When the Rays and development partner Hines were selected to redevelop the Gas Plant District last year, elected officials and baseball fans across Tampa Bay had hoped it would end years of uncertainty surrounding the fate of the site and the team’s future in the region.

The Orlando Dreamers — a group of investors trying to bring a Major League Baseball team to Central Florida — are ready to pounce.

The Tampa Bay Rays are searching for a new home after hurricane damage to Tropicana Field, with Tampa and Orlando emerging as top contenders.