The team’s presidents say the deal was halted after county commissioners delayed the bonds that would pay for their share of the stadium. TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays say the stadium deal is halted due to Pinellas County commissioners delaying bonds to pay for the county’s share of the deal.
In a letter written by Rays presidents Brian Auld and Matt Silverman, they say the county’s “failure to finalize the bonds last month ended the ability for a 2028 delivery of the ballpark. ” They go on to write that a 2029 ballpark delivery would be more costly, which the Rays cannot afford to finance alone. The letter comes hours before Pinellas County Commissioners were set to vote whether to adopt a resolution finalizing changes to local tourism taxes and issuing the bonds to fund its portion of the deal.
Auld and Silverman wrote that their architects, builders and consultants suspended work on the entire project, which includes the ballpark and the Historic Gas Plant District development. “There were dozens of people who were about to relocate to St. Petersburg along with their families.
There were large contracts with long lead times,” the letter reads. The Rays have spent more than $50 million already to bring the project to reality, according to the letter. “Now, that enormous investment of human and financial capital has been jeopardized by the county’s failure to live up to its July agreement,” the two wrote.
The vote that was supposed to take place Tuesday evening was already pushed back last month and criticized in recent weeks. Commissioners have balked at the Rays for not communicating with them about their plans for the 2025 season, and some were upset with the announcement that the team would play at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. County Commissioners Chair Kathleen Peters previously told 10 Tampa Bay that she would’ve preferred the team stayed in Pinellas “and the tourism dollars that will come with next season would go to Pinellas County.
” In the letter distributed Tuesday, Auld and Silverman said a ballpark in Pinellas County was considered for next season but it was determined that it wouldn’t be in a condition to host regular season games by Opening Day. “Although weather will be a challenge, we are very fortunate to be able to play the 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field and not be forced to leave the Tampa Bay region,” the letter read.
They also said they have been in regular communication with county commissioners and “at no point were we given any indication that the BOCC might choose to delay the supplemental bond resolution on Oct. 29. ” Commissioner-elect Vince Nowicki, who is set to be sworn in before the meeting, said he would vote against the deal and the money could be used to repair damaged beaches.
“I think it really needs to go back to the city of St Pete and be renegotiated. I always thought it was a terrible deal from day one. It really hurts the residents and the taxpayers of the city of St.
Pete, and you’ve had very few people really come up and say that,” he said. The presidents said they are ready to work on a new solution with “any and all willing partners” at the end of the letter. This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
