Bill Carlson’s CRA reshuffle pitch tied to Tampa Bay Rays deal draws interest from Ken Hagan

Hagan’s response suggests Carlson’s CRA reshuffle proposal could help the Rays’ stadium pitch gain traction.

Hillsborough County may be willing to play ball with Tampa City Council Member Bill Carlson.

Hillsborough County Chair Ken Hagan told Florida Politics that he is open to Carlson’s proposal to extend the East Tampa CRA, redraw the Drew Park CRA and shift some revenue away from the Downtown CRA to free up money for road repairs elsewhere in Tampa — changes to three Community Redevelopment Areas the county has so far resisted as part of Tampa Bay Rays stadium negotiations.

Hagan said officials would first need to understand their scope and financial impact, and that county buy-in hinges on the city’s agreement to a deal with the Rays for a new ballpark and a mixed-use entertainment district at the Hillsborough College Dale Mabry campus.

But Hagan also made clear Wednesday that the county would not act first.

“Without fully understanding the degree and impact of any changes, the County would likely be open to consider amending the CRAs,” Hagan said. “However, any potential changes would require City Council support for the ballpark project, and the Council must approve the definitive documents before the County Commission.”

Hagan’s comments come after Carlson appeared on “The JP Peterson Show” earlier on Wednesday to highlight his pitch for the CRA changes but indicated previous efforts failed for lack of county buy-in. 

“Why would we attach that to this deal? Because we can’t change the terms of the CRA unless the county approves, and in the past the county has not approved,” Carlson said on the show. “So if the county wants this project, we would ask them to approve.”

The opportunity to advance negotiations emerges after the Tampa City Council and the CRA Board stalled two pieces of the proposal last week. Sitting as the CRA Board, members removed the agency’s proposed $100 million contribution from the Aug. 20 agenda, while the Council voted against sending a land-use amendment for the Hillsborough College property to state reviewers.

Neither vote killed the ballpark or mixed-use development. The delay slowed momentum but sparked direct negotiations between Rays CEO Ken Babby and City Council and County Commissioners.

The team’s efforts are still ongoing, but Hagan’s response suggests Carlson’s CRA reshuffle proposal could help the Rays’ stadium pitch gain traction.