Patrick Manteiga addresses new Tampa Sports Authority appointee, Rays uncertainty, and Ye concert drama

Tampa Sports Authority (TSA) Chair Patrick Manteiga says the Board is facing increased scrutiny over several controversial issues.

There is uncertainty about the Tampa Bay Rays’ search for a new ballpark in Tampa, a recent warning from Hillsborough County Commissioner Christine Miller, a new appointee from the Governor, and questions about a planned concert by Ye, also known as Kanye West.

Manteiga, who was appointed to the Board by the Hillsborough County Commission, told Florida Politics that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recent appointment of Jennifer Collins to replace Don DeFosset on the TSA Board caused some speculation. He explained that DeFosset’s term had actually expired about a year ago.

“His term expired last June, I think in 2025, so he’s been serving in that position even though he wasn’t reappointed to the position — which happens a lot of times with Governor’s appointments,” Manteiga said. 

DeSantis’ appointment drew media attention as the TSA navigates ongoing discussions about public funding for the Tampa Bay Rays to build a new ballpark at the Hillsborough College Dale Mabry campus. 

It also came soon after Miller publicly asked the County Attorney’s Office to review the Board’s authority and options for removing a Hillsborough County-appointed TSA member mid-term. Miller did not identify a specific Board member, but later said her request was meant as a warning to Sports Authority appointees not to favor one sports team over another. 

Her words of caution came after appointees sent a letter emphasizing that Raymond James Stadium should remain the top priority as discussions over a potential ballpark for the Rays take place. 

However, Mantiega does not believe the letter had a direct impact on the Governor’s appointment. At the Board’s last meeting, when members voted on the letter, Manteiga said DeFosset participated by phone, but the Board did not take a roll call vote. He could not say with certainty whether DeFosset voted for the letter or even voted at all. 

Regardless, Manteiga said he is optimistic about Collins joining the Board.

“He’s appointed somebody, and I look forward to serving with her. I think we have a great Board and I assume she’ll be a great addition,” he said.

Mantiega speculated that, if anything, recent rumblings about the TSA may have reminded DeSantis of the overdue appointment. He noted that the TSA also drew recent attention over a planned concert by the man formerly known as Kanye West, Ye, at Raymond James Stadium after U.S. Sen. Rick Scott sent a letter urging the authority to ensure no public funds were used for the event and to consider safety concerns among Tampa Bay’s Jewish community.

Manteiga said Scott’s letter was followed by a wave of emails to the authority, including both form emails and messages from residents. Some, he said, urged the authority to cancel the concert. 

But Manteiga said canceling a contract based solely on objections to Ye’s past statements could put the authority in a difficult legal position.

“We’re probably close to selling out 100,000 tickets. To cancel a contract with no reason other than you didn’t like his speech from six months, a year ago or whatever, I think that would probably be a dangerous situation to get into as far as liability on this contract,” Manteiga said.

The Board’s recent activity comes as the region’s sports funding landscape remains unsettled. Manteiga said recent developments may have made the path forward more difficult for the Rays.

Tampa’s Community Redevelopment Agency has not yet signed off on a proposed memorandum of understanding tied to the Rays’ stadium proposal, and Manteiga said the lack of CRA approval raises questions about where the agreement stands.

“The MOU had, I think, had three parties need to sign on to it,” Manteiga said. “One was County Commission, one was City Council, and one was CRA. The CRA has yet to sign off on it. So that means, I don’t know if the MOU is really valid without all three parties.”

Manteiga said discussions over potential property tax reductions could further complicate local governments’ willingness to commit major public dollars to stadium projects if residents approve the referendum in November.

“A lot of these governments are having to really rethink. You know? Can you continue to negotiate with this kind of loss of revenue looming on the horizon?” Manteiga said. 

He speculated that uncertainty could slow the CRA and potentially prompt Hillsborough County Commissioners to reconsider how far they are willing to go in negotiations.

“I think it’s going to make the County Commission take a pause and think about it again. Do they really want to continue to negotiate the boundaries of what that MOU had, considering the amount of loss of revenue that they might have to deal with?” Manteiga said. “Some of the county money was going to be from reserves. But if there’s going to be a huge loss of revenue, can they afford to tie those reserves to a Rays stadium?”