TAMPA, Fla. — After years of negotiations and failed stadium efforts, local leaders and the Tampa Bay Rays say they are now closer than ever to reaching a deal to bring Major League Baseball to Tampa.
City officials, Hillsborough County leaders and Rays executives gathered Friday at Tampa City Hall to promote a newly negotiated non-binding memorandum of understanding for a proposed Rays ballpark and massive mixed-use development project at the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough College.
Watch report from Chad Mills
Officials described the agreement as a major milestone, though they repeatedly acknowledged significant work still remains before any stadium project becomes a reality.
“Today is a monumental day in our efforts to not only secure a forever home for the Tampa Bay Rays but to also finalize an agreement on a generational project,” said Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan.
“Having worked on this issue for over 16 years now, I can tell you this is the closest we’ve ever been toward reaching an agreement with the Tampa Bay Rays,” Hagan added.
The proposed project carries a roughly $2.3 billion price tag, including nearly $1 billion in public investment. The plan calls for a new Rays stadium alongside a large-scale mixed-use district featuring housing, retail and more.
Officials said the public funding package would rely on a combination of tourist tax dollars, community investment tax revenues and other county funding sources.
Leaders also repeatedly stressed the financing plan would not require raising taxes or reducing funding for existing city or county services.
“It is a do-no-harm model,” said Jane Castor, referring to funding already allocated toward transportation, emergency management and first responders.
Castor called the agreement “a gigantic step” toward bringing the Rays to Tampa and said the project could transform the Drew Park area surrounding the proposed stadium site.
“The Rays belong in Tampa Bay,” Castor said.
Rays CEO Ken Babby described the agreement as the product of significant compromise and negotiation between all parties.
“There has been significant give and take on both sides,” Babby said.
Babby also urged local leaders to move quickly on the proposal. He said upcoming votes could help demonstrate local support as the project continues seeking financial backing from the state during ongoing budget negotiations in Tallahassee.
“These things matter. It matters. This moment matters,” Babby said. “And while we still have work to do, we urge the county commission this next week to move this deal forward.”
Despite the optimism Friday, officials acknowledged the project still faces several key votes and approvals.
The Hillsborough County Commission could vote on the non-binding agreement as soon as next Wednesday, followed by a Tampa City Council vote a day later. The Community Redevelopment Agency Board and Hillsborough College trustees are also expected to weigh in on portions of the proposal.
Castor expressed confidence elected leaders would ultimately support the agreement.
“I can’t imagine that any elected official would vote ‘no’ on this Memorandum of Understanding,” Castor said.
Hagan was also cautiously optimistic.
“I’m not going to commit to saying it’s going to be a unanimous vote, but I feel relatively confident that there’s support to go to the next step,” he said.
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