Hillsborough County commissioners voted on Tuesday to move the Tampa Bay Rays’ proposed stadium project forward by approving two key funding measures. The board authorized a $90 million allocation from the Community Investment Tax (CIT) fund and a $263 million payment of tourist taxes, bringing the county’s total projected obligation to $303 million for the $2.3 billion development on the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough College.
Supporters argue the stadium will generate stable, well‑paying jobs and boost the region’s hospitality sector. “Nothing says community more than providing stable, good‑paying jobs,” one speaker told the commission, praising the partnership with The Raise and the planned state‑of‑the‑art facilities.
Opponents, however, questioned the legality of using CIT money for a stadium. Commissioner Joshua Wostal warned that the voter‑approved referendum creating the tax does not explicitly list stadiums as an allowable use, and he expects a legal challenge. “I’m about to have a lot more free time on my hands to ensure that the public is completely protected from this process,” Wostal said.
Commissioner Harry Cohen, who backed the project, cited legal opinions obtained by the county attorney that authorize the CIT use. “We covered ourselves pretty well with the legal opinions that we got that authorized the use of the CIT and determined that it was a permissible use,” Cohen said, adding that the county is pursuing a bond validation to pre‑empt potential lawsuits.
The vote comes as Florida voters recently approved Amendment 3, which expands the homestead exemption and is projected to cut property‑tax revenue for local governments. The nonpartisan Florida Policy Institute estimates Hillsborough could face a shortfall of up to $1 billion in the first two years of the amendment’s implementation. While more than 80 percent of the county’s stadium contribution is expected to come from tourist‑development and sales‑tax revenue—funds not directly affected by the amendment—about $100 million would be drawn from other county resources, raising concerns about budget balance.
The city of Tampa’s share is smaller but still significant: Tampa has pledged $80 million, to be financed through bonds, a commitment that is not expected to be impacted by the property‑tax changes.
What’s next: The $90 million approval covers only a portion of the $360 million total CIT request. A further procedural vote at the county commission is anticipated within the next two weeks, and the Tampa City Council still has several funding votes to complete before the stadium financing is finalized.
Sources: fox13news.com
