{"id":128678,"date":"2024-11-22T05:28:42","date_gmt":"2024-11-21T22:28:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=128678"},"modified":"2024-11-22T05:28:42","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T22:28:42","slug":"will-st-petersburg-officials-approve-rays-stadium-financing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=128678","title":{"rendered":"Will St. Petersburg officials approve Rays stadium financing?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p class=\"\">St. Petersburg City Council members could be in for a heated discussion Thursday afternoon: What was once seen as a routine vote on financing the city\u2019s portion of a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium and the surrounding redevelopment, known as the Historic Gas Plant District, has become more complicated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">On Tuesday, Pinellas County commissioners decided for a second time to delay a vote on financing their contribution to the $1.3 billion stadium project until Dec. 17. The election of two new commissioners, both stadium critics, mean the county likely lacks the votes to approve the bonds and would leave a $312.5 million hole in the plan for a ballpark.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Meanwhile, the Rays have publicly accused the county of upending the plan through its delays, and on Tuesday, team presidents Brian Auld and Matt Silverman wrote to the commissioners that the Rays have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/news\/pinellas\/2024\/11\/19\/rays-current-stadium-deal-halted-team-is-ready-work-new-solution\/\">stopped work on the entire stadium and redevelopment project<\/a> and can\u2019t move forward with the deal that the city and county approved in July.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">During a City Council committee meeting Thursday morning, Mayor Ken Welch told members that if all parties \u2014 the County Commission, City Council, Rays and development partner Hines \u2014 fulfill their obligations, \u201cthen this impactful 30-year plan can move forward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201cIf any of those partners do not, then the plan will not come to fruition,\u201d Welch said, adding that no additional funds are being requested.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Uncertainty remains about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/news\/st-petersburg\/2024\/11\/21\/could-rays-leave-tampa-bay-still-own-65-acres-gas-plant-land\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">what would happen to the 65 acres of land<\/a> surrounding the stadium site, which is slated to be sold to the Rays and Hines at a steep discount for redevelopment as the Historic Gas Plant District, should the stadium deal fall apart.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><i>Read on for updates ahead of and during Thursday\u2019s 1:30 p.m. City Council meeting:<\/i><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__body-image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><input type=\"hidden\" value=\"IRv2\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"lazy-container\" style=\"background-color:#f7f7f7\"><picture><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-mayor-ken-welch-looks-on-LZG7BNCRQ5EMNGEL3G4ZWL5D5M.jpg?auth=cd301d57ba0f9aa544be35448fd6e6d902f2e4f6dec2acfd3ee918decdb7f929&amp;width=480\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 481px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-mayor-ken-welch-looks-on-LZG7BNCRQ5EMNGEL3G4ZWL5D5M.jpg?auth=cd301d57ba0f9aa544be35448fd6e6d902f2e4f6dec2acfd3ee918decdb7f929&amp;width=620\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch looks on during a City Council meeting where council members in a 4-3 vote approved spending $23.7 million to repair the roof of Tropicana Field at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.They still must vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium Thursday.\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 620 466&quot;\/%3E\" style=\"transition:opacity 0.5s ease 0.5s;opacity:0\" title=\"St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch looks on during a City Council meeting where council members in a 4-3 vote approved spending $23.7 million to repair the roof of Tropicana Field at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.They still must vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium Thursday.\" itemprop=\"image\" width=\"620\" height=\"auto\"\/><meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-mayor-ken-welch-looks-on-LZG7BNCRQ5EMNGEL3G4ZWL5D5M.jpg?auth=cd301d57ba0f9aa544be35448fd6e6d902f2e4f6dec2acfd3ee918decdb7f929&amp;width=620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"466\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"description\" class=\"caption\">St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch looks on during a City Council meeting where council members in a 4-3 vote approved spending $23.7 million to repair the roof of Tropicana Field at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.They still must vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium Thursday.<!