It’s official: The Tampa Bay Rays have been sold to Jacksonville billionaire
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It’s official. The Tampa Bay Rays have been sold.
An ownership group led by 44-year-old billionaire Patrick Zalupski, CEO of Jacksonville-based Dream Finders Homes, has finalized the $1.7 billion purchase of the Major League Baseball franchise from longtime owner Stu Sternberg.
The transaction closed Tuesday following unanimous MLB approval last week.
“It’s an incredible honor to become the stewards of the Tampa Bay Rays, a franchise with a proud history and a bright future,” said Zalupski in a statement. “We are especially privileged to have been chosen by Stu Sternberg as his successors, and we’re all energized by the responsibility to serve Rays fans everywhere and this great game.
Commissioner Rob Manfred added, “Major League Baseball is pleased to welcome Patrick and his partners to the ownership ranks. Their collective experience and passion for the game will serve the Rays well as they enter this exciting new chapter."
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After months of renovating a former convenience store and fine-tuning recipes, the owners of Kitty’s House of Pizza are getting ready to welcome their first customers next month in St. Pete’s Central Oak Park neighborhood.
The pizzeria at 4059 5th Avenue North will serve scratch-made pies that owners Steve Garrahan and Kurt Drake hope will give nearby residents something to crave.
Garrahan and Drake, the founders of Bright Ice Scoop Shop, first announced the concept in December 2025. Since then, they have been developing a small menu built around familiar flavors with a few unexpected ingredients.
“We want the pizzas to be distinct, but we don’t want them to be weird for the sake of being weird,” Garrahan said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.
One of the owners’ favorites is the Golden Hour, which contains a creamy pepperoncini pepper white base with mozzarella, housemade sausage, red onions, pepperoncini rings, and roasted red peppers.