Tampa Bay Rays appear to backtrack on stadium project threats

After alluding for nearly a month that the agreement to build a new ballpark in downtown St. Petersburg was nearly dead, the Tampa Bay Rays have stepped back on their threats and say the deal is still on.

In a letter sent Friday to the chairwoman of the Pinellas County Commission, the team writes that it has fulfilled all of its requirements and is just waiting for commissioners to approve bonds to move forward with its plans.

The letter is signed by team president Matt Silverman and addressed to Kathleen Peters, the commission’s chair. She had written the team last week giving it a Dec. 1 deadline to declare whether it planned to move forward with a July agreement for the $1.3 billion ballpark or walk away.