Report: Welch open to extending Rays' lease at Trop

Why it matters: The club has to scout a viable site for a new ballpark, secure the funds needed for construction and allow enough time to build — all before its contract with Tropicana Field expires in 2028.

• That's not mentioning the heavy lifting needed to convince less-than-enthusiastic government officials on both sides of the Bay or the possibility of hurricanes, which derailed the last deal.

Driving the news: Welch has said he is open to discussions with the new ownership about extending the Rays' lease as long as it makes sense for the city and the county, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

• "The bones of the Trop are super strong, so once we get the electronics and the roof done, the Rays could be there for a decade," he added.

Yes, but: St. Petersburg's priority is the Historic Gas Plant District: "We've got another 60 acres to the east [of Tropicana Field]," Welch told the Journal. "We want to turn that from asphalt into some jobs and housing."

• Welch said the new owners need to rebuild a relationship with the city and said that while he's open to a lease extension, the city is moving forward with the Gas Plant redevelopment — with or without a stadium.

What's next: The new owners, who haven't remarked on the possibility of a lease extension, appear intent on building a new stadium by Opening Day 2029 — a timeline that is ambitious and may prove implausible.