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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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Mayor Buckhorn says Rays will remain Tampa Bay’s team

Posted Jul 20, 2012 by Roger Mooney

Updated Jul 20, 2012 at 06:08 PM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, at Tropicana Field this afternoon to tape his weekly show. ‘The Mayor’s Hour,’ took some swing in the batting cage before taping interviews for the show.

When asked if he’d like to someday take swings in a major league stadium across the bay in Tampa, he replied, “Well, you know I’d be the first one in line if that were the case. Sure, it would be a great honor to take batting practice at a Rays facility in Tampa, but until that day comes the Rays and St. Pete have to resolve their differences, and if they can’t, we will be ready.”

When asked if there was anything new on the stadium issue, Mayor Buckhorn replied, “I think a lot of people care about what happens, and a lot people understand that the Rays are a regional asset. We want them to remain the Tampa Bay Rays. We’re not going to let that team go to Charlotte or go to Las Vegas or go anywhere else. That is our team, and we intend to keep it our team, and however that works out, wherever it works out has yet to be determined. But as far as I’m concerned we’re going to do everything that we have to do to protect the viability of this franchise, whether it’s in St. Petersburg or whether it’s in Tampa.”