City Council’s approval

Tampa Bay Rays are just one step away from getting approval for their dream project. On Thursday, the St. Petersburg City Council approved the Rays’ proposal to build a new $1.3 billion ballpark, a part of their $6.5 billion redevelopment of the Tropicana Field area.

They now await approval from the Pinellas County Commission, which is expected to vote on July 30, MLB.com reports.

The news couldn’t be more thrilling for Kevin Cash, a Tampa native, who’s managing the Rays since 2015. The two-time Manager of the Year (2020 and 2021) winner praised the owner Stuart Sternberg and the team associates for their hard work.

“There was a lot of excitement. I’m thrilled. And, you know, huge congrats to Stuart Sternberg, our owner, and his family. And then, Matt Silverman and Brian Auld have really led this charge the entire way.

“And congrats to St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay area. This is pretty cool. And fortunate that I get to work in my downtown and didn’t want to see that change. I mean, the thoughts and the ideas that they have now moving forward to probably continue to unveil some of them.

"I know that they’re doing everything they can this right way and make it just a great experience for our fans and teams. It should be pretty special. Just awesome news yesterday,” Cash said on MLB Network Radio.

If all goes smoothly and the Rays have their proposal cleared by the county, they’ll begin construction work in January 2025. It is expected to be done by 2028, ahead of Opening Day.

Rays’ owner has high hopes for the new multi-billion dollar project in Bay Area

During Wednesday’s pre-vote press conference at Tropicana Field, the club owner, Stuart Sternberg, showed optimism about the proposed multi-billion project. He hopes to attract new business and work opportunities for the locals. But more than anything, baseball will continue to entertain the Bay Area fans.

“We’re on the cusp of something happening that I’ve been, and our organization here has been, pushing for and trying to get done for 20 years now,” Sternberg said, per MLB.com.

“We’ve made a number of missteps over the years. We dust ourselves off; we come back again. Things change in life, things change around in markets and they change around in baseball. But as we’ve always been clear: We wanted to be here, and we want to be here to stay.”

Rays and their partner Hines released official statements after the St. Petersburg City Council's decision.

They’ll face their rivals, New York Yankees (58-40) on Friday at Yankee Stadium for a game series from Friday after the successful Midsummer Classic break.