Months after the future of baseball in Tampa Bay was bandied about as all but a done deal, the plan to keep the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg has been upended. A Pinellas County Commission vote on financing for the deal,

Hours before the meeting, the Tampa Bay Rays sent a letter to the Board of County Commissioners, blaming the delay on the county’s “failure to finalize” the bonds required to secure a 2028 stadium opening. The letter warned that pushing the vote would delay the opening to 2029, significantly increasing costs.

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.