Tampa City Council

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.

On Monday, the Rays are scheduled to announce the firm that will oversee building the ballpark. Meantime, Hillsborough College President Ken Atwater says definitive agreements on financing could reach local officials within days.

Bill Carlson says the Rays are receptive to his plan to cover Tampa's share of construction through new tax-increment revenue from the stadium district that would also seed a citywide infrastructure trust fund.

Many SoHo business owners, concerned years construction could ruin their livelihoods, have sued the city, accusing it of withholding documents to “prevent public scrutiny” ahead of the city council's decision.

Bill Carlson says he learned of negotiated changes in the $976 million contribution during a meeting with Rays CEO Ken Babby, who recently opened individual discussions with council members.

Mayor Jane Castor says council members have been kept informed and explains her frustration was over last week's votes, but remains optimistic a deal can be done that maintains Tampa's role in the project.

Members of Tampa's CRA board have said they may have sought alternatives to using CRA funds if they had been involved earlier in negotiations over the stadium financing package.

In the wake of two city council votes that could set back the project, the Rays brought out illustrations to reinforce their view that the venue is a year-round "economic engine" that goes beyond baseball.

CEO Ken Babby meets with councilman Bill Carlson a day after two contentious decisions by the council and CRA board. Meantime, Mayor Jane Castor rebuked council members, eliciting a sharp response from Carlson.

Council members removed a key vote from an August meeting on using $100 million from the Drew Park CRA for the stadium project, then halted a procedural transmission of land-use changes for state review.

The privately financed development, key to a plan to use revenue from the Drew Park CRA, will include office space that Rays CEO Ken Babby said has drawn early interest from Fortune 500 companies.

CEO Ken Babby says the Rays want Tampa's 3.5% contribution to the $2.3 billion stadium, but "we can't beg." Meanwhile, an Orlando group makes a move as the eleventh hour nears for the Tampa proposal.