ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A group of Tampa Bay Rays minority owners have filed a lawsuit against principal owner Stu Sternberg.
The suit alleges he has been in talks with Canadian investors since 2014 without the knowledge of the other owners.
What You Need To Know
- Group of Tampa Bay Rays minority owners file lawsuit against Stu Sternberg
- Sternberg is Rays principal owner
- RELATED: St. Pete mayor set to reveal his short list of Tropicana Field development proposals
Sternberg introduced the idea of a Rays “split-season” between St. Pete and Montreal at a June 2019 news conference.
The group accuses Sternberg of depriving the minority owners of their profits from the team while simultaneously requiring them to pay taxes on that would-be income.
The suit requests a jury trial and damages, among other items.
According to Bay News 9’s partner newspaper the Tampa Bay Times, the suit was filed by Robert Kleinert, Gary Markel, Stephen M. Waters and a trust bearing his name, and the MacDougald Family Limited Partnership, LLLP. Collectively, they own just under 9.6 percent of the team, according to the lawsuit.
St Pete mayor Rick Kriseman addressed the suit in a tweet, calling quote "very concerning" and that the city will be looking into whether Sternberg violated a use agreement by secretly discussing a move to Montreal.
Kriseman goes on to say Sternberg, whose ownership is at 85 percent, should consider giving up control of the organization.
The team released a statement Tuesday afternoon reading: