A Jacksonville-based billionaire has been given the green light to move forward with the purchase of the Tampa Bay Rays, according to the Tampa Bay Times. On Monday, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told the news outlet that a group led by Dream Finders Homes CEO Patrick Zalupski was unanimously approved by team owners to purchase the Rays for about $1.7 billion.

Major League Baseball owners have unanimously approved the sale of the Tampa Bay Rays to a group led by real estate developer Patrick Zalupski.

After about one month of reports linking the future ownership of the Tampa Bay Rays to the billionaire behind a Jacksonville-based home construction company, The Athletic is reporting that the sale of the team could be completed by September.

Once the news began circulating, it was followed by plenty of speculation regarding the Rays’ future in Tampa Bay and the other Florida cities that could become the organization’s new host, with two cities standing out if the team were to leave the 813: Orlando and Jacksonville.

As the sale of the Tampa Bay Rays unfolds, get to know the Jacksonville-area billionaire who could be a part of turning around a franchise that lost its stadium to Hurricane Milton in 2024 and is consistently ranked at the bottom of any MLB attendance list.

The CEO of Dream Finders Homes, a Jacksonville-based homebuilder, is leading a group attempting to buy the Tampa Bay Rays, according to multiple reports.

The Tampa Bay Rays say they are in “exclusive discussions” with a Florida investment group for a potential sale of the team.