After two delays, Pinellas Commission approves Rays stadium bonds, keeping hope of major league baseball alive

Less than two weeks after St. Petersburg City Council revived what was thought to be a dead deal, Pinellas County Commissioners approved the bond resolution needed to move the Tampa Bay Rays stadium deal forward.

Commissioner Chris Latvala, considered a possible swing vote, voted in favor, noting he didn’t want Rays owner Stu Sternberg to reap the benefits of a deal in St. Petersburg if the Rays didn’t play there. While he voted “yes,” he said, “our fans and residents deserve a new owner.”

The resolution passed 5-2, with new Commissioners Vince Nowicki and Chris Scherer voting against the deal.

– Janelle Irwin, Florida Politics