The Tampa Bay Rays are telling the Pinellas County Commission that the deals they reached for a new $1.3 billion stadium will remain in place — for now.
Commission Chair Kathleen Peters sent a letter to the team stating they needed to say whether they were going to build the stadium or back out by Sunday, Dec. 1.
In a response letter sent Friday, the Rays said the agreements are in effect until one of the parties involved backs out or deadlines are reached.
"The Rays have fulfilled its obligations to date and continue to wait for decisions and actions by the City of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County," the letter signed by team president Matt Silverman said.
The Commission delayed a planned Oct. 29 vote on bonds to raise its share of the ballpark cost, leading the Rays to say the plan was in jeopardy.
The Commission then pushed a Nov. 19 vote back, in part to allow two newly elected commissioners time to review the agreement. Both ran on platforms opposing the new stadium.
The St. Petersburg City Council delayed its vote on its share of the bonds over similar concerns, as two new members opposed to the deal will take their seats in January.
The Council also voted to delay its decision on spending more than $23 million to repair the Tropicana Field roof, which was damaged by Hurricane Milton.
In their letter to the commission, the Rays said they would not have gone forward with the deal if they knew future commissions would have the ability to revoke the approval or delay the project into 2029.
The Tampa Bay Times reports Peters responded to the Rays Saturday afternoon.
“While publicly the Rays organization has said ‘the deal is dead,’ their written statement is in contrast,” she said in a statement. “Despite the Rays’ lack of political prowess of late, I’ve always been optimistic about this project because of the great economic impact it could bring to our county.
"To continue to keep taxes low for residents, we need to develop new funding streams. I look forward to continued discussion with my colleagues about how this stadium can do just that, while solidifying Pinellas as a diverse tourist destination.”
The Rays have said those delays are adding costs to the plan that they're not able to cover. The arrangement to build the new park said the team would be responsible for any additional costs.
The park is the centerpiece of the $6.5 billion redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District — a mixed-use collection of office and retail space, green space, a concert venue, and affordable housing. If the deal falls through without the Rays issuing an official termination letter, the team will be able to keep the 65 acres in the district.
The Rays also took issue with what they call "inaccurate statements" made by Commissioner Chris Latvala criticizing the team's plan to play its 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
Latvala has said the arrangement takes tourist funds out of Pinellas County that could have paid for the new stadium.
The Rays said the new agreement allows for Hillsborough County to be their second choice for an alternate stadium.
The team is playing its 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa after Hurricane Milton damaged Tropicana Field's roof.
