Gov. Ron DeSantis touts Tampa Bay sports market amid Rays stadium drama

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed support for keeping the Tampa Bay Rays in the region despite a recent stadium deal falling through.
• DeSantis highlighted the success of other Tampa Bay sports teams, suggesting the Rays could draw similar interest with more wins.
• The governor spoke about a crackdown on illegal immigration through agreements between local and federal law enforcement.
• DeSantis announced the award of $2 million in grant funding to SeaPort Manatee for infrastructure improvements, citing its importance to Florida’s economy.

Following news that a deal to build a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays fell through, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis DeSantis praised the Tampa Bay region as a sports market and insinuated that winning championships puts more fans in seats.

The governor addressed news that the Tampa Bay Rays will not move forward on a deal for a new stadium $1.3 billion in St. Petersburg, state-level immigration law enforcement efforts and grant funding to support growth plans at SeaPort Manatee, during a news conference Friday in Palmetto.

DeSantis touted the Tampa Bay region as a sports market, and said the Rays could take cues from championship winning teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Lightning if they need to generate more interest in the team.

He did not comment negotiations between the team and Pinellas County, but supported efforts to keep Major League Baseball in the region. He said the matter is complicated by the high costs associated with a new stadium and damage caused by Hurricane Milton to the existing stadium, Tropicana Field.

This year the Rays are playing home games at Steinbrenner Field, the New York Yankees’ spring home, as a result.

More on the Rays situation: Will Tampa Bay Rays move without stadium deal? Will owner be forced to sell? What we know

More: Hurricane Milton displaced Tampa Bay Rays start spring training as MLB vagabonds

“I’m just hoping that it works out for the folks here in the Tampa Bay area, but certainly from a Florida perspective we need to have a Major League Baseball franchise in this part of the state,” DeSantis said. “We’re one of the fastest growing markets in the country, and it’s already a massive market. There’s no way that it can’t be successful, and they’ve made really good baseball decisions over the years compared to some of these other teams that have had more bloated payrolls. I think it definitely can work; they just have to figure out what that formula is.”

“When the Bucs do well, huge interest. When the Lightning do well, huge interest,” he said. “There’s no reason why the Rays can’t generate really big interest and really big support.”

Law enforcement is preparing to crack down on illegal immigration

Florida is preparing to crack down on illegal immigration following a recent agreement with the federal Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agreement allows local law enforcement officers who receive special training to enforce immigration laws.

All 67 sheriff’s offices in the Florida have signed the agreement, and DeSantis said local police departments would be next in line.

“Local police departments are now in the process of doing their agreement, so that they are going to be a part of the solution as well,” DeSantis said. “Then I directed immediately all of our state agencies, FDLE, Highway Patrol, Fish and Wildlife, State Guard to do similar agreements.”

“If you want to have enforcement of immigration law you have to have state and local involved,” he said. “If they’re not involved there just aren’t enough federal people to be able to make a meaningful difference.”

Grant funding brings big bucks to SeaPort Manatee

The state awarded $2 million to Seaport Manatee Port Authority from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund. The program designed to promote public infrastructure and workforce training across the state. The funds will be earmarked to rebuild and repave South Dock Street at the SeaPort and make additional infrastructure improvements like stormwater mitigation.

“This is the primary deep-water seaport in Southwest Florida,” DeSantis said. “It’s strategic location at the mouth of Tampa Bay and as the closest deep-water SeaPort to the Panama Canal allow it to handle 400 million gallons of transportation fuel, fruits and vegetables, appliances, construction materials and wood for distribution across southwest Florida and the entire southeastern United States.”

In case you missed it: DeSantis announces $9.5 million in funding to repair SeaPort Manatee

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“Beyond enhancing port efficiency, these upgrades will facilitate supporting an expansion for aerospace and automotive product manufacturer Honeywell,” DeSantis said. “This includes supporting Honeywell’s expected development of new businesses over the next five years including a cold storage warehouse, a fueling terminal and a manufacturing facility.”

It is the second recent influx of cash into SeaPort Manatee from the state. The port received $9.5 million from the state to mitigate costs associated with damage caused by hurricanes Helene and Milton last year, including berth repairs, dredging, infrastructure fortification and security needs.

“We need it,” DeSantis said. “This part of the state has grown significantly when you look at the Bradenton, Sarasota areas and even beyond as you get into Charlotte County… So this is really key to the state’s success going forward.”

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