The St. Petersburg City Council has voted to give the Rays permission to search for new ballpark sites on both sides of Tampa Bay.

The team has played since its inception at what now is called Tropicana Field in downtown St. Petersburg.

The 5-3 council vote gives the Rays three years to also explore possibilities on the east side of the bay where Tampa is located. They already have been examining potential sites for a new stadium in St. Petersburg or surrounding Pinellas County.