Pinellas County may decide on Rays stadium bonds. Who are the swing votes?

For the third time, the Pinellas County Commission meets Tuesday to consider whether to go through with paying for its pledged portion of a stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Whatever the commission decides won’t be the end of the 17-year quest to keep Major League Baseball in town. It’s unclear what any outcome would mean for the deal to build a new $1.3 billion stadium next to the current one at Tropicana Field plus a surrounding village of residents, entertainment options and offices to be called the Historic Gas Plant District.

The Rays have said delays to get to this point have pushed the construction timetable back and driven up costs by an undisclosed amount team executives say they can no longer afford.

The commission could again delay a decision, perhaps sending all parties back to the negotiating table again after two years. Commissioners could decide against financing the county’s $312.5 million share, leaving open the possibility the Rays and its development partner Hines could move forward with Gas Plant plans without a stadium.

A yes vote would take one commissioner on a board with new members unfriendly to the financial terms of the deal to flip his vote. And even though the Rays think the votes are there, that doesn’t mean the team will play ball. Team representatives have said a funding gap still must be bridged, though terms agreed to by all parties in July left the Rays responsible for cost overruns.

Only the Rays have the power now to pull out of the agreements. One member of the St. Petersburg City Council, which approved bonds for its stadium costs earlier this month, said she saw it as calling the Rays’ bluff.

In favor of a deal — though unhappy with how the Rays have handled things as of late — are commission chairperson Kathleen Peters, vice chairperson Brian Scott and commissioner Rene Flowers. Vehemently against is newcomer Vince Nowicki, who has said he could be in favor of a delay.

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That leaves commissioners Chris Scherer, Dave Eggers and Chris Latvala, who each have expressed misgivings.

Chris Scherer

There may be traction for a delay with Scherer, who is new to the commission. Scherer, no fan of the deal’s financials, last week suggested delaying the bond vote for a third time.

The Rays must prove they’ve met several milestones on funding and designs for the project by March 31, or else they won’t be able to access any public funding through bonds. County Administrator Barry Burton emailed Rays president Matt Silverman to provide that information before Tuesday’s meeting.

Scherer wants the Rays to show that documentation before the commission votes on bonds.

Dave Eggers

Eggers was one of two no votes on the deal back in July. He disagrees with the Rays’ blaming of the commission for its financial problems and said he also wants proof the Rays will make good on their word.

“It’s really on them kind of to be moving this deal along, and maybe they can show us that’s what they’re doing,” he said.

But Eggers said he has kept an open mind, taking meetings with Burton, the Rays, St. Petersburg City Administrator Rob Gerdes and Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Chris Latvala

Latvala was the other no vote back in July. He also lead the charge to delay the first vote on the bonds back in October, which, purposefully or not, sent the whole process into a tailspin.

But perhaps Latvala is in a different place these days. He won’t say how he’ll vote, but he posted privately on his Facebook page that he spoke with Manfred.

“He is committed to keeping baseball in Tampa Bay. So am I,” Latvala posted.

Last week, he questioned what has changed since July or October to make him or Eggers have a change of heart.

Times staff writer Jack Evans contributed to this report.