PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Officials with the Tampa Bay Rays have responded to the Pinellas County Commission Chairwoman Kathleen Peters’ question about whether the team plans to move forward with the stadium deal.

That’s after both the county and St. Petersburg voted to delay votes on bond funding for the stadium.

As part of a statement, Rays President Matt Silverman said in part, ”When it comes to honoring the spirit of the new ballpark agreements, it is Pinellas County, not the Rays, that falls short. The Rays have always depended on having certainty about the project’s approval and funding prior to the 2024 November elections.”

Silverman went on to say the team would not have agreed to the project had they known these delays were a possibility. But Silverman did say the team has fulfilled its obligations and is waiting for the county and St. Pete to make a decision.

Peters responded to the letter Saturday, saying she still wants to see the project come to fruition despite the recent back-and-forth with the Rays organization.

"While publicly the Rays organization has said ‘the deal is dead,’ their written statement is in contrast. 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," she said in a statement. "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 Pinellas County Commissioners are scheduled to vote on funding for the project on Dec. 17.