-- --> <span class=\"caption__credit\">[\u00a0DIRK SHADD  |  Times\u00a0]<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"\">4:40 p.m.: Welch urges approval of bonds<\/h2>\n<p class=\"\">The bond-approval portion of the meeting has arrived, with an introduction by Mayor Ken Welch urging council members to approve the financing plan. It would allow the city to pay its share, $287.5 million for the stadium plus $142 million for the Gas Plant\u2019s infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">For close observers, the speech would\u2019ve sounded familiar: It was the same one Welch gave this morning at a council subcommittee meeting. He again argued that approving the bonds \u201cmeets our obligations\u201d in the stadium deal, though as City Attorney Jackie Kovilaritch noted this morning, the city is not legally obligated to approve any bonds as a condition of the agreement reached in July.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fXDgxBh article start my-32\">\n<div class=\"fXDgxBh__content\">\n<div class=\"fXDgxBh__stage--start\">\n<h2 class=\"fXDgxBh__headline\">Spend your days with Hayes<\/h2>\n<p class=\"fXDgxBh__subheadline\">Subscribe to our free Stephinitely newsletter<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Columnist Stephanie Hayes will share thoughts, feelings and funny business with you every Monday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fXDgxBh__stage--finish\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 24 25\" class=\"fXDgxBh__success-icon\"><path d=\"M9.6 18.326L3.6 12.326L5.292 10.622L9.6 14.93L18.708 5.82205L20.4 7.52605L9.6 18.326ZM12 0.32605C10.4241 0.32605 8.86371 0.636439 7.4078 1.2395C5.95189 1.84255 4.62902 2.72647 3.51472 3.84077C1.26428 6.09121 0 9.14345 0 12.326C0 15.5086 1.26428 18.5609 3.51472 20.8113C4.62902 21.9256 5.95189 22.8095 7.4078 23.4126C8.86371 24.0157 10.4241 24.326 12 24.326C15.1826 24.326 18.2348 23.0618 20.4853 20.8113C22.7357 18.5609 24 15.5086 24 12.326C24 10.7502 23.6896 9.18976 23.0866 7.73385C22.4835 6.27794 21.5996 4.95507 20.4853 3.84077C19.371 2.72647 18.0481 1.84255 16.5922 1.2395C15.1363 0.636439 13.5759 0.32605 12 0.32605Z\"\/><\/svg><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"fXDgxBh__headline\">You\u2019re all signed\u00a0up!<\/h2>\n<p class=\"fXDgxBh__blurb\">Want more of our free, weekly newsletters\u00a0in\u00a0your\u00a0inbox?<!-- --> <strong>Let\u2019s\u00a0get\u00a0started.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/newsletters\/\" class=\"ui__button--call-to-action\" data-tbtevent=\"link\" data-tbtcategory=\"Newsletter Sign Up Form\" data-tbtlabel=\"{&quot;element&quot;:&quot;All newsletters link&quot;}\">Explore all your options<svg viewbox=\"0 0 19 19\" class=\"fXDgxBh__link-icon\"><path d=\"M18.2334 9.32605C18.2334 11.713 17.2852 14.0022 15.5974 15.69C13.9095 17.3778 11.6203 18.326 9.2334 18.326C8.0515 18.326 6.88118 18.0933 5.78925 17.641C4.69732 17.1887 3.70516 16.5257 2.86944 15.69C1.18161 14.0022 0.233398 11.713 0.233398 9.32605C0.233398 6.9391 1.18161 4.64992 2.86944 2.96209C4.55726 1.27426 6.84645 0.32605 9.2334 0.32605C10.4153 0.32605 11.5856 0.558842 12.6775 1.01113C13.7695 1.46343 14.7616 2.12636 15.5974 2.96209C16.4331 3.79782 17.096 4.78997 17.5483 5.8819C18.0006 6.97383 18.2334 8.14415 18.2334 9.32605ZM3.8334 10.226H11.0334L7.8834 13.376L9.1614 14.654L14.4894 9.32605L9.1614 3.99805L7.8834 5.27605L11.0334 8.42605H3.8334V10.226Z\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"\"><i>\u2014 Jack Evans<\/i><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__body-image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><input type=\"hidden\" value=\"IRv2\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"lazy-container\" style=\"background-color:#f7f7f7\"><picture><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-city-council-member-lisset-GXGLW4XIDBFN5EDQDCMSQP5JHM.jpg?auth=da36fe2403ceb4807d2556e0144c8f199543479c8c912dc7e9887245184ca203&amp;width=480\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 481px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-city-council-member-lisset-GXGLW4XIDBFN5EDQDCMSQP5JHM.jpg?auth=da36fe2403ceb4807d2556e0144c8f199543479c8c912dc7e9887245184ca203&amp;width=620\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"St. Petersburg City Council member Lisset Hanewicz, left, and City Council member Brandi Gabbard, right, as Tampa Bay Rays president Brian Auld, in center back to camera, addresses council during a city council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 620 439&quot;\/%3E\" style=\"transition:opacity 0.5s ease 0.5s;opacity:0\" title=\"St. Petersburg City Council member Lisset Hanewicz, left, and City Council member Brandi Gabbard, right, as Tampa Bay Rays president Brian Auld, in center back to camera, addresses council during a city council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.\" itemprop=\"image\" width=\"620\" height=\"auto\"\/><meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-city-council-member-lisset-GXGLW4XIDBFN5EDQDCMSQP5JHM.jpg?auth=da36fe2403ceb4807d2556e0144c8f199543479c8c912dc7e9887245184ca203&amp;width=620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"439\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"description\" class=\"caption\">St. Petersburg City Council member Lisset Hanewicz, left, and City Council member Brandi Gabbard, right, as Tampa Bay Rays president Brian Auld, in center back to camera, addresses council during a city council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.<!-- --> <span class=\"caption__credit\">[\u00a0DIRK SHADD  |  Times\u00a0]<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"\">4:15 p.m.: Council approves Trop roof spending<\/h2>\n<p class=\"\">Council members in a 4-3 vote approved spending $23.7 million to repair the roof of Tropicana Field.