Local leaders are pushing back against recent criticism from Tampa Bay Rays executives regarding the $1.3 billion stadium development agreement, with St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch leading the response to what he views as concerning public statements from the team.

On February 14, St. Petersburg and Pinellas County officials responded forcefully to accusations made by Rays presidents that local authorities had undermined the stadium deal. The previous day, during a team-sponsored radio show on WDAE-AM, Rays presidents Matt Silverman and Brian Auld claimed that delays in financing approval had effectively voided the agreement.

“We’re just asking them to keep their word and their promises to our community,” said Mayor Welch, expressing disappointment in the team’s public stance. “It’s unfortunate the Rays team continues to make these public statements indicating that they will not honor the agreement they signed six months ago.”

The dispute centers around several key issues. The county had sought clarity about where the team would play following Hurricane Milton’s damage to Tropicana Field’s roof. Meanwhile, the Rays presidents criticized the City Council for what they termed doing the “bare minimum” in facility repairs.

The situation is further complicated by shifting positions on stadium repairs. After Auld discouraged repair spending in November, calling it a “bad use of funds,” the team reversed course in January, requesting repairs be completed for the 2026 season. The team plans to temporarily relocate to Tampa’s Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ spring training facility, for the upcoming season.

County Commission chairperson Brian Scott, despite being a consistent supporter of the project, offered a sharp rebuke to the team’s complaints: “If you can’t make a deal work with $600 million in public funding, then you’ve got a business model that’s not sustainable. That’s not something that public dollars are going to fix.”

The original agreement, reached last summer, included:

• $600 million in public funding, primarily from tourist development taxes
• The team’s commitment to cover remaining costs and any overruns
• Partnership with Hines Development Group for surrounding commercial and residential development

City Council chairperson Copley Gerdes, a self-described Rays fan and strong supporter of the agreement, pointed out the council’s willingness to approve $24 million in roof repairs until Auld’s November intervention. “It was them who asked us to backtrack at the very beginning,” Gerdes noted. “If they don’t like it now, the Rays shouldn’t have communicated during that City Council meeting back in November that they didn’t want us to fix it all at once.”

While the city and county met their obligations by approving bonds in December, the Rays face a crucial deadline. The team must decide by March 31 whether to proceed with the deal or risk the entire stadium and redevelopment agreements unraveling.

The Rays declined to comment on these developments.

Follow the St. Pete-Clearwater Sun on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Google, & X

(Image credit: Tampa Bay Business Journal)

PIE-Sun.com: local St. Pete-Clearwater news