PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners has postponed a vote on funding for the new Tampa Bay Rays stadium. The decision to delay the vote until December 17th will allow commissioners more time to review public comments and address outstanding questions.
The proposed funding plan involves a $312.5 million investment in public financing, utilizing Tourist Development Tax revenue to pay off the debt. However, the use of these funds is restricted and cannot be used for other county projects or services.
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The stadium agreement between the County and the Rays does not specify a deadline for issuing bonds. The Rays must also fulfill several requirements, including providing an updated project budget and schedule, before the county is obligated to issue the bonds.
This delay will not impact the separate agreement between the City of St. Petersburg, the Rays, and their development partner, Hines Group, regarding the Gas Plant Redevelopment District.
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In other news, the Board of County Commissioners elected new leadership for 2025. Commissioner Brian Scott will serve as Chairman, and Commissioner Dave Eggers will be Vice-Chair. The board also welcomed two newly elected members, Commissioner Chris Scherer (District 1) and Commissioner Vince Nowicki (District 3).
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