It looks like the Tampa Bay Rays are ready to begin looking around town at new stadium sites.  Rays' Owner Stuart Sternberg in a letter to St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster is requesting that the team and city amend the contract that keeps the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field through the 2027 season. 

St. Petersburg City Council member Steve Kornell said that St. Pete should have a shot at keeping the team before anyone else gets involved.

He also criticized the popular opinion of the Tampa side of the bay that the city of St. Petersburg was to blame for the Rays struggles in attendance.

"If Tampa is a better solution,'' Kornell said, "then why haven't I been able to watch a Bucs home game on TV for a couple of years?''

The current contract forbids the Rays from discussing any future stadium plans and/or sites with anyone, or else the city can sue the team or anyone who negoatiates the team on a new stadium site.

The Rays proposed amendment would allow them to discuss a new location with anyone within the Hillsborough or Pinellas County lines, but also allows the city of St. Petersburg veto power over any sort of deal.

Check out the full story here courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times.