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Copley Gerdes, Brandi Gabbard, Gina Driscoll and Deborah Figgs-Sanders voted for the spending; Lisset Hanewicz, John Muhammad and Richie Floyd voted against it.The four members who favored the spending argued that, based on the city\u2019s landlord-tenant agreement with the Rays, they had no choice but to move forward. They also cited a desire to get the stadium\u2019s 4,000 full- and part-time employees back to work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Their decision came despite an effort put forth by Hanewicz to postpone the decision, which Floyd and Muhammad said they agreed with. Floyd said he believed the city could fulfill its obligations by beginning plans for a new roof without approving spending on materials, and Muhammad argued that it was \u201cbass-ackwards\u201d for the city to agree to spend tens of millions now even as the Rays signal a willingness to renegotiate the contract. All wanted to wait for more information on how much insurance and FEMA would reimburse.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201dI\u2019m voting based on what I have before me, and before me, I don\u2019t have enough information,\u201d Hanewicz said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">The two sides agreed on one thing: The future is uncertain \u2014 whether the Trop will be torn down in three years, whether the Rays will continue to play in St. Petersburg, what will happen in the rest of today\u2019s meeting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201dIf anyone can tell me what\u2019s going to happen in the next two hours,\u201d Figgs-Sanders said, \u201cI need a lotto ticket.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><i>\u2014 Jack Evans<\/i><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__body-image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><input type=\"hidden\" value=\"IRv2\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"lazy-container\" style=\"background-color:#f7f7f7\"><picture><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-city-council-member-richie-KFBRMFXA5BEYLLXXIYY4WRH7IM.jpg?auth=f047cad25e070afcc1ab8c10f63f48dbb801eb376c59cc36b57231bcf79aeb56&amp;width=480\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 481px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-city-council-member-richie-KFBRMFXA5BEYLLXXIYY4WRH7IM.jpg?auth=f047cad25e070afcc1ab8c10f63f48dbb801eb376c59cc36b57231bcf79aeb56&amp;width=620\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"St. Petersburg City Council member Richie Floyd during a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 620 444&quot;\/%3E\" style=\"transition:opacity 0.5s ease 0.5s;opacity:0\" title=\"St. Petersburg City Council member Richie Floyd during a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.\" itemprop=\"image\" width=\"620\" height=\"auto\"\/><meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-city-council-member-richie-KFBRMFXA5BEYLLXXIYY4WRH7IM.jpg?auth=f047cad25e070afcc1ab8c10f63f48dbb801eb376c59cc36b57231bcf79aeb56&amp;width=620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"444\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"description\" class=\"caption\">St. Petersburg City Council member Richie Floyd during a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.<!-- --> <span class=\"caption__credit\">[\u00a0DIRK SHADD  |  Times\u00a0]<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"\">3:45 p.m.: Talk of Trop repairs turns existential<\/h2>\n<p class=\"\">Discussions and votes explicitly concerning bond financing are still to come, but the Council is already getting to the heart of the matter: Is the deal for a new stadium dead?<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">That\u2019s where attention turned amid a conversation about whether council members should approve $23.7 million in city funding for a new roof on Tropicana Field.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">The city\u2019s administration says it\u2019s obligated to begin working on repairs under the terms of its stadium-use agreement with the Rays. But there are sore spots for commissioners: It\u2019s unclear what insurance and FEMA reimbursements would look like, and there are still questions about how long and how expensive the total repair process would be. Council member Richie Floyd asked about alternative paths and what the Rays want, and City Administrator Rob Gerdes alluded to negotiations between the city and team but said he wouldn\u2019t go into details or negotiate in public.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Then there\u2019s the issue of whether the Rays, given the instability of this summer\u2019s deal, will even stay in town long term.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201dI feel like we\u2019re judges, and here you are in divorce court,\u201d council member Lisset Hanewicz told city officials. \u201cWe have no clarity from the parties, none whatsoever, on these issues \u2026 The bonds that we\u2019re going to talk about later, this issue, it\u2019s all intermingled.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">At Hanewicz\u2019s request, Rays president Brian Auld spoke, saying he was sorry that the team\u2019s letter all but announcing the death of the deal was taken as a threat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201dOur intention was never to threaten,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was, in a straightforward way, to be the bearer of bad news.