TAMPA, Fla. \u2014 Thursday could mark a tangible next step toward a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark in Tampa.<\/p>\n
Or it could be the moment that the whole idea of the team moving across the Bay goes off the rails.<\/p>\n
The Tampa City Council meets on Thursday at 10 a.m. and may vote to finalize the city\u2019s contribution to a new Rays stadium at the Hillsborough College site on Dale Mabry Highway across from Raymond James Stadium.<\/p>\n
A consensus yes vote from the council is no guarantee, though Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said last week that a tentative agreement on a plan to fund the proposed $2.3 billion stadium had been reached with the city and county.<\/p>\n
A possible swing vote for Thursday\u2019s vote could be City Councilman Bill Carlson. In May, he voted yes on the memo of understanding that approved the framework for a deal. But he also said at the time, he was a future \u2018no\u2019 vote if the structure of the deal stayed the same.<\/p>\n
Wednesday on X, Carlson tweeted: \u201cLocal officials have done exactly what taxpayers elected them to do. They pushed back. They negotiated. They challenged assumptions. They forced changes. The final agreement reflects that work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the past several months, local officials have done exactly what taxpayers elected them to do. They pushed back. They negotiated. They challenged assumptions. They forced changes. The final agreement reflects that work.<\/p>\n
The most significant improvement is simple: The public\u2026<\/p>\n