Hillsborough County Commission

During a nearly four-hour meeting, councilors heard their first presentation on the stadium from Rays CEO Ken Babby, learned more about what public funding would be required and listened to dozens of citizens.

Presentations from the team and city staff are slated on how Tampa can cover a proposed $251 million share of the project's financing through a CRA and the Community Investment Tax.

Joshua Wostal tells WDAE the county is investigating nearly 3,000 emails sent to commissioners from one IP address in Los Angeles. He also questions whether the Rays have the financing to avoid taxpayer risk.

The Battery Atlanta's mixed-use development hasn’t been able to pay off Cobb County's $300 million subsidy, casting doubt on the Rays' similar strategy to cover a billion-dollar ask of taxpayers, writes an economist and lifelong Braves fan.

The Tampa Bay Rays want $1 billion in tax subsidies as elections loom and political attacks have begun, stirring memories of the seismic political fallout of the Miami Marlins.

The team said it remains committed to a 2029 opening but pushed back on Hillsborough officials' requests for stronger financial guarantees and earlier private funding disclosures.

Despite a Rays warning that changing the timeline would jeopardize the project, the team says it's working "diligently" on a response to the county's list of 14 unresolved conditions.

Commissioner Ken Hagan tells WDAE existing restricted revenues can fund most of the county's share, but critics of the plan say taxpayers are still exposed through reserves and emergency dollars.

The team reduced its public funding request to about $1 billion for its $2.3 billion proposed stadium, but Hillsborough officials say financing assumptions and deal terms still require further talks as deadlines near.

The county commission also received the requested outside legal opinion on whether it could use the Community Investment Tax to help fund the stadium.

With the Rays under new ownership led by a major DeSantis and Republican donor, the governor is striking a different tune when it comes to funding sports stadiums.

The report by the consulting firm AECOM estimates the ballpark and its surrounding development would have an economic impact of $75 billion over 30 years. It was commissioned by the Tampa Sports Authority.