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">After Hurricane Milton, the team believed it could push through the damage to the Trop and keep on the path to inhabiting its dream stadium beginning in 2028, he said. But that changed when voters elected two new county commissioners critical of the stadium. And the process of repairing the Trop would likely be costlier and more time consuming than the city\u2019s projections suggest, he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201dI\u2019m very sorry. I wish things were fine,\u201d Auld said. \u201cI don\u2019t believe those county funds are coming, and that\u2019s pretty clear.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><i>\u2014 Jack Evans<\/i><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__body-image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><input type=\"hidden\" value=\"IRv2\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"lazy-container\" style=\"background-color:#f7f7f7\"><picture><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/tampa-bay-rays-president-brian-auld-left-L3IWBL5ELJCJVBV2NCAMQTXUPE.jpg?auth=c30d8d0f8da6e14b92be9a948f89403b61f829ee6ad333d4e311ff98140676eb&amp;width=480\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 481px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/tampa-bay-rays-president-brian-auld-left-L3IWBL5ELJCJVBV2NCAMQTXUPE.jpg?auth=c30d8d0f8da6e14b92be9a948f89403b61f829ee6ad333d4e311ff98140676eb&amp;width=620\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tampa Bay Rays president Brian Auld, left, talks with Executive Director for the Woodson African American Museum Terry Lipsey Scott, before a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 620 438&quot;\/%3E\" style=\"transition:opacity 0.5s ease 0.5s;opacity:0\" title=\"Tampa Bay Rays president Brian Auld, left, talks with Executive Director for the Woodson African American Museum Terry Lipsey Scott, before a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.\" itemprop=\"image\" width=\"620\" height=\"auto\"\/><meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/tampa-bay-rays-president-brian-auld-left-L3IWBL5ELJCJVBV2NCAMQTXUPE.jpg?auth=c30d8d0f8da6e14b92be9a948f89403b61f829ee6ad333d4e311ff98140676eb&amp;width=620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"438\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"description\" class=\"caption\">Tampa Bay Rays president Brian Auld, left, talks with Executive Director for the Woodson African American Museum Terry Lipsey Scott, before a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.<!-- --> <span class=\"caption__credit\">[\u00a0DIRK SHADD  |  Times\u00a0]<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"\">1:30 p.m.: Meeting underway<\/h2>\n<p class=\"\">The City Council meeting has begun.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">The eight-member Council is down one. Not in attendance is Ed Montanari, who represented District 3. He resigned earlier this month as part of his bid for a state House seat. Montanari was a yes vote in the Council\u2019s 5-3 approval of the stadium and redevelopment deal earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">All seven sitting members are here, including John Muhammad, who had been scheduled to speak at a food bank opening this afternoon but clarified this morning that he wouldn\u2019t miss the Council meeting.Among those in the crowd is Rays President Brian Auld. The team\u2019s other president, Matt Silverman, isn\u2019t in attendance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><i>\u2014 Jack Evans<\/i><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__body-image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><input type=\"hidden\" value=\"IRv2\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"lazy-container\" style=\"background-color:#f7f7f7\"><picture><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/copley-gerdes-looks-on-during-a-st-XHEMBF2H25AJBO7RHMIFSMH3IY.jpg?auth=2b93f8110228aeeed4382c5e4fc409be6b206157940b21ec1cb9ed026b5092a6&amp;width=480\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 481px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/copley-gerdes-looks-on-during-a-st-XHEMBF2H25AJBO7RHMIFSMH3IY.jpg?auth=2b93f8110228aeeed4382c5e4fc409be6b206157940b21ec1cb9ed026b5092a6&amp;width=620\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Copley Gerdes looks on during a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 620 471&quot;\/%3E\" style=\"transition:opacity 0.5s ease 0.5s;opacity:0\" title=\"Copley Gerdes looks on during a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.\" itemprop=\"image\" width=\"620\" height=\"auto\"\/><meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/copley-gerdes-looks-on-during-a-st-XHEMBF2H25AJBO7RHMIFSMH3IY.jpg?auth=2b93f8110228aeeed4382c5e4fc409be6b206157940b21ec1cb9ed026b5092a6&amp;width=620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"471\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"description\" class=\"caption\">Copley Gerdes looks on during a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.<!-- --> <span class=\"caption__credit\">[\u00a0DIRK SHADD  |  Times\u00a0]<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"h1\">Noon: Group opposed to stadium plan urges delay on bond vote<\/h2>\n<p class=\"\">About 10 members of No Home Run, an organized group fighting for better terms of the Tampa Bay Rays stadium deal, held a press conference on the steps of St. Petersburg City Hall. Speaking to the Rays presidents letter saying they cannot absorb the costs of opening a ballpark a year later in 2029, they urged the City Council to vote Thursday to delay issuing bonds that would help pay for a $1.3 billion stadium and roads and sewers for the planned Historic Gas Plant District.