The Tampa Bay Rays will host a community meeting Wednesday night with CEO Ken Babby to discuss the team’s plans to build a stadium and multiuse development in Tampa.
At 6:30 p.m.at the Press Box, 222 S. Dale Mabry Highway, Babby will lead the “relaxed, informal conversation” on the eve of Major League Baseball’s opening day.
During the 90-minute sessions, Rays executives and other project stakeholders will discuss the Rays’ vision for the development, and attendees can ask questions and give feedback.
ALSO READ: Hillsborough commissioners' vote on Rays stadium financing delayed till mid-April
The Rays have already hosted three engagement meetings that Babby called “incredibly productive and insightful.”
Another public session is scheduled for April 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Robinson High School auditorium, 6311 S. Lois Ave. Again, Babby and Rays executives will present an overview of the project, followed by a Q&A.
The Rays have been in discussions with Hillsborough College about building the stadium on the school’s Dale Mabry campus site. The project is estimated to cost at least $2.3 billion, with the Rays covering half as well as overruns.
The rest would come from public money. The Hillsborough County Commission is planning to vote on financing, but not before final financial and legal terms have been placed on a formal agenda. That isn’t expected before April 15.
ALSO READ: Will a Rays’ roof redesign reduce overrun risks on new stadium costs?
The county will likely decide whether to allocate money from the Community Investment Tax. The half-cent sales tax was recently renewed specifically to pay for “infrastructure for transportation and public works, public safety, public facilities, public utilities and public schools.”
Tampa City Council would also likely be asked to contribute and is scheduled to meet April 16, the day after the county commission meets.
