The Tampa City Council voted 4-3 on Thursday, Oct. 29, to approve a mandatory $21 million community benefits package tied to the construction of a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium.
The $21 million represents Tampa’s 35% share of a $60 million package negotiated as part of the stadium financing agreement. The remaining $39 million goes to Hillsborough County, and the full amount is to be paid out over 35 years. The agreement covers a planned stadium and entertainment district on the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough College.
The first $4.2 million for Tampa is to reach the city over five years, starting in 2027. A Rays spokesman said the team talked with residents while working on the document. The agreement provides $600,000 for a neighborhood impact and connectivity fund. The Yellow Jackets Little League, a well-known league from West Tampa that was displaced by the West River redevelopment, is to receive $300,000 from the Rays over four years.
The Rays are to file annual reports on their progress and on how they are meeting their commitments. A community advisory committee is to direct the spending, and the City Council will review further projects every five years.
Council members Lynn Hurtak, Guido Maniscalco and Charlie Miranda voted against the measure. Some council members criticized how the money is divided, the project’s exemption from the standard community benefits process, and the short time residents had to review the agreement. City attorneys explained that the rules allow exceptions when a developer provides alternative benefits of similar value. Council member Bill Carlson, who voted in favor, said it is “not a perfect document.”
Thursday’s decision does not mean the entire stadium deal is final. The Rays want the facility ready by 2029. Attention now shifts to Hillsborough County, which is to consider its own agreement separately.
Source: Tampa Bay Times
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