Council approves $80M Rays deal, requiring $21M in community benefits

Tampa City Council approved a community benefits agreement with the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, passing the measure by a 4-3 vote. The deal pairs an $80 million taxpayer contribution for a new stadium with a requirement that the team deliver $21 million in benefits to the city over time.

The agreement specifies that $4.2 million of those benefits must be delivered within the first five years. The Rays are contractually bound to spend 70% of that initial amount, approximately $3 million, in direct cash. Council Member Guido Maniscalco noted that this cash requirement prevents the team from using goods or services to meet the quota, such as counting the face value of unsold tickets toward the total.

The cash percentage requirement drops to 50% starting in 2031. The document outlines specific allocations, including $200,000 for police in New Tampa and $300,000 for the Yellow Jackets Little League team in West Tampa. Funding for improvements at Al Lopez Park was set at $625,000, a reduction from the previously proposed $1 million.

A category labeled Housing Stability and Anti-Displacement receives $1.25 million. The agreement lists eligible uses such as rental assistance, owner-occupied home repair, title clearing for long-time homeowners, and gap funding for new or preserved housing units. However, the exact value and timing of individual contributions remain subject to change without additional council approval.

Procedural issues marked the vote. The corrected agreement was uploaded to the city council agenda on Monday, later than standard rules allow. The initial upload contained a blank page where the proposed benefits were supposed to appear. The team also modified the language hours before the meeting, giving council members only a 15-minute recess to review the new version.

Council Member Lynn Hurtak, who is running for mayor, objected to the limited review time. She voted against the agreement, noting that inflation will reduce the $4.2 million five-year benefit to approximately $2.39 million by 2041. Hurtak argued that more funds should go to the neighborhoods physically closest to the stadium.

Council Member Bill Carlson, also a mayoral candidate, voted in favor but stated he would have preferred the city to administer the funds directly. “It’s not like the Rays are giving us something,” Carlson said. “We’re taking the people’s money, putting it in, and then we’re getting part of it back.”

Representative Charlie Miranda, who represents District 6 where the stadium will be built, voted against the deal. He argued that the Rays are spending taxpayer money because they are “broke.” “The Rays are only a visitor,” Miranda said, adding that taxpayers should decide how their money is used.

The vote included a special procedural move. Council Member Luis Viera voted in favor to secure his support before leaving office next week, a condition of his campaign for HD67. His replacement may not support the stadium deal. The agreement includes an exemption from the city’s standard public input period, a provision that drew criticism from local residents.

Jaime Jones, president of the West Tampa Heights Neighborhood Association, urged the council to reject the deal and allow more time for constituent input. She argued that the exemption bypasses local control. The final tally saw Viera, Naya Young, and Alan Clendenin voting with Carlson, while Hurtak, Maniscalco, and Miranda voted against.