{"id":380262,"date":"2026-08-25T01:57:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T01:57:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/380262\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T01:57:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T01:57:02","slug":"desantis-discusses-rays-stadium-site-announces-ebt-restrictions-during-tampa-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/380262\/","title":{"rendered":"DeSantis discusses Rays stadium site, announces EBT restrictions during Tampa visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

TAMPA, Fla. (WWSB<\/a>) – Gov. Ron DeSantis discussed the future of the Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 stadium site in Tampa during a news conference Monday at Feeding Tampa Bay\u2019s Causeway Center.<\/p>\n

DeSantis said he has been told the Rays may stay in the area, though he said he was not involved in the details of the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hear we may have a baseball team that\u2019s going to stay in the area now,\u201d DeSantis said. \u201cI know they\u2019ve been working hard on it. I mean, I know they\u2019re going to have to vote on stuff. And I\u2019m not privy to all the details of what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis said the state supported Hillsborough Community College\u2019s involvement with the stadium site, located off Dale Mabry Highway.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were obviously very supportive with Hillsborough College of that site,\u201d DeSantis said. \u201cAnd we think it\u2019s going to be great for the college. And there\u2019s going to be a lot of opportunities there for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis said keeping a baseball team in the area was also a priority. He said a successful development requires more than a stadium, pointing to plans for restaurants and shops at the site.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems like that was very thoughtfully done,\u201d DeSantis said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen some of the renderings that have come out, some of this stuff. You know, it\u2019s exciting. It\u2019s exciting to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis noted the Rays currently have the best record in the American League, though he said the team has struggled over the last week or two. He referenced the area\u2019s baseball history, including youth baseball and players such as Fred McGriff and Wade Boggs.<\/p>\n

DeSantis touts tuition, accreditation policies at New College roundtable<\/a><\/p>\n

DeSantis said he met with Hillsborough Community College when the stadium proposal first arose and toured the site.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just kind of walked around,\u201d DeSantis said. \u201cThis is not really doing much, the way that was done with some of the parking or whatever they had, even like just the field there. And then the surrounding areas, it could do a lot better.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis said he expects the area to look different in five to 10 years.<\/p>\n

DeSantis said the Dale Mabry site includes Hillsborough Community College buildings, the planned stadium location, and offices for the county tax collector, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ).<\/p>\n

DeSantis said DJJ had been making plans to relocate from the site before the Rays\u2019 ownership situation changed, and said that process is not linked to the stadium proposal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not contingent on the Rays,\u201d DeSantis said. \u201cThey\u2019ve wanted to get out of there for a long time, and they\u2019ve been working on that.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis said FDLE had also expressed interest in relocating, though he said no final decisions had been made for that agency. He said the state agreed to work with FDLE once the stadium plan moved forward.<\/p>\n

DeSantis announced Florida will restrict the use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits, distributed through EBT cards, for certain non-essential purchases. He described Florida as the first state to make this type of change.<\/p>\n

Under the changes, TANF funds could not be used for tobacco or vaping products, drugs or intoxicants, adult material, video games, entertainment tickets, theme park subscriptions, tattoos, tanning beds or fortune-telling services.<\/p>\n

DeSantis said the change would not affect eligibility or benefit amounts for recipients. He said the state has requested approval from the federal government and anticipates the request will be approved.<\/p>\n

Interim Secretary for the Florida Department of Children and Families Kate Williams said the changes follow a similar policy applied to SNAP benefits in April, which restricted purchases of soda, candy, energy drinks and ultra-processed prepared desserts.<\/p>\n

Williams said families will not need to take any action and will receive advance notice before the restrictions take effect. She said the changes preserve flexibility in the program while limiting purchases that do not align with its purpose.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese changes will not affect a family\u2019s eligibility for temporary cash assistance, nor will it impact the amount that they receive,\u201d Williams said.<\/p>\n

CareerSource Florida President and CEO Adrian Johnston also spoke, saying the organization works to connect individuals receiving temporary cash assistance with employment opportunities. Johnston said more than 67,000 job seekers served through the CareerSource Florida network moved into employment last year, and more than 30,000 individuals served by the network are no longer dependent on public assistance.<\/p>\n

DeSantis also discussed the state budget, education funding, infrastructure projects and redistricting during the news conference.<\/p>\n

He said the state has not raised tuition at state universities in nearly eight years, and said the minimum starting salary for public school teachers has increased from $39,000 to $51,000 since he took office. He said the budget signed in June included $1.56 billion for a teacher pay program.<\/p>\n

DeSantis also addressed the state\u2019s congressional redistricting map, which was redrawn following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on racial gerrymandering. He said four districts previously held by Democrats or won by narrower margins could be competitive in the upcoming election.<\/p>\n

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