TAMPA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL CALL MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2026, 5:00 P.M.
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5:00:57PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
TONIGHT, WE HAVE A SPECIAL AGENDA.
IT'S ONE ITEM -- OR ONE TOPIC.
WE HAVE A SPECIFIC LAID-OUT AGENDA.
I'LL READ THAT FOR PEOPLE SO THEY UNDERSTAND HOW THE NIGHT
WILL GO.
AT FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PRESENTATION, A 30-MINUTE
PRESENTATION, UP TO 30 MINUTES.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO USE ALL 30 MINUTES FROM THE RAYS
ORGANIZATION, TAMPA BAY RAYS.
FOLLOWED BY A 30-MINUTE PRESENTATION BY THE CITY OF TAMPA.
AFTER THAT, WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS,
30 MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
EACH COUNCILPERSON WILL GET THREE MINUTES IN THE FIRST
ROUND.
IF WE HAVE TIME FOR A SECOND ROUND, THEY'LL GET AN
ADDITIONAL THREE.
AFTER THAT, WE'LL HAVE STAKEHOLDERS.
THERE ARE KEY STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE INVITED.
THOSE STAKEHOLDERS ARE FIRST UP WILL BE REPRESENTATIVE FROM
THE CITIZENS BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, FOLLOWED BY OUR
CRA REPRESENTATIVES.
THEN OUR TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, WESTSHORE ALLIANCE,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM 754 REPRESENTS OUR FIREFIGHTERS, AND IF
THEY ARE HERE, I DON'T KNOW IF I SAW BRANDON, OUR MEMBERS OF
PBA.
WE INVITED JUSTIN HALL, OUR SECRETARY FROM THE FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DR. JOHNNY WONG WHO IS OUR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM OUR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
ORGANIZATION.
I'M NOT SURE IF MICHAEL STEPHENS IS HERE, IF HE IS, FROM THE
AIRPORT, WE'LL CLOSE OUT WITH HIM.
THAT BEING SAID, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?
5:02:27PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
THEN PUBLIC COMMENT.
5:02:28PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THEN WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER THAT.
REFERENCE PUBLIC COMMENT, I'M -- THE SIGN-IN SHEETS, WHAT
WE'LL TRY TO DO IS CALL YOU OFF THE SIGN-IN SHEETS.
TWO OR THREE NAMES, IF WE GO TO OVERFLOW, WHICH I DON'T
THINK WE'RE AT YET, GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO UPSTAIRS.
CALL YOU UP ONE AT A TIME.
IT WILL BE THREE MINUTES.
THERE IS A GREEN LIGHT THAT MEANS YOU'RE ABLE TO TALK.
YELLOW LIGHT COMES ON WHEN YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT.
A RED LIGHT COMES ON AND I ASK YOU TO BE QUIET AND GO AWAY.
YOU GET THREE MINUTES AFTER THAT POINT.
THAT WILL BE PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER ALL THE PRESENTATIONS ARE
DONE.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR EVERYTHING WE'RE HEARING.
THIS IS THE NICE THING ABOUT HAVING THE WORKSHOP TONIGHT IS
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ALL, INCLUDING THE SEVEN OF US AND
THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM THE TAMPA
BAY RAYS ORGANIZATION AND THE CITY OF TAMPA STAFF THAT HAVE
BEEN WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO NEGOTIATE THIS DEAL.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ALL GET TO HEAR THIS AT ONE TIME
TOGETHER.
YOU ARE HEARING IT AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE HEARING IT.
THAT BEING SAID, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?
MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA, SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN
MANISCALCO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE.
OPPOSED?
AYES HAVE IT.
LET'S KICK IT OFF WITH TAMPA BAY RAYS.
5:03:47PM >> MY NAME IS KEN BABBY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF YOUR HOMETOWN
TAMPA BAY RAYS.
COUNCIL CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE HONOR TO
BE HERE TONIGHT.
WE APPRECIATE YOU MAKING TIME FOR THIS SPECIAL CITY
WORKSHOP.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT'S TAKEN TIME TO JOIN US
TONIGHT.
IT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY MOMENT FOR THE TAMPA BAY RAYS, NOT
JUST ON THE FIELD AS THE TEAM IS OFF TO ONE OF ITS BEST
STARTS IN FRANCHISE HISTORY ON THE FIELD AT TROPICANA FIELD,
BUT AN EXTRAORDINARY MOMENT FOR OUR FRANCHISE AS WE EMBARK
ON THIS WONDERFUL JOURNEY HERE IN THE CITY OF TAMPA AND
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH A PRESENTATION.
5:04:41PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
IT SHOULD BE COMING UP HERE IN A SECOND.
CTTV, CAN YOU GET IT ON COUNCIL SCREENS AS WELL, PLEASE?
5:05:07PM >> COUNCIL MEMBERS, TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
DISCUSSION, AN OPEN CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPEN CONVERSATION ABOUT A
GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AFFECTING OUR REGION.
AFTER NEARLY 20 YEARS OF DISCUSSION AROUND THE FUTURE OF OUR
GREAT HOMETOWN BASEBALL FRANCHISE, NEARLY SIX MONTHS AGO A
NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP STEPPED IN TO THE STEWARDSHIP OF THIS
GREAT FRANCHISE.
WE DIDN'T WASTE TIME.
THE WORK ON THE FIELD IS TO BRING A CHAMPIONSHIP TO TAMPA
BAY, OUR WORK OFF THE FIELD BEGAN TO SEARCH FOR OUR NEW
FOREVER HOME.
WE SEARCHED SEVERAL SITES.
WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL SEARCH CRITERIA OPTIONS.
AND ULTIMATELY LANDED ON AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY THAT
I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH THE GROUP HERE TONIGHT.
NOW, TONIGHT IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE HAD THESE
CONVERSATIONS.
WE'VE MET WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, HOSTED NEARLY A DOZEN PUBLIC
MEETINGS AT SPORTS BARS, HIGH SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
GROUPS AND THROUGHOUT OUR REGION.
WE'VE MET THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
SIMPLY PUT, IT'S AN EXCITING TIME BUT IT'S ONE, OF COURSE,
THAT WILL BRING GREAT SCRUTINY, AS IT SHOULD, HEALTHY
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE MERITS OF THIS
PARTNERSHIP.
I'M JOINED BY DR. ATWATER, THE PRESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH
COLLEGE.
WE ARE JOINED IN THE ROOM BY MANY EXPERTS THAT HAVE SPENT
LONG NIGHTS, WEEKENDS, GIVEN UP VACATION TIME AND MUCH OTHER
FOR THIS GREAT MOMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I MUST SAY I WANT TO EXTEND OUR TREMENDOUS
GRATITUDE TO THIS COUNCIL FOR MAKING TIME FOR THIS PROJECT,
OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY, THE STAFF AT THE CITY WHO HAS
WORKED HARD ALONGSIDE US TO PUT TOGETHER WHAT WE BELIEVE IS
A GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY.
