Tampa Bay Rays respond to Pinellas commissioner’s letter on stadium deal

December 1, 2024

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — The President of the Tampa Bay Rays has sent a response letter to the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners following the letter to the baseball team last week.

On Nov. 25, Kathleen Peters, chair of the Pinellas County Commission, sent a letter to Rays officials saying the county needs a response from them by Dec. 1 on whether they intend to commit to a new $1.3 billion ballpark, or if they’re walking away from the deal.

Rays stadium deal up in the air, county asks for clarity on the deal

In the letter, Peters said, “In light of recent events, conversations and correspondence, it has become imperative that clarity be achieved as to the status of the Tampa Bay Rays Stadium Development and Funding Agreement. I am requesting that you officially declare your intention regarding this Agreement and whether you intend to see it come to fruition.”

On Saturday, Rays President Matt Silverman responded, claiming that commissioners made “inaccurate comments” regarding the new ballpark agreements. He argued that the decision to temporarily house the team in Tampa, is in fact consistent with the Non-Relocation Agreement, given that the hurricane damage forces them to look outside of Pinellas County.

Below is the entirety of the response letter sent by Silverman:

Dear Pinellas County Chairwoman Peters,
We are writing in response to your letter to Mr. Auld and myself dated November 25, 2024.

We disagree with the characterization of the conversation between Commissioner Scott and Brian Auld. The conversation primarily concerned the near-term challenges to our business given the damage to Tropicana Field as well as the dynamics related to the location of our home games in 2025. Brian Auld did not waver from our commitment to the new ballpark project.

In that regard, it is worth correcting certain inaccurate comments made by Commissioner Latvala that our decision to play at Steinbrenner Field is inconsistent with the spirt of our new ballpark agreements. The new Non-Relocation Agreement states that, in the event of a Force Majeure that requires a temporary relocation, the Team “must use commercially reasonable, diligent and good faith efforts to cause an alternate site at which Team Home Games are played pursuant to Section 2.2(c) to be located in Pinellas County, Florida in the first instance and if an alternate site is not available in Pinellas County, then Hillsborough County, Florida, in each case taking into account the availability therein of an alternate site with sufficient seating capacity that complies with MLB Rules and Regulations and the need to obtain MLB Approval to play at an alternate
site.” Our criteria and process for selecting Steinbrenner Field are fully consistent with the spirit of this agreement.

When it comes to honoring the spirit of the new ballpark agreements, it is Pinellas County not the Rays that falls short. At the November 19 meeting, Mr. Crowell indicated that when the Pinellas County Commission met in late October, he expected a simple up or down vote
on the supplemental bond resolution and did not expect any type of delay. The item had been reviewed without debate at a workshop five days earlier. It was supposed to be a simple administrative action.

While, as a technical matter, under the agreements, there are longer outside dates for a variety of conditions to be satisfied, the Rays have always made it clear that the viability of the project depended on having certainty about the project’s approval and funding prior to the 2024
November elections. The Rays were willing to advance the project for 2028 delivery knowing that Pinellas County’s final approval would take place before the elections. We would not have gone forward with the project if a future Pinellas County Commission had the ability to revoke
the approval we all celebrated in July or to unilaterally delay the project’s completion into 2029.

In response to your question regarding the status of the various agreements, they are in effect until a party terminates or outside dates are reached. The Rays have fulfilled its obligations to date and continue to wait for decisions and actions by the City of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County.

Matt Silverman, President, Tampa Bay Rays