The Tampa City Council voted four to three Thursday to approve a stadium development agreement under which the city will commit $80 million toward infrastructure needed for a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark.
The three no votes came from Council members Miranda, Hurtak, and Maniscalco, the same members who had voted against previous stadium-related measures. The four to three margin reflects a council that has been divided on the project throughout the process.
According to Yahoo Sports, the $80 million would be paid in four installments between 2027 and 2029. Council member Hurtak argued that the city will need to borrow money to make those payments, and that when borrowing costs are factored in, the real financial burden on the city is closer to $120 million. Council member Carlson, who supports the deal, countered that splitting the payments over three years may allow the city to avoid borrowing altogether.
The agreement covers only the stadium construction itself. It involves three parties: StatCo, the Rays entity responsible for building the stadium; Hillsborough County; and the city of Tampa. The deal also establishes a Community Development District that would capture new tax revenue generated by the surrounding development, and proposes changes to existing Community Redevelopment Areas in the vicinity.
Many significant questions are not addressed in the agreement at all. It does not cover the renovation or relocation of Hillsborough College or other government buildings currently on the site. It does not address stadium management, maintenance costs, or how revenues from parking, naming rights, or non-baseball events will be divided. It also does not address rent payments from the Rays to the county, though there are separate reports that the team has agreed to pay $4 million per year.
Supporters on the council argued that keeping professional baseball in Tampa while triggering a larger mixed-use development along Dale Mabry Highway represents a long-term economic opportunity. The site, which currently generates no property tax revenue, spans roughly 100 acres. Opponents said the timeline was too compressed, with the Rays sharing an initial version of the 139-page agreement on Sunday and a revised version on Wednesday, leaving city staff, council members, and the public very little time to review it before the vote.