SIMPLY PUT, THIS IS OUR MOMENT.
AFTER 20 YEARS OF DISCUSSIONS AND RENDERINGS AND PHOTOS AND
STARTS AND STOPS, THIS OWNERSHIP GROUP STANDS HERE TONIGHT
READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN
$1.1 BILLION PRIVATELY TO THE NEW HOME OF THE TAMPA BAY
RAYS.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS STANDING BY WITH A BUDGET ITEM
PREPARED TO REJUVENATE OUR HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE, THE CAMPUS
WHICH DR. ATWATER WILL SPEAK TO IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF
CAPITAL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR, BUT NOT FOR THIS PROJECT
SIMPLY WOULDN'T OCCUR.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 130 ACRES OF MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, AN
EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY THAT RCLCO, AN INDEPENDENT
ECONOMIC FIRM HAS CONFIRMED AND THEIR MANAGER DIRECTOR ERIN
TALKINGTON IS WITH US TONIGHT, OVER $55 BILLION OF ECONOMIC
IMPACT THAT BUT NOT FOR THIS PROJECT WOULD BE GENERATED IN
THIS REGION.
11,900 NEW JOBS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING 10 MILLION ANNUAL
VISITORS TOGETHER AND WE'RE WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR EXPERTS AT
THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THE COUNTY, THE
CITY, AND THE SPORTS AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT
THIS OPPORTUNITY IS MET WITH THE PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE, ROAD
WORK, REPAIR, AND CARE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE IN THIS LAND ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE
ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE CARING FOR THEIR NEEDS, THAT
INCLUDES OUR FRIENDS AT THE TAX COLLECTOR, WHO WILL SPEAK
TONIGHT, THAT WHILE I'M SURE WILL STATE CONCERNS ABOUT OUR
PLAN, PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE
COUNTY AND THE DOCUMENTATION OF AN EVENTUAL MOU AND
DEFINITIVE AGREEMENTS WILL MAKE USE FOR ANYBODY THAT IS ON
THAT LAND TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PROPER PLAN.
AND THE BEST EXAMPLE FOR THAT, OF COURSE, IS HILLSBOROUGH
COLLEGE.
HEAR MY VOICE TONIGHT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT RASPY AND
SCRATCHED.
THAT'S BECAUSE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS
WE'VE BEEN OUT NEARLY EVERY SINGLE NIGHT TALKING ABOUT THE
MAGIC AND GENERATIONAL IMPACT OF A PROJECT LIKE THIS.
THIS IS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY,
NOT JUST ABOUT BASEBALL.
THIS IS BIGGER THAN BASEBALL.
THIS IS ABOUT DELIVERING NOT ONLY A WORLD-CLASS EXPERIENCE
FOR HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE STUDENTS, WORKFORCE PIPELINE
PROGRAMS, COMMITMENTS TO MINORITY HIRING, AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, AND, OF COURSE, THE FOREVER HOME OF THE TAMPA BAY
RAYS.
DR. ATWATER WOULD LOOK PRETTY GOOD IN THAT PHOTO.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT IS A WORK/LIVE/LEARN/PLAY
DEVELOPMENT, A PROJECT THAT BRINGS TOGETHER WE BELIEVE FOR
THE VERY FIRST TIME IN NORTH AMERICA A MIXED-USE
DEVELOPMENT, A THRIVING COLLEGE, AND A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
TEAM AROUND 130 ACRES OF LAND THAT DISPLACES NOT A SINGLE
BUSINESS AND NOT A SINGLE HOME.
WHEN YOU READ ABOUT THESE PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND
OURS IS UNIQUE, YOU OFTEN READ ABOUT HOMES THAT ARE BEING
DISPLACED, BUSINESSES THAT ARE BEING DISPLACED.
PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO UPROOT THEIR LIVES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE
THIS WORK.
NONE OF THIS HAPPENS IN THE PROJECT.
WE WERE INTENTIONAL ABOUT OUR LOCATION.
WE WERE INTENTIONAL ABOUT OUR PROCESS.
AND WE'RE BOLD WITH THIS VISION BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THIS IS
THE RIGHT MOVE FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA AND THE COUNTY.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE VISION FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT 10 MILLION ANNUAL VISITORS.
NOW, THAT'S LESS THAN THE NUMBER OF VISITORS THAT VISIT
MAGIC KINGDOM OR EPCOT EVERY YEAR, BUT IT'S MORE THAN THE
NUMBER OF VISITORS THAT VISIT ANIMAL KINGDOM OR DISNEY
STUDIOS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN 8 MILLION SQUARE FOOT OF
DEVELOPMENT, A REVITALIZED CAMPUS FOR THE HILLSBOROUGH
COLLEGE, WHICH DR. ATWATER WILL SPEAK TO.
RETAIL, HOSPITALITY, EXPANDED SPORTS MEDICINE PROGRAMS,
INTERACTIVE SPORTS DESTINATION MARKETING HOSTING WORLD-CLASS
EVENTS WAY BEYOND JUST 81 TAMPA BAY RAYS MAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALL GAMES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS, INDOOR CONCERTS THAT
COULD NOT OTHERWISE BE HOUSED BECAUSE OF EITHER VENUE SIZE
OR THE ABILITY TO BRING CLIMATE-CONTROLLED EVENTS TO OUR
REGION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMPLEMENTING EVENTS WITH RAYMOND JAMES
STADIUM, COMPLEMENTING EVENTS WITH STEINBRENNER FIELD,
WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR PARTNERS AT THE TAMPA BAY BUCS, THE
YANKEES, AND OUR TEAMS HERE IN TOWN.
WE'RE GOING TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
IT IS A TRUE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE SPACE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT,
THIS IS ONE OF THE EARLY OVERALL SPACE MAPS THAT WE'VE
WORKED WITH OUR TEAM AT GENSLER WHO IS DOING OUR MASTER
PLANNING.
NOW, WE HAVE EXPERTS FROM ALL THROUGHOUT THE REGION FROM
POPULACE TO GENSLER TO OUR TEAM AT KIMLEY-HORN THAT'S HERE
TONIGHT THAT CAN TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC AND PARKING CONCERNS
BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE ASKED AND THEY NEED TO BE ANSWERED.
WE ARE NOT SHYING AWAY FROM THE HARD QUESTIONS.
WE'RE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE A TRANSPARENT
CONVERSATION, NOT JUST WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT WITH
THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AS I'VE SAID, THIS IS BIGGER THAN BASEBALL.
AS THE FOLKS AND RAYS FANS BEHIND US LOOK TERRIFIC, WE'RE
HAVING A CONVERSATION TONIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S MUCH
BIGGER THAN THE TAMPA BAY RAYS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING AN INVESTMENT, AN INVESTMENT IN
OUR CITY.
