- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,129,325
- Reaction score
- 59
The Tampa Bay Rays made it two in a row when the Tampa City Council approved the preliminary financing plan that includes millions of public dollars for their new $2.3 billion stadium project.
That 4-3 vote Thursday followed agreement a day earlier by the Hillsborough County Commission, both setting the stage for negotiations on a final plan. There will be more votes on that in the coming months.
The vote came after a lengthy public hearing in which more than 50 people signed up to speak, many of them supporting the project and wearing Rays gear and others skeptical of using so much taxpayer money for it.
“I fault our elected officials. Our elected officials are giving away our money with no protection for us," said Maritza Astorquiza, chair of an advisory panel on the community where the stadium would be built.
Council members acknowledged the opposition but a majority decided it was best to continue discussions rather than rejecting the proposal at such an early stage.
“To me, the good far outweighs the bad as far as moving forward at this time," said council member Luis Viera. “This is not permanent. It’s a very, very big step. We’re not getting married today. We’re dating.”
Rays CEO Ken Babby repeatedly told council members the plan could change based on their concerns about use of tax money for a ballpark when there are many other needs.
"Today’s decision is about continuing to move forward. We recognize we have work to do," Babby said.
Council member Charlie Miranda said the revised plan must have changes in how the tax money is used.
"If you can’t do any better, we’ve got a problem," Miranda said.
The goal is to have the new ballpark ready for the 2029 season, with a 31,000-seat capacity. The Rays will continue to play at Tropicana Field across the bay in St. Petersburg until then, if the Tampa project comes to fruition. The proposal also envisions private investment for nearby restaurants, bars, retail and other development on a 128-acre site.
Under the plan, the county would pay about $796 million and the city’s tab would be $180 million from sales taxes and other revenue sources. The Rays, which are under new ownership, plan to cover half the stadium cost, about $1.27 billion plus any overruns. No new taxes would be imposed.
Hillsborough County would own the stadium and lease it to the Rays for an initial 35-year period, with options to extend to future years.
The proposal comes after a previous plan for a new ballpark and surrounding development in St. Petersburg fell through. After that, Hurricane Milton ripped the roof off Tropicana Field in 2024, forcing the Rays to play home games last year at Tampa’s small Steinbrenner Field, spring training home of the New York Yankees.
The domed ballpark nicknamed the Trop in St. Petersburg was repaired and the Rays are now back on the field they have called home since their inaugural 1998 season. They have been one of the top MLB teams so far this spring, with a (Rays record going to Thursday).
The new stadium would be built on the campus of Hillsborough College in Tampa, adjacent to Steinbrenner Field and across the street from Raymond James Stadium where the NFL’s Buccaneers play.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who played college baseball at Yale, has pledged to support the plan even though he has not always been a fan of public financing for sports stadiums.
The plan also calls for about $150 million in state funding to rebuild part of Hillsborough College and upgrade roads and other infrastructure. No state money would go to the stadium itself.
Curt Anderson is the Policy and Politics Reporter for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY at https://tallahassee.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Tampa Bay Rays stadium finance plan approved by city council
Continue reading...
That 4-3 vote Thursday followed agreement a day earlier by the Hillsborough County Commission, both setting the stage for negotiations on a final plan. There will be more votes on that in the coming months.
The vote came after a lengthy public hearing in which more than 50 people signed up to speak, many of them supporting the project and wearing Rays gear and others skeptical of using so much taxpayer money for it.
“I fault our elected officials. Our elected officials are giving away our money with no protection for us," said Maritza Astorquiza, chair of an advisory panel on the community where the stadium would be built.
Council members acknowledged the opposition but a majority decided it was best to continue discussions rather than rejecting the proposal at such an early stage.
“To me, the good far outweighs the bad as far as moving forward at this time," said council member Luis Viera. “This is not permanent. It’s a very, very big step. We’re not getting married today. We’re dating.”
Rays CEO Ken Babby repeatedly told council members the plan could change based on their concerns about use of tax money for a ballpark when there are many other needs.
"Today’s decision is about continuing to move forward. We recognize we have work to do," Babby said.
Council member Charlie Miranda said the revised plan must have changes in how the tax money is used.
"If you can’t do any better, we’ve got a problem," Miranda said.
The goal is to have the new ballpark ready for the 2029 season, with a 31,000-seat capacity. The Rays will continue to play at Tropicana Field across the bay in St. Petersburg until then, if the Tampa project comes to fruition. The proposal also envisions private investment for nearby restaurants, bars, retail and other development on a 128-acre site.
How much public money is involved?
Under the plan, the county would pay about $796 million and the city’s tab would be $180 million from sales taxes and other revenue sources. The Rays, which are under new ownership, plan to cover half the stadium cost, about $1.27 billion plus any overruns. No new taxes would be imposed.
Hillsborough County would own the stadium and lease it to the Rays for an initial 35-year period, with options to extend to future years.
The proposal comes after a previous plan for a new ballpark and surrounding development in St. Petersburg fell through. After that, Hurricane Milton ripped the roof off Tropicana Field in 2024, forcing the Rays to play home games last year at Tampa’s small Steinbrenner Field, spring training home of the New York Yankees.
The domed ballpark nicknamed the Trop in St. Petersburg was repaired and the Rays are now back on the field they have called home since their inaugural 1998 season. They have been one of the top MLB teams so far this spring, with a (Rays record going to Thursday).
Where would the new stadium be built?
The new stadium would be built on the campus of Hillsborough College in Tampa, adjacent to Steinbrenner Field and across the street from Raymond James Stadium where the NFL’s Buccaneers play.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who played college baseball at Yale, has pledged to support the plan even though he has not always been a fan of public financing for sports stadiums.
The plan also calls for about $150 million in state funding to rebuild part of Hillsborough College and upgrade roads and other infrastructure. No state money would go to the stadium itself.
Curt Anderson is the Policy and Politics Reporter for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY at https://tallahassee.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Tampa Bay Rays stadium finance plan approved by city council
Continue reading...
