Tampa Bay Rays Officially Sold
The Tampa Bay Rays have officially changed hands in a $1.7 billion deal led by Jacksonville homebuilder Patric Zalupski. The new ownership group includes Bill Cosgrove, CEO of Union Home Mortgage; Rick Workman of Heartland Dental and Tampa Bay native Dan Doyle Jr., CEO of DEX Imaging. The Rays will return to Tropicana Field for the 2026 season and the lease to play at Tropicana Field has been extended through 2028 while the franchise’s future home is under consideration.
Tastes Pretty Good Unveils Five New Dining Concepts
The hospitality team behind Rocca and Streetlight Taco is launching five new concepts between Westshore and North Hyde Park: Carnivore Club, a 28-seat chef’s counter with wood-fired, dry-aged meats; White Wolf, a rustic Italian spot with handmade pasta and classics; Bar Spuntino, a rooftop for spritzes and small plates; Kingfish, a minimalist sushi and sake bar; and Oro, a Spanish-inspired destination for paella, tapas and imported cheeses.
Food Network Chef Geoffrey Zakarian is Coming to St. Pete
The acclaimed restaurateur and TV personality’s concept will anchor The Central, an Autograph Collection hotel by Marriott—St. Petersburg’s first four-star property. Zakarian Hospitality will also manage all food, beverage and hospitality services at the hotel.
St. Pete Gets New Pitch for Tropicana Field Site
Developer Casey Ellison and investor Cathie Wood have proposed a plan to buy and redevelop the land around Tropicana Field and the Historic Gas Plant District in St. Petersburg. The 17-year project would be carried out in four phases across more than 95 acres. If the Rays leave St. Pete, the plan calls for demolishing the stadium; if the team stays, the development can adapt accordingly. The finished project is expected to include a 4,000-seat indoor music hall, 1,543 new hotel rooms, the Woodson African American Museum of Florida, more than 1,900 affordable, workforce and senior housing units, and over 30% of the site dedicated to parks and open space.
World-Class Wellness, Sport and Longevity Space Coming to South Tampa
The Bath & Racquet House, a private members club by Jason Kuhn and Sidd Pagidipati, is set to break ground in 2026 near Kennedy and Dale Mabry. The club will feature six indoor and outdoor padel and pickleball courts, 18,000 square feet of programmable space, a full-service gym, and a luxury spa with thermal baths, saunas, and a medspa treatment salon. That’s not all—plans also include a sports bar, a golf experience lounge, indoor and outdoor event spaces, and a Life Extension Medical Center offering sleep studies, AI-powered wearable integration, and advanced diagnostics.
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