ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — In a significant decision made on Tuesday, the Pinellas County Commission approved its financial contribution toward the construction of a new $1.3 billion ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays. This vote comes after nearly two months of delays and is a key component of a strategy designed to retain the baseball team in St. Petersburg for an additional 30 years.
The initiative, branded as “Here To Stay,” received preliminary endorsements from both the county commission and St. Petersburg officials earlier this summer. However, the discussions around funding the project have been contentious, leading to postponed votes until now. Earlier this month, the St. Petersburg City Council also committed its share of the necessary bonds for the 30,000-seat stadium.
The Pinellas County Commission voted 5-2 in favor of issuing bonds supported by tourism-related taxes, which cannot be utilized for purposes like hurricane recovery efforts. Together, the city and county will contribute approximately half of the total cost of the stadium, with the Rays expected to finance the remaining expenses, including any budget overruns.
During a recent meeting, City Council Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders emphasized the commitment to follow through on their promises, saying, “We said we were going to do this. We’re doing it. Now what you got?” The approved bond financing from the county amounts to around $312.5 million.
Recently, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred met with skeptics among the county commissioners to emphasize the importance of this project and the MLB’s desire to keep the team in the Tampa Bay area. Pinellas County Commissioner Chris Latvala said, “Rob Manfred is the reason I am voting yes on this today.”
This proposal concludes years of uncertainty surrounding the Rays’ future, which raised possibilities of relocating to Tampa, Nashville, or even the consideration of splitting games between St. Petersburg and Montreal—a concept that Major League Baseball ultimately rejected.
As part of the deal, the Rays agree to remain in St. Petersburg for the next 30 years. They will play the current season at Steinbrenner Field, the New York Yankees’ spring training site, due to hurricane damage sustained by Tropicana Field. However, the team has raised concerns that costs for the new stadium will likely increase, postponing its expected opening from 2028 to 2029, leading to potential financial negotiations ahead.
Matt Silverman, co-president of the Rays, noted in a statement following the county’s decision that the team “cannot absorb this increase alone” and expressed readiness for further discussions. “When the county and city wish to engage, we remain ready to solve this funding gap together,” he added.
The planned stadium is a focal point within a larger $6.5 billion redevelopment project known as the Historic Gas Plant District. This initiative seeks to revitalize an area that was predominantly inhabited by the Black community, which was displaced by the construction of Tropicana Field and an interstate highway spur. Supporters believe that this project has the potential to transform an 86-acre site in downtown St. Petersburg, introducing a Black history museum, affordable housing, entertainment venues, office and retail spaces, along with creating thousands of job opportunities.
“This is much, much bigger than a stadium,” stated Pinellas County Commission Chair Kathleen Peters during a meeting in November. “It’s about the investment we can make and the return on that investment that can guarantee we can keep our taxes low.”
