The Hillsborough County Commission gets first dibs on Wednesday morning on whether to approve a non-binding memorandum of understanding to build a Tampa Bay Rays stadium.
But don’t let the term “non-binding” obscure how the future of Major League Baseball in the region could ride on the vote.
The passage simply authorizes county staff to pursue further negotiations with the Rays on definitive agreements needed to begin construction in time to open the ballpark by 2029. It will not change any current budgets or create any future commitments.
But a rejection? The Tampa City Council will have no reason to vote on the MOU at its meeting the next day. And the 32-page document — the result of months-long negotiations — could become another failed Rays stadium plan, barring late-game negotiations.
The tentative agreement, finalized last week by the team, county and city, details financing for the $2.3 billion indoor stadium, which would be the anchor of a private multiuse development on land now used by Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus.
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There’s a June 1 deadline for all stakeholders to agree on the deal. The Rays have said any delay could jeopardize state funding to redevelop the college on the 130-acre property.
The MOU caps the public contribution at $976 million. The county’s share is $360 million from the Community Investment Tax, $303 million from tourist taxes and reserves, $30 million from federal disaster recovery funds.
The commission meeting begins at 9 a.m., and the stadium discussion is expected to begin around 10:30, according to the meeting agenda.
If the county moves forward, the city council will actually vote twice on Thursday. At a 9 a.m. meeting, the panel will vote on investing $80 million from its portion of the CIT.
If it's passed, councilors will meet at 11 a.m. as the Community Redevelopment Area board to consider using $100 million from the Drew Park CRA, which would cover upfront costs with future property tax growth.
The Rays have committed $1.27 billion toward the stadium, plus all cost overruns.
There seems to be enough support for the MOU on both the city and county panels. Nays are expected, but Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Commissioner Chair Ken Hagan are confident of passage.
“The Rays belong in Tampa Bay,” Castor said at a news conference on Friday. “Now, we have a MOU that is the first step, and I would say a gigantic step, to ensure that occurs.”
At 3 p.m. Thursday, the Hillsborough College Board of Trustees is expected to vote on a ground lease with the Rays. College staff and the team have been negotiating the lease since February. Approval would enable the Rays, state and local governments to move forward with their portions of the project on college property, according to a meeting agenda.
College president Ken Atwater, who has publicly backed the stadium plan, recommends approval, according to the agenda.
The Tampa Sports Authority must also approve the agreement. It’s not known when members will vote. The full board is not slated to meet until June 2.
Once approved by both bodies, talks can zero in on contractual issues, such as a gap in funding, and terms of stadium construction, ownership, use, and long-term maintenance. Also unresolved are specifics on the college’s redevelopment.
