Tampa City Council Chair Alan Clendenin wants to postpone Thursday’s vote by the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency on a nonbinding agreement tied to a proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium.
The request comes as questions continue over the inclusion of $100 million in CRA funds in the deal and the Legislature’s decision to place a property-tax cut on the November ballot.
The agenda for Thursday’s CRA meeting lists the resolution under “required approvals” but includes a request from Clendenin to move it to July 23.
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A postponement would give officials time to evaluate alternatives to the CRA before the board takes action on the memorandum of understanding that includes the financing framework.
Eliminating the CRA money could be considered a dealbreaker for the $2.3 billion stadium, slated to go on Drew Park land now used by Hillsborough College's Dale Mabry campus.
Last week, Clendenin told Florida Politics that while negotiations of defining documents are continuing, the property tax proposal creates another factor to consider.
The CRA funds are part of $976 million in public dollars required in the MOU. The Hillsborough County Commission has approved the use of $796 million in the deal.
While no property tax increases are part of the arrangement, they are involved in the financing framework — primarily in the CRA.
If the CRA vote is delayed, Clendenin said alternatives could be discussed, even though Rays CEO Ken Babby reportedly said no further talks on the financing were planned.
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On May 21, the city council voted 4-3 to approve the MOU, but not without serious concerns over the use of the tax-increment funds from the CRA and $80 million from the Community Investment Tax. The mayor’s staff negotiated the deal, without input from the council.
“Nothing has been agreed to,” Clendenin said regarding the CRA.
He added that options could be considered, including “a different type of special (taxing) district,” as previously proposed by council members Lynn Hurtak and Bill Carlson before that vote.
The city council makes up the CRA board, which is chaired by councilor Nala Young. The board oversees Tampa’s nine CRAs — designated districts that use the growth in future property tax revenue within their boundaries to fund redevelopment and infrastructure.
The stadium district falls inside the Drew Park CRA, which is represented by a community advisory committee that reviews redevelopment proposals and makes recommendations to the CRA board.
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During the public comment portion of the May 21 council meeting, committee Chair Maritza Astorquiza complained that neither the Rays nor local governments had met with the group to discuss the proposal.
"We are important. We should be at the table," she said.
Later in the meeting, Babby told the council he talked to her and made plans to rectify the omission.
On Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., the Rays’ CEO will attend a special session of the group at the Student Services auditorium on the Hillsborough College Dale Mabry campus.
According to an announcement, Babby will make a brief presentation on the stadium discussions and participate in a community listening session.