AN INVESTMENT IN OUR COUNTY, AN INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ALL WANT TO BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY IN MAKING AN
INVESTMENT THAT WE HOPE NOT JUST 30 YEARS FROM NOW, BUT 50
TO A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW WE LOOK BACK AND SAY THAT WE
REACHED A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RAYS, THERE WAS A LOT
OF GIVE AND TAKE.
THIS WERE CONCESSIONS MADE AND WE LANDED ON SOMETHING THAT
WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE PROUD OF,
THAT ALL OF US ARE PROUD OF.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE MY FRIEND, DR. KEN ATWATER, UP FOR A FEW
MOMENTS TO SHARE WHAT STARTED AS A CONVERSATION ABOUT
BASEBALL BUT EMERGED INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT BUILDING A TRUE
WORK/LIVE/LEARN/PLAY DEVELOPMENT.
DR. KEN ATWATER.
5:13:23PM >> KEN ATWATER, PRESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A FEW
STATEMENTS.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO READ A STATEMENT ABOUT THE
PARTNERSHIP FROM THE COLLEGE PERSPECTIVE.
THIS PARTNERSHIP REPRESENTS A TRANSFORMATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
FOR HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR THE
STUDENT EXPERIENCE.
A PROJECT OF THIS SCALE, VISION CREATES NEW PATHWAYS FOR
LEARNING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, INTERNSHIPS, CAREER
CONNECTED EDUCATION THAT DIRECTLY BENEFITS OUR STUDENTS.
ON APRIL THE 9th, I SENT YOU A LETTER OUTLINING THE
COLLEGE'S SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT AND THE REASONS WHY WE
SUPPORTED THIS PROJECT.
ULTIMATELY I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH AND REREAD THIS
LETTER FOR YOU AND I'M SURE ALL OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN IT.
IN FACT, I HEARD BACK FROM SOME OF YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE
RECEIPT OF IT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE
INCLUDED IN THAT THAT REALLY TALKS WHY HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE
IS SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT AND THE BENEFITS IT'S GOING TO
ADD TO THE COLLEGE.
WHEN WE REDEVELOPED OUR DALE MABRY CAMPUS INTO A MODERN,
URBAN CENTER DESIGNED AROUND HOW STUDENTS LEARN TODAY AND
HOW EMPLOYERS OPERATE, STUDENTS WILL GAIN ACCESS TO PAID
INTERNSHIPS, APPLIED LEARNING, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH
A MAJOR LEAGUE ORGANIZATION.
THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE AND THE PERMANENT PHASE WILL CREATE
THOUSANDS OF JOBS.
MANY OF THE JOBS WILL ALIGN WITH OUR PROGRAMS AND BUSINESS,
MARKETING, I.T., CYBERSECURITY AND CULINARY ARTS,
HOSPITALITY AND EVENTS MANAGEMENT.
THESE ARE REAL PATHWAYS FOR EMPLOYMENT AND BASICALLY FOR A
FUTURE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
BUT THE BENEFITS DON'T ONLY EXTEND TO OUR STUDENTS, IT ALSO
EXTENDS TO OUR FACULTY WHO WILL GAIN ACCESS TO APPLIED
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN AREAS SUCH AS SPORTS MANAGEMENT,
BUSINESS OPERATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND IT WILL
STRENGTHEN ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND DEEPEN CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY.
THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE DALE MABRY CAMPUS INTO A
LIVE/WORK/PLAY/LEARN DISTRICT PLACES HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE AT
THE CENTER OF TAMPA'S FUTURE AND DEMONSTRATES WHAT IS
POSSIBLE WHEN EDUCATION, INDUSTRY, AND COMMUNITY MOVE
FORWARD TOGETHER.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE TAMPA RAYS
BALLPARK.
IN DOING SO, YOU WILL BE SUPPORTING EDUCATION, OPPORTUNITY,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE FUTURE OF
OUR REGION.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT.
AT HC WE SAY, "THIS IS A GAME CHANGER."
5:16:29PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, DR. ATWATER.
YOU HAVE TO START WITH YOUR NAME AGAIN.
5:16:31PM >> THANK YOU.
DR. ATWATER HIGHLIGHTED MANY OF THE BENEFITS.
PERHAPS WHAT I THINK WE'RE PROUDEST OF IS WE EMBARKED ON
BUYING A BASEBALL TEAM AND WE ENDED UP GETTING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE A COLLEGE TO DO SOMETHING FAR
BIGGER THAN TALK ABOUT BASEBALL.
WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO CHANGE A
CITY, TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN OURSELVES, TO DO SOMETHING
OTHERWISE NOT POSSIBLE.
THE STATE STANDS BY US.
THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN HERE TO STATE HIS SUPPORT.
THE COMMISSIONER OF BASEBALL HAS BEEN HERE TO STATE HIS
SUPPORT.
TRULY, EVERYONE IS ROOTING FOR US.
IT'S UP TO US, THE RAYS, THE CITY, AND THE COUNTY TO REACH A
FAIR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
AND THAT PROCESS NEEDS TO BE A RESPONSIBLE ONE.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO TONIGHT IN THE REMAINING TIME IS TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR VISION FOR THE BALLPARK AND HOW WE'RE
THINKING ABOUT THE ROAD AHEAD.
THE BALLPARK AND OUR SITE WAS VERY INTENTIONALLY THOUGHT OF,
NOT JUST BECAUSE OF HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE
AREA'S ABILITY TO ALREADY HANDLE LARGE CROWDS.
WE KNOW, OF COURSE, THAT BUCCANEERS GAMES ARE HELD AT THE
RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM.
THE YANKEES, OF COURSE, HOST SPRING TRAINING VERY WELL AND
VERY SUCCESSFULLY AT GEORGE STEINBRENNER FIELD.
IMAGINE A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S BUILT OUT WITH MORE
EXPANDED TRAFFIC, BETTER PARKING, MORE EXPANDED RESOURCES
FROM THE STATE, FROM THE RAYS, FROM OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS
TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT EXPERIENCE NOT JUST FOR THE RAYS
BETTER, BUT FOR ALL OF OUR TEAMS.
WE THINK TRULY RISING TIDES LIFT ALL SHIPS.
THE BALLPARK ITSELF WILL BE TRULY TAMPA'S BALLPARK.
WHEN YOU ARE IN OTHER CITIES AND YOU SIT OUT AT THE BALLPARK
AT NIGHT ON A FRIDAY OR A SATURDAY NIGHT WITH YOUR FAMILY,
ENJOYING AMERICA'S PASTIME, YOU KNOW THE CITY YOU ARE IN.
WHEN YOU ARE IN BOSTON AT FENWAY PARK, YOU GAZE OUT AT THE
GREEN MONSTER AND YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN BOSTON.
