Part 2/5:
The primary reason for this shift is a confluence of events, including political delays and the devastating impact of Hurricane Milton. Pinellas County, where the proposed stadium was to be built, was supposed to take a vote to approve $300 million in bonds to fund the project. However, the vote was delayed due to the hurricane, and by the time it was rescheduled, the political landscape had changed.
Two new county commissioners, who do not favor the project, were elected, shifting the vote from a slim yes to a slim no. Sternberg has expressed his frustration, stating that the county's failure to approve the bonds "upended our ballpark agreement" and sent a "clear message that we had lost the county as a partner."