ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays should declare in writing whether they want to pursue an existing financing plan for a new $1.3 billion ballpark or walk away from the deal, a top county official says.
Kathleen Peters, chair of the Pinellas County Commission, said in a letter to top Rays executives that the county needs to know by Sunday ''whether you intend to see it come to fruition'' before the commission votes Dec. 17 on bonds to raise its share of the ballpark cost.
The letter came after the Rays said the plan was in jeopardy because a planned Oct. 29 vote on the bonds was delayed. The St. Petersburg City Council also delayed a vote on its share of the stadium financing bonds.
A complicating factor is the severe, costly damage done to Tropicana Field's roof by Hurricane Milton that has made it unusable.
''Pinellas County has operated in good faith, working toward the stadium deal while balancing the needs of our community after back-to-back hurricanes,'' Peters wrote. ''If the Rays want out of this agreement, it is your right to terminate the partnership. Clear communication about your intentions will be critical to the next steps in this partnership.''
Brian Auld, the Rays co-president, said in a statement Tuesday that the team is not giving up.
''We are eager to work with all partners on a solution for the 2029 season that keeps Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay for generations to come,'' Auld said. ''As we always have, we will maintain contact with the city and county as we navigate our future.''
The $1.3 billion, 30,000-seat stadium would be the first piece of a broader downtown renovation project known as the Historic Gas Plant District, named for a predominantly Black community that was moved out for Tropicana Field and a highway spur. It would include hotel, retail and restaurant space, affordable housing, a Black history museum and other development.
