Sunday, word crept out in the St. Petersburg Times that Stu Sternberg, owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, was seeking time to talk face-to-face with St. Pete Mayor Bill Foster, which was to be the first face-to-face meeting between the two since this spring ... with a "social visit" the reason for the meeting.
But late Sunday, the Rays announced that Sternberg would speak at a news conference at 12:15 p.m Monday to discuss the team's future...
And the obvious discussion point is going to be what the Rays want in a stadium.
A flash point in the Tampa Bay region is about the Rays stadium issue. Some Rays fans and St. Pete residents see nothing wrong with Tropicana Field as-is. Other Bay area residents (as well as those attuned to the venue's aesthetic failings) are more willing to concede stadium issues and the need for an open dialog with the team about a new venue.
This will be an ongoing issue for the foreseeable future, and we'll try to keep you caught up