The Rays on Tuesday unveiled their community benefits commitments ahead of scheduled votes on the team’s proposed new ballpark by Tampa on Thursday and Hillsborough County on Friday, according to Nicolas Villamil of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. The document highlighted “more than a dozen community-related points of emphasis,” though how exactly they would “be realized and what contractual obligations the team would have to fulfill remains to be determined.” According to the document, “65% of the benefits provided through the team’s community benefit plan will be directed to Hillsborough County, with 35% going to the city of Tampa.” The team commits to, among other things, “transportation improvements, workforce development, affordable housing, anti-displacement and community preservation efforts, and opportunities for minority-owned and small businesses.” The document states that these initiatives will be “located outside the ballpark district itself and elsewhere throughout Hillsborough College and the City of Tampa.” In addition, the team commits to “providing anti-displacement and community preservation services to residents in neighborhoods around the ballpark.” Other listed commitments include:
Veterans and disabled veterans engagementExpanded family ticket and community access programPublic safety and labor engagementHealth, wellness and inclusive recreationA community advisory and governance structureYouth sports development and community fields (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/25).
MAKING THE CASE: In Tampa, Times Publishing Co. Chair & CEO Conan Gallaty writes in an op-ed the Tampa City Council and Hillsborough County Commission “should approve the Rays deal.” Gallaty: “The agreement is materially better than the one first presented to the public and now includes meaningful taxpayer protections. The opportunity before Tampa Bay extends far beyond baseball. It is about economic development, regional identity and whether we are willing to invest in our future.” Gallaty notes the new jobs “are real” and additional housing, office space and retail on an underused property “would be a plus for the booming Westshore District.” Gallaty: “Over the past several months, local officials have done exactly what taxpayers elected them to do. They pushed back. They negotiated. … The final agreement reflects that work. The most significant improvement is simple: The public contribution has gone down while the Rays’ commitment has gone up.” Gallaty notes the “source of the public contribution also has improved,” as the revised agreement “eliminates the city’s use” of the Community Investment Tax to fund its share. Gallaty: “Critics of the project often frame this debate as choosing between a stadium and community priorities. That is a false choice. The question is whether this region can leverage a major private investment to deliver broader public benefits” (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/26).