Separate from the stadium deal between the city, county and Rays is another deal between the city and team involving $6.5 billion worth of redevelopment of the surrounding land at the Tropicana Field site. As long as the Rays uphold their end of the stadium deal, they retain control of the land in the redevelopment deal.

The Tampa Bay Rays' future in St. Petersburg remains in doubt, as team leadership and Pinellas County commissioners are at odds over the plans for a new stadium.

Commission last week, Tampa Bay Rays ownership said in a letter Monday that its deal to build a new $1.3 billion ballpark is still "in effect."

The Tampa Bay Rays sent a response letter to the Pinellas County Commission on Friday, giving a little more information on the future of the new stadium deal.

The President of the Tampa Bay Rays has sent a response letter to the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners following the letter to the baseball team last week.

According to the agreement approved by the County Commission and the City Council in separate votes taken in July, there is no deadline for the bonds to be approved. The Rays are responsible for paying $700 million for the stadium, plus all cost overruns for the new stadium and Gas Plant District.

Rays President Matt Silverman took issue with some of the statements made by elected officials in the weeks after the stadium deal was thrown into limbo.