IN PITTSBURGH AND SEE ALL THE STEEL AND THE BRIDGE WITH THE
CITY'S BACKDROP, YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN PITTSBURGH,
PENNSYLVANIA.
HERE IN TAMPA, OUR BALLPARK WILL BE THE SAME.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SOMETHING REALLY BOLD FOR
OUR COMMUNITY.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AS A CHILD GROWING UP WITH MY FATHER
WORKING FOR THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES THAT PLAYED AT OLD
MEMORIAL STADIUM IN BALTIMORE.
HE WAS THE GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE TEAM AND WAS PART OF THE
TEAM THAT HAD A CHANCE TO BUILD ORIOLE PARK AT CAMDEN YARDS,
A BALLPARK THAT CHANGED BASEBALL FOREVER.
IN FACT, ALL OF THE BALLPARKS THAT CAME AFTER BALTIMORE AND
CAMDEN YARDS LOOKED BACK AT THE DESIGN AND THE WAY THAT THE
BRICK AND THE WAREHOUSE SPOKE TO THE CITY.
AMAZINGLY, THE BALLPARKS THAT WERE BUILT JUST BEFORE ORIOLE
PARK AT CAMDEN YARDS IN BALTIMORE, TROPICANA FIELD IN
ST. PETERSBURG.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING BOLD, SOMETHING
SPECIAL.
IMAGINE A FIXED ROOF WHERE YOU STARE OUT ON A SUMMER NIGHT
AND SEE THE STARS IN THE SKY WITH A DEGREE OF TRANSPARENCY
IN THE ROOF.
IMAGINE PLANES FLYING TO ONE OF THE BEST AIRPORTS WE THINK
IN THE WORLD.
WE THINK IT IS THE BEST AIRPORT FOR SURE.
I SEE SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS NODDING THEIR HEADS AGREEING WITH
ME.
30,000 SEAT BALLPARK, 30,000 FIXED SEATS, BUT MORE DIFFERENT
NEIGHBORHOODS, SOCIAL EXPERIENCES, AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY
EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS OF TAMPA WITHIN THE
BALLPARK.
LOCAL FOODS, GREAT EXPERIENCES FOR FAMILIES NIGHT AFTER
NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.
NO SPORT LIKE BASEBALL GETS THE OPPORTUNITY WITH MORE THAN
81 GAMES A YEAR TO BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND GENERATE
ECONOMIC IMPACT.
WE WILL DO THAT WITH GAMES, YOUTH EVENTS, FESTIVALS,
COMMUNITIES, CONCERTS.
AS WE'VE SAID, THIS IS SO MUCH MORE THAN MAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALL IN OUR CITY.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO TONIGHT, PARTICULARLY IN THIS ROOM AND
WITH THIS BODY, IS SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE'RE
THINKING ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT.
WE'VE WATCHED THESE, STUDIED THEM, RESEARCHED THEM, RETAINED
EXPERTS ON OUR TEAM TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE CITY OF TAMPA HAS
THOUGHT ABOUT COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENTS IN THE PAST.
I CAN PROUDLY SAY STANDING HERE TONIGHT THAT THE TAMPA BAY
RAYS ARE PREPARED TO MAKE THE LARGEST COMMUNITY BENEFITS
AGREEMENT IN THE CITY OF TAMPA'S HISTORY.
AND AS WE BUILD OUR PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER WITH
THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND THE STATE AND HERE WITH THE
RAYS, THERE ARE A FEW OF THE PILLARS THAT I WANTED TO TAKE
SOME TIME TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT, THAT WE WANT TO BE HELD
RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE FOR.
AT OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS, I'VE CALLED THIS THE COMMUNITY
BENEFITS AGREEMENT REPORT CARD.
HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR DOING THE THINGS WE SAY WE'RE GOING
TO DO.
WE WANT TO BE GREAT STEWARDS IN THE COMMUNITY, MORE THAN A
GREAT BASEBALL TEAM.
WE WANT TO BE GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THE WAY WE GIVE
BACK AND ENGAGE IN THE COMMUNITY.
HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE WAY THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT
THE PILLARS OF THAT COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT.
OF COURSE, A REIMAGINED HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE.
REAL JOBS WITH A PIPELINE.
STUDENTS THAT GET AN OPPORTUNITY AS THEY STEP OFF AND SHAKE
DR. ATWATER'S HAND WITH A BRAND-NEW CRISP DIPLOMA, THAT HAVE
BUILT-IN JOB OPPORTUNITIES, WITH CULINARY, HOSPITALITY,
SPORTS MEDICINE PROGRAMS, NOT JUST WITH THE TAMPA BAY RAYS,
BUT WITH RETAIL, WITH MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT, AND THROUGHOUT
OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING STREETS AND CREATING AND
INVESTING IN PARKS LIKE AL LOPEZ ADJACENT TO THE
DEVELOPMENT, OTHERWISE BUT NOT POSSIBLE IF IT WASN'T FOR A
PROJECT LIKE THIS.
TONIGHT, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THE DREW PARK CRA, WHICH EVERYONE
IN THIS ROOM KNOWS WELL.
THE DREW PARK CRA, UNFORTUNATELY, IS ONE OF THE LOWEST
PERFORMING CRAs IN OUR CITY.
WITH THIS PROJECT, THE DREW PARK CRA WILL BECOME ONE OF THE
LARGEST, WE THINK THE SECOND LARGEST CRA, PERFORMING CRA IN
OUR CITY, BUT NOT FOR THIS INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING
OURSELVES, THE RAYS, THE CITY, AND THE COUNTY, THIS WOULD
NOT BE POSSIBLE.
AND YOUTH PARKS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE COMMITTING TONIGHT TO INVEST IN MORE THAN 25 PARKS FOR
BASEBALL AND OTHER SPORTS, INCLUDING UPKEEP AND EQUIPMENT
THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THIS IS NOT JUST
ABOUT THE TAMPA BAY RAYS, IT'S FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
YOUTH PROGRAMMING, AL LOPEZ PARK, OUR BASEBALL FIELDS,
BRINGING PEOPLE TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE IN MINORITY
COMMUNITIES, TO DO THINGS OTHERWISE NOT POSSIBLE.
SO MUCH BIGGER THAN BASEBALL.
SUCH A GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY THAT IF IT WASN'T FOR THIS
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RAYS, HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE, AND ALL OF
US IN THIS ROOM, IT WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE.
SO WHAT WE SAY IS, HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE.
HOLD US RESPONSIBLE.
IN OUR AGREEMENTS WHEN WE SIGN THEM, THEY WILL HAVE
CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS THAT WE DO WHAT WE SAY WE'RE GOING
TO DO, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO BELIEVE IN THE VISION.
