The Pinellas County Commission has voted to approve funding for its portion of the Tampa Bay Rays’ new stadium deal. Commissioner Chris Latvala, who initially opposed the stadium deal, cited his trust in Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred as a reason for his change of heart.
Latvala expressed hope that now that both the county and city have approved their respective bonds, it will force the Rays to build the new stadium in St. Petersburg or find investors who can. The commission’s approval comes after the team agreed to fund any cost overruns in the deal signed last summer.
The Rays have stated that the delays in bond votes have increased costs, pushing the completion date to 2029 – a year later than initially expected. However, county commissioners claim they have given the best possible deal to the team.
St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch released a statement saying the city will focus on repairs to Tropicana Field while continuing discussions with the Rays and other stakeholders to move the project forward. The team has also fulfilled the requirements for an MLB loan and provided evidence of their progress, including over $10 million spent on the project.
Source: https://www.fox13news.com/news/tampa-bay-rays-stadium-pinellas-commissioners-meet-again-discuss-funding