TAMPA, Fla. — Hillsborough County commissioners on Wednesday voted to continue negotiations with the Tampa Bay Rays on funding a new ballpark on the Hillsborough College campus.

What You Need To Know

The Hillsborough County Commission unanimously agreed to continue funding discussions with the team to see if a framework can be reached
Construction of a new Rays stadium in Tampa would cost an estimated $2.3 billion

Economic impact studies are underway to determine how a new baseball stadium could affect the financial health of the region

The Rays have promised transparency and resident outreach as the deal moves forward 
RELATED: Gov. DeSantis, MLB commissioner, others lend support to Rays’ stadium proposal  
PREVIOUS STORIES on Rays stadium pursuit

This comes one day after Gov. Ron DeSantis came to town to express his support for the project targeting the Hillsborough College campus. Located on North Dale Mabry Highway across from Raymond James Stadium, the campus land totals about 113 acres.

But some commissioners expressed more enthusiasm than others.

“Why would we miss an opportunity not to have the Rays here in Tampa?” said Commissioner Gwen Meyers.

Commissioner Harry Cohen added: “There is an inherent worth to having the team here, and there is a real value that can be attached to what it means economically to this community.”

Commissioners Joshua Wostal and Chris Boles were not sold on the idea of using money from the Community Investment Tax to fund the stadium.

They say that money should only be used for public safety, core infrastructure and existing facilities.

“My intentions, again, are to not intervene on the success of this project going forward, but rather act on the best interests of the taxpayers of Hillsborough County,” Wostal said.

Boles said, “I do have concerns with aspects of the framework, particularly the scale of dollars proposed for the new stadium construction and a potential reliance on CIT funds.”

The Rays have suggested that future revenue from the CIT that exceeds the estimated annual growth could go toward paying for their ballpark.

Some other funding sources the Rays say could be used are the bed tax, a special tax on the area surrounding the stadium, and facility rent charges.

Commissioner Ken Hagan said that, bottom line, a new ballpark cannot be built without funds from the CIT.

“I truly understand the concerns of Commissioner Wostal and Boles when it comes to CIT funding,” he said. “But again, I want to be very honest and transparent. This agreement does not happen without CIT funding. It just doesn’t.”

The Rays’ proposal envisions a development similar to The Battery Atlanta at Truist Park, a baseball stadium surrounded by a mix of bars, restaurants, retail spaces and residential units. 

The commission unanimously agreed to continue funding discussions with the team to see if a framework can be reached.

The motion was made by Hagan, who said it’s important to point out that despite all the effort, the commission may never reach a funding agreement with the Rays.

The Tampa Sports Authority discussed the potential for a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium at their meeting on Tuesday, but no vote was taken.