YOU GOT TO BELIEVE IN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SOMETHING
TRULY SPECIAL AND MAGICAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE STARTED THESE DISCUSSIONS AND WE ARE ACTIVELY IN
NEGOTIATIONS WITH STAFF AT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, WE SAID
YOU WOULD FOR SURE COUNT ON THE RAYS TO PAY FOR AT LEAST, AT
LEAST HALF THE COST OF OUR NEW BALLPARK.
THE RAYS WILL PAY FOR 100% OF THE COST OF THIS NEW
DEVELOPMENT.
THE RAYS WILL BEAR 100% OF COST OVERRUNS OVER THE COST OF
THIS $2.3 BILLION BALLPARK.
I KNOW YOU'RE ALL THINKING, WHY DOES THE BALLPARK COST
$2.3 BILLION?
I WOULD URGE YOU TO RESEARCH IN YOUR TIME, IN THE DAYS AND
WEEKS AHEAD OTHER PROJECTS -- BASEBALL PROJECTS AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS JUST LAST WEEK ANNOUNCED A BRAND-NEW
DOWNTOWN BALLPARK THAT THEIR CITY WILL INVEST MORE THAN $600
MILLION IN.
THAT BALLPARK WILL COST $1.9 BILLION WITH ABSOLUTELY NO ROOF
AT ALL.
HERE IN TAMPA, WE DON'T EMBARK AND ENGAGE IN AN OUTDOOR
BALLPARK.
WE THINK THAT'S NOT FEASIBLE.
WE LOOKED AT A RETRACTABLE ROOF AND DECIDED THAT WAS NOT
COST RESPONSIBLE.
AND WE'VE SETTLED ON A PROJECT THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TO
MAKE AS COST AFFORDABLE AS POSSIBLE, AND OUR WORK CONTINUES
ON THAT, WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR CONSTRUCTION PARTNERS.
WE ASPIRE TO BUILD A FAIR PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP, PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP WHERE THE TEAM WILL BEAR MORE THAN HALF THE COST
OF THE BUILDING, TAKE ON ALL OPERATIONAL EXPENSE OF THE
BUILDING AND ALL OVERRUNS.
THIS IS THE LARGEST PRIVATE INVESTMENT BY A SPORTS TEAM IN
THE STATE'S HISTORY AND ONE OF THE LARGEST NATIONALLY IN THE
HISTORY OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, A GENERATIONAL MOMENT, A
GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT WITH WORLD-CLASS RETURNS.
LET'S TALK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT SOME OF THE RESULTS.
WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS BUT FOR PARTNERSHIP.
WE WENT TO AN OUTSIDE FIRM, RCLCO AT THE REQUEST OF OUR
ELECTED OFFICIALS.
TALKING TO THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF RCLCO IS HERE TONIGHT.
HER FIRM'S RESULTS CONFIRM A SOUND METHODOLOGY THAT OVER $55
BILLION OF ECONOMIC IMPACT WOULD BE ACHIEVED AS A FUNCTION
OF THIS INVESTMENT.
I'D ASK TONIGHT AS YOU HEAR COMMENTS FROM THE STAFF AND
EXPERTS AND CONSTITUENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS AND OPPONENTS THAT
YOU THINK OF THIS AS AN INVESTMENT.
$55 BILLION.
AND AS YOU'LL HEAR TONIGHT, WHEN THE COUNTY WENT AND THE
CITY TO GO VERIFY THE VALIDITY OF THAT $55 BILLION, AS
REPORTED IN A RECENT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC WORKSHOP, IT
WAS FOUND TO BE OVER $70 BILLION.
11,900 JOBS.
AND GENERATIONAL IMPACT FROM OUR COMMUNITY OTHERWISE NOT
POSSIBLE.
AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT, A BRAND-NEW HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE
CAMPUS.
SIMPLY PUT, THIS IS OUR MOMENT, AND TONIGHT, AS YOU HEAR
CONVERSATIONS FROM STAFF, STAKEHOLDERS, RAYS' FANS,
HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE STUDENTS, FOLKS THAT ARE FOR OR AGAINST
IT, WE THINK THIS IS A HEALTHY CONVERSATION.
WE EMBRACE AND ENGAGE IN THIS DISCUSSION.
THIS IS HOW THESE THINGS SHOULD BE -- TRANSPARENT, OPEN,
ENGAGING.
WE'VE ALL SEEN OTHER CITY PROJECTS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES
AROUND THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU WAKE UP AND READ IN THE PAPER
THAT A TEAM IS MOVING TO A DIFFERENT CITY, TAKING A DEAL
THAT THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO BE A PART OF THAT.
I AM SO HAPPY WE LIVE IN A CITY LIKE TAMPA WHERE A PROCESS
LIKE THIS EXISTS, WHERE WE GET TO HAVE AN HONEST,
TRANSPARENT CONVERSATION, NOT JUST WITH OUR ESTEEMED ELECTED
OFFICIALS, BUT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR DOING THE THINGS WE SAY WE'RE GOING
TO DO.
THERE ARE STILL DETAILS THAT HAVE TO BE REVEALED.
AS I STAND HERE TONIGHT, AND YOU'LL HEAR IT FROM CITY
OFFICIALS, WE ARE STILL ACTIVELY NEGOTIATING A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
IT'S NOT THE RAYS' TIMELINE.
SIMPLY PUT, I WOULD SAY THIS IS THE COMMUNITY'S TIMELINE.
IT'S TAMPA'S TIMELINE.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA WILL ENTER LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN THE
NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TO MAKE DECISIONS ON HILLSBOROUGH
COLLEGE'S CAMPUS, ON THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEY ARE LOOKING TO US, THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE RAYS TO
SEE IF WE CAN PUT THIS PROJECT OVER THE FINISH LINE.
SO WE ASPIRE TONIGHT TO CONTINUE OUR WORK ON REACHING THAT
MOU IN THE MONTH OF MAY.
I WOULD JUST FINISH WITH THIS SLIDE ABOVE AND SAY OUR
OWNERSHIP GROUP IS COMMITTED, READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO
CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN $1.1 BILLION TOWARDS THE COST OF THIS
NEW BALLPARK.
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE OVERRUNS.
ALL OF THE OPERATIONAL MAINTENANCE, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE
DEVELOPMENT COST AND RISK, LESS WHAT THE STATE IS PREPARING
TO PUT INTO THE COLLEGE AND, OF COURSE, INTO INFRASTRUCTURE.
OUR STATE AND COUNTY AND CITY LEADERS ARE ALIGNED THAT THIS
PROJECT DESERVES TO BE LOOKED AT.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE ALL HERE TONIGHT.
WHILE I'M SURE, OF COURSE, NO VOTE IS BEING TAKEN TONIGHT,
I'M PROUD TO BE IN A PLACE THAT ENGAGES IN A PROCESS LIKE
THIS.
