The Rays’ already uphill climb to get a $2.3 billion ballpark deal done in Tampa is facing further obstacles amid a deepening political rift between Mayor Jane Castor and the city council.
As the MLB club is attempting to win over a skeptical city council on public funding for the project, that legislative body declined to move a land use plan for the ballpark project to state authorities for review. Additionally, the city council removed a planned vote on a stadium funding proposal from its Aug. 20 agenda.
Those moves prompted Castor to go public with her frustration with the council…