PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — After two previous delays and weeks of uncertainty, Pinellas County Commissioners have approved the bonds necessary for the Tampa Bay Rays stadium deal. They did so in a 5-to-2 vote Tuesday night.
Commissioners Chris Latvala and Dave Eggers, who voted against the stadium deal in July, joined Commissioners René Flowers, Brian Scott, and Kathleen Peters in approving the bonds.
Latvala said he changed his vote after a productive meeting with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.
“While I do not trust [Rays owner Stu Sternberg], I trust Mr. Manfred. He is committed to this market," Latvala said. “I hope our vote today helps set the wheels in motion for a new owner and a new era of Tampa Bay Rays baseball.”
Latvala and other commissioners had questioned the Rays’ commitment to the deal after team leaders made conflicting comments over the past few weeks. First, they said the deal was dead. Then, they reversed course and said it was still "in effect."
Earlier this month, St. Petersburg City Council approved the city's portion of the stadium deal funding. Tuesday, the county commission followed suit with the 5-to-2 vote.
In a statement almost immediately after the vote, however, the Rays yet again cast doubt on the deal.
“It was unsurprising to see the Commissioners acknowledge how important the Tampa Bay Rays and our stadium development agreement are to this community and its citizens. As we have made clear, the County's delay has caused the ballpark's completion to slide into 2029. As a result, the cost of the project has increased significantly, and we cannot absorb this increase alone. When the County and City wish to engage, we remain ready to solve this funding gap together,” Tampa Bay Rays President Matt Silverman wrote in a statement.
The statement does not sit well with Commissioner Vince Nowicki, who voted against the bonds.
“They’re saying they can’t afford the stadium and can’t absorb the cost alone, and they need more money," he said.
Commissioners seemed to agree that more money will not come from Pinellas County's coffers. St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch previously said the city will not offer more public funds either.
“I’m just going to tell [the Rays] they need to do the best they can with what they’ve already gotten because I don’t have any more to give," said Commissioner René Flowers.
Commissioners also believe they had ever right to delay the vote until December and questioned the Rays' alleged cost overrun.
"Have you ever seen a 30-day delay result in a cost overrun that would been in the $100 million or $200 million range?" Latvala asked David Abrams, who's negotiated dozens of stadium deals and has served as the consultant for the county and city during the Rays stadium deal.
"No sir," Abrams answered. "No.”
Commissioner Kathleen Peters is optimistic there is a path forward with the Rays, But that path forward remains unclear.
Under the contract approved in July, the team is responsible for any cost overruns. As a result, Commissioner Brian Scott said the ball is now in the Rays' court to make the deal work.
“The monkey is now on their back, so we will see what transpires from here," he said.
Even though the county approved the bonds Tuesday, the bonds aren’t issued until Rays hit certain milestones. The contract could terminate if those milestones aren't met by March 31, 2025.
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