THE COLLEGE, AS YOU HEARD FROM DR. ATWATER, IS READY TO
TRANSFORM.
OUR TIMELINE IS ACHIEVABLE AND NECESSARY.
WE COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF IT.
WE HAVE THE FULL SUPPORT OF NOT ONLY THE OTHER OWNERS IN
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, INCLUDING THE NEW YORK YANKEES,
IMAGINE THAT, WE MAY COMPETE LIKE HECK OFF THE FIELD, ONLY A
COUPLE OF GAMES BEHIND IN THE STANDINGS, BEHIND THE NEW YORK
YANKEES, BUT EVEN THE YANKEES HAVE SAID THEY SUPPORT THIS
PLAN WHILE, OF COURSE, CONTINUING TO INVEST IN OUR OTHER
SPORTS TEAM IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE COMMISSIONER HAS BEEN HERE.
THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN HERE.
THESE MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENTS LIKE IN ATLANTA AT THE BATTERY
HAVE BEEN PROVEN SUCCESSFUL.
I WOULD URGE YOU TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE DeKALB
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND ASK THEM ABOUT THE DECISION THEY
MADE NEARLY TEN YEARS AGO WHICH UNIVERSALLY THEY WILL TELL
YOU WAS ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS THEY'VE MADE IN THEIR TIME
IN PUBLIC OFFICE.
THE FATIGUE IS REAL.
FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS, THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED, AND NOW
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO BE IN THIS ROOM TO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ANSWER THEM.
TOGETHER.
AND TONIGHT, YOU WILL HEAR THOSE WHO ARE IN FAVOR, THOSE WHO
ARE OPPOSED.
AND MANY OF THOSE IN THE ROOM WHO ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT IT, AND
THAT'S OKAY.
WHAT I WOULD URGE YOU TO DO IS LISTEN.
TO GET A CHANCE TO SUPPORT THIS GENERATIONAL MOMENT FOR OUR
COMMUNITY.
WE'RE HONORED TO BE HERE.
WE'RE HONORED TO ACT, AND IT IS THE COMMUNITY'S TEAM.
AND WE COULDN'T BE PROUDER STEWARDS OF YOUR TAMPA BAY RAYS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
5:31:26PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
HEY, GUYS, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT
FAMILIAR WITH COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND COUNCIL RULES.
WE GIVE PEOPLE AT THE PODIUM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, BUT WE
DON'T DO AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION.
IT'S NOT CHURCH.
WE DON'T SHOUT BACK AND DON'T CLAP, DON'T SNAP FINGERS.
WE LISTEN TO EVERYBODY WHETHER WE LIKE WHAT THEY SAY OR
DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY SAY.
NOW I'LL RECOGNIZE THE CITY OF TAMPA, JOHN AND DENNIS.
5:31:57PM >>JOHN BENNETT:
JOHN BENNETT, CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE CITY OF
TAMPA.
GOOD EVENING TO OUR PUBLIC AND ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE
HERE IN THE SUNSHINE.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL FOR HOSTING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE
A POINT-IN-TIME DISCUSSION, IF YOU WILL, FROM THE CITY STAFF
WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS.
AGAIN, WORKING ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUES AS A PART OF A LARGER
AND DYNAMIC SYSTEM OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS IN
NEGOTIATIONS FOR A SIGNIFICANT PROJECT PROSPECT, WHICH, BY
THE WAY, INCLUDES OUR LONGTIME REGIONAL BASEBALL TEAM WHO
PLAYED THEIR LAST FULL SEASON HERE IN TAMPA LAST YEAR.
I WOULD LIKE TO START OUT BY SAYING THAT TRYING TO KEEP
THINGS SIMPLE ISN'T EASY, BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS,
EINSTEIN ALWAYS SAID, KEEP IT SIMPLE BUT NOT SIMPLER.
I'M GOING TO FRAME A DISCUSSION TONIGHT TO ALLOW QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS TO UNFOLD TO HELP US CONTINUE TO GUIDE THROUGH
THIS PROCESS.
AS COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC ARE AWARE, STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN
ENGAGED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS IN WHAT I LIKE TO CALL
DISCUSSIONS, FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS, AND STRUCTURED
NEGOTIATIONS AT MULTIPLE LEVELS.
I WANT TO THROW OUT A METAPHOR FOR YOU BECAUSE WHAT I
EXPLAINED TO OUR FRIENDS AS WE DEVELOPED THIS OVER THE LAST
COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE STARTED OUT WITH GUARDRAILS.
THE GUARDRAIL ON THE RIGHT IS WHAT I CALL THE DO NO HARM
GUARDRAIL TO THE CITY'S LEVEL OF SERVICE AND FUTURE STATE OF
PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC SERVICE.
ALSO INCLUDES OUR DEFICIT ANALYSIS.
I'VE BEEN WORKING HARD WITH ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT THE FUTURE OF SOME OF OUR FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES,
RESOURCES LOOK LIKE.
YOU'LL HEAR SOME OF THAT TONIGHT.
THE OTHER GUARDRAIL IS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL A GOOD NEIGHBOR
GUARDRAIL, BECAUSE I HAVE WORKED ALONGSIDE OUR BUCCANEERS
AND RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM, LIGHTNING AT BENCHMARK ARENA AND
OUR YANKEES OVER AT LEGENDS STEINBRENNER FIELD.
WE KNOW WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES TO THOSE VENUES.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THOSE GUARDRAILS IS WHAT I JUST
HIGHLIGHTED.
IT'S THREE LANES OF DISCUSSION.
THE FIRST ONE IS JUST THAT.
IT'S A DISCUSSION TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FRAMEWORK OF WHAT
WE JUST HEARD FROM THE RAYS AS THE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
EXIST.
THE CENTER LANE IS WHAT I CALL THE FEASIBILITY WORK.
YOU'LL HEAR SOME OF THAT LATER ON THIS EVENING AS WELL.
IN THE FAST LANE IS WHERE THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE HAPPENING.
EVERY FACET OF WHAT WE SAY TONIGHT MAY END UP IN ONE OF
THOSE THREE LANES BECAUSE AS IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, WE'RE
NOT BRINGING A PROPOSAL FORWARD FOR COUNCIL TO VOTE ON THIS
EVENING.
IMPORTANTLY, THESE PRINCIPLES ARE APPLIED IN THE CONTEXT OF
EXISTING COMMITMENTS THE CITY HAS ALREADY MADE TO PUBLIC
SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
TO THE RAYS' CREDIT, ESPECIALLY MR. BABBY AND, OF COURSE,
PATRICK AS WELL THAT I'VE TALKED TO AT THE TABLE, THEY HAVE
WORKED WITHIN THESE PARTNER AND SENSE OF COMMUNITY
PARAMETERS, NOTABLY AROUND THE PLATFORMS THAT YOU HEARD OF
EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND MIXED-USE CONCEPTS
THAT EXTEND BEYOND THE VENUE ITSELF TO INCLUDE STATE-LEVEL
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THIS
POINT-IN-TIME STATUS UPDATE, A SITUATION REPORT ON WHERE WE
ARE IN DISCUSSIONS, THIS FEASIBILITY AND SCALE NEGOTIATIONS
IN THIS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FRAMEWORK.
