Tampa is already a major league town. It’s time we start acting like it.
The debate over the Rays is about far more than baseball. It has become a reflection of the bigger challenge facing our region: whether we are willing to think bigger about the future we want to build.
Too often, important community decisions get trapped in extremes. On one side, you have those who oppose any public investment on principle, even when the return could strengthen the community for generations. On the other hand, you have those who continue to raise taxes and expand government without delivering the kind of transformational projects that build long-term economic value. Neither approach moves Tampa forward.
The real question is not whether public dollars should ever be used. They already are, every day, for schools, roads, hospitals, public safety, and infrastructure. The question is whether we are willing to invest strategically in assets that generate economic activity, expand the tax base, create jobs, and improve the quality of life.
Sports franchises and the districts built around them are not just entertainment. They are economic engines. They attract visitors, drive tourism, create construction jobs, support small businesses, and put our region on a national stage 162 games a year. That kind of exposure and economic activity matters in a competitive market.
Look at the strategic investments already made in Tampa. Water Street transformed downtown into one of the fastest-growing urban districts in America, generating millions in annual tax revenue and attracting billions in private investment. That didn’t happen by accident. It happened because leaders had the vision to invest.
The Rays debate should not be reduced to helping billionaires or scoring political points. It should be about whether Tampa Bay is serious about building the kind of regional assets that keep us competitive with places like Nashville, Orlando, and Charlotte.
We cannot keep growing government while hesitating to grow the community itself. Tampa has all the ingredients to be one of America’s great cities. But becoming a great city requires vision, partnership, and the willingness to make smart investments that pay dividends for decades.
The goal should not be winning the argument. The goal should be building the Tampa Bay region that our kids and grandkids will inherit.
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Steve Cona III serves as president and CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors, Florida Gulf Coast Chapter.