Tampa Bay Rays

Some members of the Tampa City Council and Hillsborough County Commission cited the economic impact a new Rays stadium and development in Tampa would have on the region, while others questioned the financial hit and terms of the agreement.

The Hillsborough County Commission voted 5-2 on Friday in favor of a new stadium and mixed-use development for the Tampa Bay Rays on Hillsborough College property in Tampa. It follows approval by the Tampa City Council a day earlier.

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The 4-3 vote came near the end of an eight-hour meeting. The Hillsborough County Commission has a special meeting at 9 a.m. Friday to take up what has become a fluid "final" financing agreement.

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The college's trustees approved hiring a project management firm to serve as the owner’s representative if construction takes place. The board also amended its capital improvement plan to include $50 million allocated by the state for the project.

The county had been in “continuous discussions” with the Rays and Tampa before the documents were finalized. Meantime, the Rays' issued commitments to the region tied to the stadium plan.

There was a lot of back-and-forth between the candidates during the discussion at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club.

Among the changes in the 134-page contract from May's nonbinding MOU: The Rays increased their commitment by $100 million, to $1.37 billion, with a corresponding decrease in the public contribution.

The city council voted 4-3 to approve a motion to place the stadium issue on the agenda for the meeting — despite not having a draft of the agreement, which is still stuck at the negotiating table.

A draft is expected to go public Thursday. The agreement, which will include recent proposals by Councilman Bill Carlson, would then be added to upcoming agendas for the city council and county commission.

AECOM Hunt has an extensive track record with the Rays and the region. That includes building Tropicana Field and replacing the St. Petersburg ballpark’s roof after it was destroyed by Hurricane Milton.