Pinellas County commissioners voted again Tuesday night to delay a key vote on a deal to build a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium. Why it matters: Another delay means more uncertainty over a region-defining plan to transform the site of Tropicana Field into a new ballpark surrounded by a redeveloped Historic Gas Plant District.

Pinellas County Commissioners voted to again delay a measure to approve bonds that would help fund a new ballpark for the team.

Pinellas County commissioners voted 6-1 on Tuesday to again delay issuing bonds to fund the $312.5 million it already agreed to spend on a new $1.3 billion stadium in St. Petersburg. Rays principal owner Stu Sternberg has said the team could relocate if the deal doesn't go through as is.

Nowicki beat incumbent Charlie Justice, a stadium supporter and the lone commissioner who voted against delaying the bond vote in October. He told the Times he is a “solid no vote” and he thinks the Rays want to blame the deal falling apart on the commission’s delay.

The Pinellas County Commission could vote Tuesday on whether to approve a $312.5 million bond payment to help fund a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Commission agreed to hold a new discussion at the board’s next meeting on Dec. 17. The board determined that despite pleas from the Rays, waiting until then would not pose any problems or create additional delays because the appellate period for bond validation will not be over until January 14 anyway.

Where the Tampa Bay Rays play in the coming years has been a point of discussion in recent weeks, what with Hurricane Milton wreaking havoc on The Trop, the Rays needing to play in a minor-league park in 2025 and their move to a new ballpark for the 2028 season.

The Tampa Bay Rays said in a letter released Tuesday that the team has suspended work on a new $1.2 billion stadium in St. Petersburg, but say they'll "work with any willing partners" on a new deal. The letter came as the Pinellas County Commission voted 6-1 to postpone a $312.

By delaying the vote once again, the Commission will provide another month of research for its voting body — including the two new members sworn in earlier this week — but the