TAMPA, Fla. - The sale of the Tampa Bay Rays to a group led by a Jacksonville-based developer took a big step forward on Monday, with Major League Baseball owners unanimously approving the transfer of the franchise.

Monday's vote came days after the Rays said they expected the sale to Dream Finders Homes President and CEO Patrick Zalupski's group to be finalized in the next two weeks .

The backstory:

The $1.7 billion sale of the Rays has been in the works since June, when the current ownership group led by Stuart Sternberg entered exclusive talks with Zalupski's group.

The future of the Rays in the Tampa Bay area has been in question for years. A deal to build a new stadium in St. Pete appeared to be in place at one point, only for the team to pull out earlier this year citing

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