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201dIf it is true that the Rays won\u2019t pay the cost overruns, how can the City Council today go out and borrow money for a contract when we don\u2019t have a deal?\u201d asked Ron Diner, a retired Raymond James executive who leads No Home Run.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201dThis is no one\u2019s fault. We\u2019ve had two hurricanes that have caused the delays that are going to cause the cost to go up,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need to stop, step back and start over. And when that happens, we need a fair deal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><i>\u2014 Colleen Wright<\/i><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__body-image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><input type=\"hidden\" value=\"IRv2\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"lazy-container\" style=\"background-color:#f7f7f7\"><picture><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-chamber-of-commerce-FHUZL7HRUZDYLCT46KDM2UK5RE.jpg?auth=b6e5dc43eba6ca443b98eb40e039edc8b7577af12020cefcf0dd9dfa059da967&amp;width=480\"\/><source type=\"image\/jpg\" media=\"(max-width: 481px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-chamber-of-commerce-FHUZL7HRUZDYLCT46KDM2UK5RE.jpg?auth=b6e5dc43eba6ca443b98eb40e039edc8b7577af12020cefcf0dd9dfa059da967&amp;width=620\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce President &amp; CEO Chris Steinocher speaks during the open comments section during a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 620 769&quot;\/%3E\" style=\"transition:opacity 0.5s ease 0.5s;opacity:0\" title=\"St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce President &amp; CEO Chris Steinocher speaks during the open comments section during a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.\" itemprop=\"image\" width=\"620\" height=\"auto\"\/><meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/resizer\/v2\/st-petersburg-chamber-of-commerce-FHUZL7HRUZDYLCT46KDM2UK5RE.jpg?auth=b6e5dc43eba6ca443b98eb40e039edc8b7577af12020cefcf0dd9dfa059da967&amp;width=620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"620\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"769\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"description\" class=\"caption\">St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce President &amp; CEO Chris Steinocher speaks during the open comments section during a St. Petersburg City Council meeting where City Council will hold a vote on financing bonds for a new Rays stadium during the meeting at City Hall on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in St. Petersburg.<!-- --> <span class=\"caption__credit\">[\u00a0DIRK SHADD  |  Times\u00a0]<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"h1\">9:30 a.m. City Council members have questions going into Rays stadium vote<\/h2>\n<p class=\"\">ST. PETERSBURG \u2014 A Thursday morning discussion on the city\u2019s pending bonds to finance a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium and infrastructure in the surrounding Historic Gas Plant Development set the table for a likely heated debate when the full City Council holds a vote on the matter later in the afternoon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Council member Lisset Hanewicz, who is against the deal, slid back into her role as a former federal prosecutor. She confirmed with City Attorney Jackie Kovilaritch that the city is not legally obligated to approve any bonds, as they are not a condition to the agreements approved in July, and there is no deadline for either the city or the county to approve bonds by a certain date.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Hanewicz asked if the Rays wanted a penalty provision in the contract and what that would\u2019ve looked like. Kovilaritch said there was discussion that the team could seek monetary damages in the event that the City Council did not approve the bonds, but that never made it into the contract.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201cSo I just want to make sure that whatever they said in their letter in terms of commitment and all that, the reality is we don\u2019t have to approve bonds,\u201d Hanewicz said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Council members also had questions about what happens if they vote against the financing plan on Thursday. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/news\/st-petersburg\/2024\/11\/21\/city-council-member-has-questions-going-into-rays-stadium-vote\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><i>\u2014 Colleen Wright<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/news\/st-petersburg\/2024\/11\/21\/live-will-st-petersburg-officials-approve-rays-stadium-financing\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>St. Petersburg City Council members could be in for a heated discussion Thursday afternoon: What was once seen as a routine vote on financing the city\u2019s portion of a new &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=128678\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-128678","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=128678"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128678\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=128678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=128678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=128678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}