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St. Pete city council approves new stadium funding
FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis reports that St. Petersburg city council members voted 4-3 to grant the Rays funding to build a new stadium in Pinellas County.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - On Thursday afternoon, St. Petersburg City Councilors voted 4-3 to approve bonds for the Tampa Bay Rays to build a new stadium in Pinellas County.
The crucial vote took place at a planned meeting of St. Pete city leaders, during which the city council planned to address repairs to Tropicana Field's roof, which was ripped off by Hurricane Milton in October.
Controversy surrounding ballpark construction
The deal approved in July to build a 30,000-seat domed stadium as part of a larger project to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District has hit roadblocks over the past two months.
The significant damage to the Trop, which will cost at least $55 million to repair, is among the major issues, as it forced the Rays to find a new home for the 2025 season. In November, the team selected Steinbrenner Field, across the bay in Tampa – a decision that upset some leaders in Pinellas County.
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Previous: Tropicana Field damage report
FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports on the City of St. Petersburg debate over whether to fund repairs to Tropicana Field after the stadium's roof was blown off during Hurricane Milton.
Rays vs. Pinellas County
Days later, the Rays told county commissioners that plans to build the new stadium are on hold because the county didn't finalize bonds in October. With the scheduled 2028 opening pushed back to at least 2029, the Major League Baseball franchise said it couldn't absorb the increased cost of construction.
Under the deal, the county was set to contribute $312.5 million to the project. Commissioners ultimately decided to delay a vote to approve bonds until Dec. 17.
In late November, Pinellas County Commission Chair Kathleen Peters sent a letter to the Rays giving the team a Dec. 1 deadline to decide whether to continue moving forward. Last Saturday, the Rays responded by saying they're committed to remaining in the region, writing in part, "when it comes to honoring the spirit of the new ballpark agreements, it is Pinellas County not the Rays that falls short."
County Commissioner Chris Latvala told FOX 13 earlier this week that the team's latest letter is "baffling," pointing to public statements from the Rays indicating the deal appears to be dead.
Where does the City of St. Pete stand?
St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch has been working to save the deal and keep the Rays in town, speaking with fellow city and county leaders in November as the public drama played out.
The city's portion of funding to keep the Rays has had its own share of twists and turns, however – the latest coming in late November when the city council approved funding to fix Tropicana Field's roof, only to walk it back hours later and delay that decision.
On Wednesday, Mayor Welch sent a statement to FOX 13 ahead of Thursday's city council meeting:
"While we continue to have discussions with the Hines-Rays team and the Pinellas County Commission, the City’s position remains the same – we are focused on meeting our contractual obligations and working with our partners toward a successful outcome for the redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District. This week, the St. Petersburg City Council will once again have the opportunity to vote to issue bonds to finance the project. It’s clear that the City is prepared to honor our part of the new agreements, signed in July, while we continue to wait for clarity from the Rays. I look forward to hearing the City Council’s discussion on Thursday and stand ready to support a clear path forward on this generational opportunity."
Thursday's meeting starts at 1:30 p.m.
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