Hillsborough commissioners to hear Rays stadium funding proposals
More talks over Rays stadium in Tampa
Hillsborough County Commissioners will get an update on where Rays stadium talks are on Wednesday morning. FOX 13's Kellie Cowan has the latest.
TAMPA - The high-stakes effort to secure a new home for the Tampa Bay Rays moves to the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday. Officials are set to review a framework for how the public could fund part of a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium at the Hillsborough College (HC) Dale Mabry campus.
Hillsborough County Commissioners are meeting today to review a detailed list of potential funding sources for the stadium project.
According to county documents, the Rays have identified several "non-general fund" streams to cover the public's half of the bill, including:
- Tourist Development Tax (The "6th Cent"): Revenue collected from hotel stays and short-term rentals.
- Westshore Hotel Special Assessment Fee: A targeted fee authorized by the City of Tampa.
- Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Funds: Property tax revenue generated specifically by new development within the project area.
- Facility Surcharges: Ticket surcharges and facility rent charges paid by those using the stadium.
The project is centered on a 113-acre site currently owned by the state. While Governor DeSantis is facilitating the land transfer to HCC, he has promised that state taxpayers will not foot the bill for the building itself.
What they're saying:
"I anticipate over the next couple of weeks that we'll actively begin negotiations. We do not have a long timeline, it's imperative that we come to a conclusion one way or the other within the next couple of months," said Ken Hagan, Hillsborough County Commissioner.
"You know, Orlando wants this. You don't think Disney would put it in the wide world of sports? You don't think they'd want it by the Orange County Convention Center with Universal and all that? They've been trying to get an expansion team for a long time. They could have easily, the Rays leadership, been doing a negotiation against one city or the other. They haven't done that. They basically said, this is the Tampa Bay Rays. We wanna make it work in Tampa Bay," said Governor Ron DeSantis.
"I'm not big on predictions about last chance, more chances. I do think that the governor made an important point: Florida is vibrant. There are alternatives in Florida. And I do we're at a point in the history of the club that something needs to get done, but I would be hesitant to characterize it as, you know, it's this or never again," said Rob Manfred, Major League Baseball Commissioner.
Why you should care:
The proposed stadium is the anchor for a massive redevelopment of the HCC campus. Beyond baseball, the plan includes a "mobility makeover" for the Dale Mabry corridor and the creation of a special taxing district.
If successful, this district would allow the redevelopment to essentially "fund itself" through the tax revenue it generates, theoretically protecting residents from a direct tax hike.
What's next:
Residents can expect to see ballpark renderings released in the coming days, providing the first visual look at the proposed fixed-roof stadium.
With ownership pushing for an Opening Day 2029 start, the timeline is aggressive; if a deal isn't hammered out by the end of spring, the project’s viability could be at risk.
You can review the full funding framework and potential revenue sources in the official BOCC agenda backup document.
The Source: Information for this report was gathered from today's Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) regular meeting agenda and documents as well as interviews with Hillsborough Commissioner Ken Hagan and a press conference held by Governor Ron DeSantis and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.