WE'LL OUTLINE THE CURRENT EFFORT, CATEGORIES, AND THEN TAKE
QUESTIONS RECOGNIZING THIS REMAINS ACTIVE AND AN EVOLVING
PROCESS.
ALL COLLABORATIVE BACKUP MATERIAL SHARED TO DATE HAVE BEEN
PROVIDED TO COUNCIL AND UPLOADED INTO OUR OnBase AGENDA
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY.
THAT SAID, I WANT TO POINT OUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AHEAD
AND MORE TRANSPARENCY TO SHARE.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THE RECORD, AGAIN, THE CITY HAS NOT
PRESENTED ANY FORMAL AGENDA ITEM TO COUNCIL OR THE CRA BOARD
FOR A VOTE, WHETHER BINDING OR NONBINDING AT THIS TIME.
THE WORK UNDERWAY GENERALLY FALLS INTO THREE BROAD
CATEGORIES OF EFFORT.
AS YOU HEARD MR. BABBY MENTION, EFFORTS AROUND AN MOU
FRAMEWORK WHICH COULD THEN LEAD TO A FULL AGREEMENT.
THERE'S FINANCIAL STRUCTURING, INCLUDING SECURITIZATION
CONCEPTS.
LASTLY, LAND USE AND ZONING CONSIDERATIONS.
I'M JOINED TONIGHT BY OUR CFO, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
DENNIS ROGERO, OUR CITY ATTORNEY SCOTT STEADY AND WE'VE
ENSURED OUR LEGAL TEAM THAT CRA COUNCIL AND ALSO TONIGHT IS
OUR CRA DIRECTOR HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON OUR CURRENT STATUS TO
DATE.
AS WE MOVE INTO THE BROAD DISCUSSION CATEGORIES, OUR GOAL IS
TO CLEARLY LAY OUT WHERE THINGS STAND TODAY AND ALLOW
COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TO OFFER FEEDBACK IN THIS ITERATIVE
PROCESS.
BEFORE I FULLY BEGIN, YOU'LL HEAR SEVERAL ACRONYMS TONIGHT.
YOU ALREADY HEARD PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WHICH WE MAY
PHRASE AS P-3.
YOU MAY HEAR THE CRA, THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OR
AREA.
THE TDT, THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT TAX.
THE CIT, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX.
THE MOU, A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
THE BOCC, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
TSA, THE TAMPA SPORTS AUTHORITY.
HC, HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE.
FAA, YOU MAY HEAR F.D.O.T., FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION AND POSSIBLY OTHERS THAT WE WILL DO BEST TO
TRANSLATE AS THOSE THINGS ARE NEEDED.
WITH THAT, I WILL BRING UP THE FIVE-POINT DISCUSSION SLIDE,
IF YOU'LL BRING UP THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE.
FIRST I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WHO HAS BEEN AT THE TABLE THE LAST
COUPLE OF MONTHS.
THE RAYS HAVE BEEN THERE.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BEEN THERE.
TAMPA SPORTS AUTHORITY HAS BEEN THERE AND, OF COURSE, THE
COLLEAGUES I JUST MENTIONED.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAT WILL BE EVOLVING TO
THE TABLE AS THIS UNFOLDS.
BUT TO DATE, THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE.
I WANT TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE RESOURCES AND APPROVALS FROM
WHAT I CALL THE FOUR B.
BUCKETS, BACKSTOPS, BOARDS, AND BENEFITS.
THE BUCKETS YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT TONIGHT AND WHAT WE CALL THE
COLOR OF MONEY IS HOW MONEY CAN BE USED IN A PROJECT LIKE
THIS.
THE CIT, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX, AS APPROVED BY
COUNCIL VIA THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT IN JUNE OF 2024 AND
VOTED ON NOVEMBER OF THE SAME YEAR, ESTIMATED AT $783
MILLION, THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT TAX THAT THE COUNTY HAS
CONTROLLED, AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE TAMPA
CONVENTION CENTER IS DEPENDENT ON THAT AS WELL AS VISIT
TAMPA BAY.
THOSE DEPENDENCIES AS WELL AS THE CRA, THE COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, AREA KNOWN AS DREW PARK, WHICH IS CRA
BOARD CONTROL, AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER BUCKET OPPORTUNITIES
THAT ARE BASED ON THINGS THAT WE HAVE YET TO DEVELOP.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE SECOND B, THE BACKSTOPS.
THE BACKSTOPS ALIGN WITH THE DO NO HARM TO OUR CURRENT LEVEL
OF SERVICE AND OUR FUTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS FOR THE
CITY.
THE BOARDS, CITY COUNCIL AS OBVIOUSLY THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND THE CRA BOARD, WHICH WE WILL
GET INTO A LITTLE BIT LATER.
LASTLY, THE BENEFITS.
YOU HEARD THE RAYS TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE
VENUE ITSELF, AND THE THINGS THAT WE ALREADY DISCUSSED.
I CAN TELL YOU, I'VE NEVER FOR THE THREE TIMES I'VE BEEN AT
THE TABLE WITH THE RAYS OVER THIS ADMINISTRATION, I'VE NEVER
HEARD A BETTER SENSE OF COMMUNITY OF TRYING TO SERVE OUR
PUBLIC IN THIS MODEL.
NOW I WANT TO GET INTO THE MAJOR DEAL COMPONENTS.
FIRST, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE WORKING ON A
NONBINDING MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND, OF COURSE, MR.
STEADY IS HERE TO GIVE YOU UPDATES ON THAT SHOULD YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS.
WE ARE WORKING ON OUR FUNDING MIX, PRIVATE-PUBLIC
PARTNERSHIP AS SHARED WITH THE FOUR BUCKETS AS I MENTIONED
EARLIER AND HOW THAT CAN BE BACKSTOPPED FOR SECURITY FOR ALL
PARTIES INVOLVED.
LASTLY, IS THE LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE COMP PLAN AS
IT RELATES TO OUR WESTSHORE OVERLAY.
I WANT TO DEEPEN THESE DISCUSSIONS NOW A LITTLE BIT.
THE CIT, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX, COMMENCES DECEMBER 1,
2026.
