Today, the St. Petersburg City Council faced a last-minute addition to their agenda. In a 4 - 3 vote, they approved taking on the necessary debt to cover their $287.5 million share of the promised ~$600 million in public financing for the new Rays stadium. This decision has significant implications for the future of the stadium and the city.

The City Council's Stance on the Rays Stadium Funding

The Vote and Its Implications

After the last-minute addition to the agenda, the City Council's vote was a crucial moment. It put the responsibility for the stadium's fate on either the County or the Rays themselves. The County has a bond approval meeting scheduled for Dec 17, while the Rays have repeatedly expressed their inability to afford a new stadium but have not officially terminated the agreement. This situation creates uncertainty about the future of baseball in Pinellas County.The Rays' reasoning for their delay is clear - they want to retain the profits from any redevelopment at the Tropicana Field site. However, their inconsistent stance on affordability has left many questions unanswered. It remains to be seen if the Rays will ever play baseball in the county again.

The Role of the Mayor

Mayor Ken Welch took advantage of an existing vacancy on the Council to get a "yes" vote in favor of public funding. This move was strategic as it allowed the Council to take up the bond issue before the new City Council took office. Without this vote, the Council would have been deadlocked 4 - 4, making it difficult to move forward.

Stadium Opponents and Supporters

Stadium opponent Lisett Hanewicz was disappointed that the Rays did not attend the meeting. However, City Administrator Rob Gerdes discouraged their attendance, which may have been a wise decision considering the previous tensions.Among the Council members, those who voted yes have been consistent stadium supporters. Gina Driscoll, for example, emphasized the importance of the Rays to the community. On the other hand, Brandi Gabbard saw the "yes" vote as a way to "call the Rays' bluff," suggesting that it was in the city's best interest for the Rays to terminate the agreement.

The Next Steps

Now, all eyes are on the Pinellas County Commission. They have already seated their newly elected officials and will need to decide if they will put the onus on the Rays to legally end the new stadium agreement. Given the lack of financial viability, this seems to be the inevitable next step.The future of the Rays stadium remains uncertain, but this vote has set the stage for further discussions and decisions. It will be interesting to see how the County Commission and the Rays themselves respond to the situation.