TAMPA, Fla. — This week marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing saga of the Tampa Bay Rays as two crucial votes are set to determine the future of the team’s presence in Tampa.
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The focus is on whether the proposed new stadium will move forward, the first decision happening Wednesday from both the Hillsborough College Board of Trustees and the Hillsborough County Commission.
By a 5-2 vote, the commission approved a memorandum of understanding related to the building of a new stadium.
“We are grateful to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners for its approval of the non-binding Memorandum of Understanding that authorizes staff to continue working with the Rays toward a definitive agreement that keeps this project, and Tampa Bay, moving forward. The Rays believe deeply in the power of a new ballpark, a reinvented Hillsborough College, and a privately financed mixed-use neighborhood that will positively shape our region well into the future,” the Rays said in a statement.
The Rays are seeking $976 million from the county to contribute to the $2.3 billion stadium project. To proceed, the MOU required at least four out of seven votes from the commissioners. The yes votes came from Harry Cohen, Ken Hagan, Gwen Myers, Christine Miller and Chris Boles. The no votes came from Donna Cameron Cepeda and Joshua Wostal.
The next vote on the agenda was with the Hillsborough College’s Board of Trustees, and they gave their OK to a lease agreement that would allow the Rays to use part of the Dale Mabry Campus as the site for the new stadium.
“The Hillsborough College District Board of Trustees voted to approve moving forward with the ground lease as part of the next step in our partnership with the Tampa Bay Rays,” said Greg Celestan, chairman of the Hillsborough College District Board of Trustees. “Approving the ground lease reflects our commitment to thoughtfully exploring an opportunity that could bring long-term benefits to our students, strengthen our campus and create meaningful impact for the Tampa Bay community. We’re encouraged by the progress and remain focused on ensuring this project aligns with the College’s mission and priorities.”
Commissioner Wostal had earlier voiced his opposition, stating that the Rays have not provided adequate financial details to justify the $2.3 billion cost. He believes the MOU is a strategic move to pressure officials into agreement without sufficient information.
“First they’ll get the elected officials to agree to a non-binding, and then they’ll come back in and do the emotional heartstrings of, oh well, if you don’t do this, you cost Hillsborough College the state’s money, you cost the area the team, etc. etc. When in reality we don’t have any of the material documents that we need to be making an informed decision about the use of these taxes,” Wostal explained.
Wostal argues that the actual cost of the new stadium is closer to $1.1 billion, and without specific financial disclosures from the Rays, he said ahead of the vote that he was against the proposal.