The Tampa Sports Authority is preparing to formally tell Hillsborough County and Tampa leaders that renovations to Raymond James Stadium should take priority over public funding for a proposed new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark.
The TSA board voted Tuesday to draft a letter to local elected officials expressing concern that available public dollars could become limited if the city and county move forward with a Rays stadium deal while also facing possible property tax reform later this year. Tampa City Council Chairman Alan Clendenin, who also serves on the TSA board, voted against the motion.
Although the final wording of the letter has not yet been approved, the message is expected to make clear that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Raymond James Stadium are the authority’s top priority. TSA board member Tony Muniz said the county should be made aware of the board’s concerns before additional public money is committed elsewhere.
“I think we should let the county know that we’re greatly concerned,” Muniz said while making the motion. “There’s only so many dollars that we have out there, and we need to take care of our current tenants. Before we commit our excess dollars to another entity, I think that we need to make sure we take care of the Buccaneers first.”
The Buccaneers are currently negotiating with the Sports Authority on a lease extension and a major renovation plan for Raymond James Stadium that could cost around $1 billion. TSA CEO Eric Hart said officials are still reviewing the project list, narrowing down the scope of possible stadium improvements and determining what funding may be available from the city and county. When the Community Investment Tax was renewed, local officials identified potential funding for the Bucs from both the CIT and Tourist Development Tax revenue.
The Rays, meanwhile, are pursuing a framework for a new Tampa ballpark that calls for $976 million in funding from Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa. That proposal includes $440 million from the Community Investment Tax and $303 million from tourism-related dollars. The TSA’s finance committee raised concerns last week about whether enough funding would remain available for the Bucs if the Rays deal moves forward.
“We continue to work alongside our partners at the county and city on definitive documents for this generational project for our community,” Rays CEO Ken Babby said in a statement.
Clendenin, who has supported the Rays proposal and previously voted on City Council to advance negotiations with the team, argued that the TSA letter is unnecessary and inappropriate. He said the nonbinding memorandum of understanding for the Rays deal has already passed and that final documents are now being negotiated.
“It’s the Tampa Sports Authority, not the Bucs sports authority,” Clendenin said before voting against the motion. “Fiscal responsibility falls amongst the bodies that fund the organization, including the county commission and the Tampa City Council. The Tampa Sports Authority doesn’t fund anything, really.”
TSA board member Joe Robinson pushed back, asking Hart whether the authority has previously issued bonds. Hart said TSA has floated bonds for Raymond James Stadium, Benchmark International Arena, a parking structure and Steinbrenner Field because those facilities were originally owned by the authority.
“The county had all the money they want, but [when] they needed some bonds floated, they came to us,” Robinson said. “We have some authority. I’m going forward with the letter.”
The letter will be signed by TSA board chair Patrick Manteiga. A draft will be shared with board members before it is sent to county and city officials.
