Following Hurricane Milton, the Rays claimed they could not afford construction delays, which led to political infighting. The team faced a March 31 deadline to show they could come up with their $700 million obligation for the new ballpark. Now, for all intents and purposes, it is back to the drawing board. There is no new stadium in the works.

In the wake of the Tampa Bay Rays’ announcement that they won’t move forward with the current stadium deal in St. Petersburg, many elected officials around the bay echoed the same response: disappointment. Others lambasted what they considered a bad deal for taxpayers from the start.

Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg said the team will not meet the deadline to move forward on a new stadium. Here's what it means for the team's future.