Video above: Rays stadium deal in jeopardy, team tells Pinellas commissioners hours before delay of crucial vote

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — The Pinellas County Commission is seeking answers from the Tampa Bay Rays organization on its embattled stadium deal.

Commission Chair Kathleen Peters penned a letter to Rays Presidents Brian Alud and Matthew Silverman on Monday, urging them to officially “declare (their) intention” for the deal by Dec. 1.

Plans for the $1.3 billion ballpark remain in limbo after Pinellas County and City of St. Petersburg officials met last week to consider funding for a new stadium and hurricane damage repairs for the existing one.

The project’s fate largely remains in commissioners’ hands after they delayed a vote on whether to approve bonds to help pay for a new stadium. That vote will now take place at the Dec. 17 commission meeting.

A letter sent to the commission just hours before the scheduled vote last week brought the deal’s future into question. Alud and Silverman stated, “the county’s failure to finalize the bonds last month ended the ability for a 2028 delivery of the ballpark.”

Peters said the commission still has plenty of time to deliver on the bonds, should they choose to do so.

“This statement is contrary to the terms of the Agreement that provide for no specific timeframe for the County’s action on the bonds, but allow for required actions of the Rays PRIOR to the County’s obligation to offer bonds for sale to be accomplished as late as March 31, 2025,” Peters wrote.

Peters also responded to what she called “a fallacious statement” in the November 19 letter, in which the Rays presidents wrote, “A 2029 ballpark would result in significantly higher costs that we are not able to absorb alone.”

”The Agreement not only requires that the Rays pay all cost overruns as noted above, but also includes a date (negotiated by the Rays) that the Agreement cannot be terminated by the city and county unless the stadium project is not completed by February 1, 2030,” Peters wrote. “This date is after the 2029 baseball season and can be extended for certain unforeseen events.”

Peters maintained that the commission “has operated in good faith” after what looked to be a major setback for the deal. Tropicana Field sustained damage from Hurricane Milton that included its roof being torn off by the storm’s fierce winds. It is estimated that the damage would take over $55 million to repair.

Peters’ letter comes days after St. Petersburg City Council members changed their minds on whether to spend over $23 million to repair the hurricane-shredded roof, initially voting narrowly for approval, and changing course just hours later.

The repairs would not be finished until the 2026 season. The Rays will now play their 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the New York Yankees, located across the bay in Tampa.

Peters demanded the Rays say for certain whether they want out of the $1.3 billion deal.

“The Rays (StadCo.) must either indicate in writing that they intend to move forward under the Agreement as executed, or provide a clearer Notice of Termination … by no later than December 1, 2024,” Peters wrote.

The commission chair urged the organization to be clear about its intentions ahead of the Dec. 17 bond vote, should the project proceed.

“If the Rays want out of this agreement, it is your right to terminate the contract,” Peters wrote. “Clear communication about your intentions will be critical to the next steps in this partnership.”

The Rays have not responded to the letter as of this report.