ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The future of the Tampa Bay Rays is most decidedly leaning towards its stadium search.

But there is an immediate future. And an immediate future that involves the ongoing Major League Baseball lockout. 

On the next To The Point Already Podcast, Spectrum Bay News 9's Rick Elmhorst and Roy De Jesus talk with longtime Rays Tampa Bay Times reporter Marc Topkin and Spectrum Sports 360's Chris Torello about the Tampa Bay Rays, their stadium search and the current state of MLB. 

Last month, MLB shot down the Ray's plan of splitting its seasons between the Bay area and Montreal. So if a Rays stadium is to rise at the preferred Ybor City site, the question remains...who's going to pay for it? 

"Who's gonna pay for it....everybody's gonna pay for it somehow," Topkin said. "The team is not going to pay for all of it, that's just not how it works. The city isn't going to pay for all of it, the county isn't going to pay for all of it. The state's not going to pay for all of it. But I think everybody is going to end up contributing. 

"Hotel tax, restaurant districting around the ball park. It's going to take a very complicated plan." 

Topkin added it's likely time to try and make it work in Tampa, saying "everybody has to want to make it work if they feel it's for the good of the area, there's a way to make it happen." 

ABOUT THE SHOW

Spectrum Bay News 9 anchor Rick Elmhorst sits down with the people that represent you, the people fighting for change and the people with fascinating stories to ask the hard questions.