PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The chair of the Pinellas County Commission has responded to claims made last week by the Tampa Bay Rays that the county effectively killed a deal for a new baseball stadium.
In a letter sent and made public Monday by Chairwoman Kathleen Peters, she asked the team to put in writing whether they plan to move forward with the project or terminate the deal.
What You Need To Know
- Pinellas County Commission Chair Kathleen Peters sent letter to Rays Monday asking whether they plan to move forward with stadium deal
- Last week, the St. Pete City Commission decided to delay a vote on bonds to fund the redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site and reversed a move to fix the Trop
- BELOW: Read the Peters letter, along with Monday statements from Rays president and St. Petersurg mayor
- PREVIOUS STORY: 'This deal doesn't work anymore:' Rays future in St. Pete takes more hits with city council votes
- PREVIOUS STORY: Rays president says new park deal is dead; St. Pete Council then reverses course on Trop repairs
- BACKGROUND: Previous stories on the Rays stadium search
- WATCH In Depth: The future of the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg
The letter, which is posted in full below, also said: "The notion that it was the County that 'killed the deal' is categorically false."
Peters sent the letter to team officials Brian Auld and Matt Silverman and asked whether they wish to move ahead on the $1.3 billion stadium voted on in July. If the team doesn't, Peters said they should provide a notice of termination by Sunday, Dec. 1.
"Pinellas County has operated in good faith, working toward the stadium deal while balancing the needs of our community after back-to-back hurricanes," the letter said. "If the Rays want out of this agreement, it is your right to terminate the contract.
"Clear communication about your intentions will be critical to the next steps in this partnership."
Peters said no Rays representatives attended an Oct. 29 meeting in which the county delayed a decision on bonds for the stadium, and that while two team reps attended a Nov. 19 meeting, neither spoke.
"Nevertheless, two days later, President Auld spoke at the St. Petersburg City Council meeting making it clear that the current agreement is “dead” due to the Rays’s assumed omniscience about votes that have not been taken and indicated that the Rays were willing to negotiate something other than the current agreement," Peters said of a Nov. 21 St. Pete counci meeting.
You can listen to some of what Auld said at that meeting in this post to X, formerly Twitter:
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch released a statement Monday afternoon that said the city has asked for a written termination from the team. He said he supports Peters' letter.
"As I stated at last week’s St. Petersburg City Council and Budget, Finance and Taxation committee meetings, my conversations with each County Commissioner have been productive and promising," Welch said.
"However, Mr. Auld’s statements during the council meeting clearly stated that from the Rays’ perspective, there is “no deal,” and they do not intend to move forward under the terms of the new stadium agreements signed in July. The City has asked for a written termination, and I support County Commission Chair Peters’ request for clarity."
In a statement Monday in response to the Peters letter, Auld said: “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. As we always have, we will maintain contact with the city and county as we navigate our future.”
The Pinellas commission is scheduled to take their Rays bond vote on Dec. 17. The city of St. Petersburg scheduled its vote for now later than Jan. 9.