AS COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS, WE ARE ON THE TAIL OF THE ONE WE HAD
FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AGAIN WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN
JUNE OF 2024, AND THE SUBCATEGORIZATIONS FOR THE CITY HAVE
TO INCLUDE VIABILITY, ALLOWABILITY, AND DEFENSIBILITY TO
MAKE SURE THAT WHAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, PUBLIC SAFETY,
PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS AND REC, INFRASTRUCTURE, AS WELL AS OUR
OTHER VENUES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THAT DEAL ARE CARED
FOR.
THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX, AGAIN, CONTROLLED BY THE
COUNTY.
NOTEWORTHY FOR THE TAMPA CONVENTION CENTER AND DEBT
ISSUANCE, ANOTHER AREA OF FUTURE DEBT DISCUSSION.
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA.
OF COURSE, MANAGED BY THE CITY'S COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY AND THE BOARD, THE DREW PARK FEASIBILITY CONTROLLED
BY THE BOARD AND HERE TONIGHT AGAIN IS DIRECTOR CEDRIC
McCRAY TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS.
AND THEN THE LAST BUCKET IS TO BE DETERMINED.
THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING WITH THE
RAYS ORGANIZATION AND THE COUNTY TO AUGMENT SOME OF THE
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AS IT RELATES TO THE FUNDING.
I WANTED TO KEEP THIS BRIEF ON PURPOSE SO WE CAN LEAD TO
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH COUNCIL AT THIS TIME.
5:41:34PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
DOES THAT CONCLUDE THE CITY'S
PRESENTATION?
5:41:37PM >>JOHN BENNETT:
YES, IT DOES.
5:41:38PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
VERY GOOD.
FOR THE AGENDA, WE NOW HAVE 30 MINUTES OF QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS FROM COUNCIL.
THREE MINUTES EACH.
THIS WILL BE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR EITHER THE RAYS'
ORGANIZATION OR CITY STAFF.
WHO WANTS TO START?
COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK.
5:41:54PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO, YOU KNOW I HAVE A
MILLION QUESTIONS.
SO, MY FIRST QUESTION IS FOR MR. ROGERO.
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WHEN YOU TAKE EVERYTHING OUT, THIS IS A
REVENUE DISCUSSION.
THIS IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT MONEY AND HOW WE SPEND IT.
I WATCHED THE COUNTY WORKSHOPS AND I HEARD THEM TALK ABOUT
THE FACT THAT RIGHT NOW WITH THE CIT WHERE WE ARE, THE STATE
LEGISLATURE RECENTLY PASSED A LAW THAT ELIMINATED SALES TAX
ON COMMERCIAL LEASES.
AND THAT'S CAUSED A REDUCTION IN THE CIT.
CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE THAT THE CIT HAS
GONE DOWN ALREADY SINCE THAT HAS HAPPENED?
5:42:47PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL.
DENNIS ROGERO, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC PERCENTAGE BUT WHAT I CAN DO IS
PUT IT IN CONTEXT.
SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH
REITERATING.
AGAIN, WHEN WE CAMPAIGNED FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE COMMUNITY
INVESTMENT TAX, WE -- WE BEING THE CITY AND THE COUNTY --
THOUGHT WE EMBARKED ON A PRETTY CONSERVE FORWARD LOOKING
SCENARIO, 3% GROWTH OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS ANNUALLY ON
AVERAGE.
AS THE CHIEF MENTIONED, WE'RE COMING OFF ABOUT A 30-YEAR
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX ALREADY WHERE WE ENJOYED OVER TIME
OVER 4% ANNUAL AVERAGE INCREASE.
WE'VE HAD A VERY GOOD RUN.
IT'S BEEN UPS AND DOWNS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS BUT WE'VE HAD A
GOOD RUN OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS.
AS WE CHARTED THE COURSE FOR THE NEXT 15 YEARS, AS I SAID,
WE PRESUMED ABOUT A 3% INCREASE.
NOW, WE STILL THINK THAT IS A VALID AND CONSERVATIVE
PROJECTION, BUT TO YOUR POINT, IT HAS HAD AN ADVERSE IMPACT
ON WHAT WE ANTICIPATE COLLECTING, WELL, IN PERPETUITY IF
THAT BUSINESS TAX EXCLUSION REMAINS.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR.
5:44:02PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
TO GO ALONG WITH THAT, WE STILL DON'T KNOW,
THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS TALKING ABOUT DOING AWAY WITH
PROPERTY TAXES AND RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO
THAT, DO WE?
5:44:13PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
WE DO NOT, MA'AM.
THE TIME FRAME WHERE WE CAN RECEIVE AN ANSWER HAS BEEN
EXTENDED.
THE INITIAL DISCUSSIONS WERE PERHAPS THIS MONTH.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NOW.
IT MAY BE JUNE, JULY, ET CETERA.
SO WE DON'T.
IT IS A VULNERABILITY OUT THERE, ABSOLUTELY.
5:44:31PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
THANK YOU.
I WANT TO ASK MR. BABBY THE SAME QUESTIONS.
5:44:38PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
WE'LL GO SECOND ROUND.
YOU ONLY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT.
COUNCILMAN VIERA.
5:44:52PM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
ONE THING I WILL SAY OVERALL THAT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ON
THIS, WHICH IS WE'VE HEARD FROM THE RAYS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE
ARE POTENTIALLY GETTING.
WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD POTENTIALLY ALSO BE
GIVING UP.
I THINK THAT IS A GOOD THING FOR TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE
NOTHING IS FREE.
YOU CAN GET THE GREATEST GIFT IN THE WORLD BUT THERE ARE
VERY FEW THINGS THAT COME WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED AND NO
SACRIFICES.
I KNOW THIS ISN'T STATEMENT TIME, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I'M PREFACING MY QUESTION.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ON THINGS THAT ARE BLACK AND
WHITE AND THEN THERE'S GRAY.
WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT GRAY.
FOR YOU, MR. ROGERO, I KNOW CIT FUNDS ARE TARGETED TOWARDS
SPECIFIC PURPOSES.
THE FUNDS AS IT APPLIES TO THE CITY BE PROSPECTIVELY GOING
TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE SURROUNDING THE RAYS STADIUM AND SO
FORTH.
ARE THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE EARMARKED SOLELY FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT OR FUNDS THAT COULD BE USED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
ENHANCEMENTS AS WELL?
5:45:48PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
YES, SIR.
IF COUNCIL DOESN'T MIND, I HAVE A SLIDE I CAN PUT ON THE
WOLF.
CAN YOU SEE IT OKAY?
AND YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, OF COURSE, COUNCIL.
THESE ARE THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES COMPRISING AT THE BOTTOM
RIGHT, $783 MILLION ANTICIPATED COLLECTED OVER THE 15 YEARS.
AGAIN, THAT INCLUDES A 3% ANNUAL AVERAGE GROWTH RATE.
AND THEN YOU SEE, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, 191
MILLION.
PUBLIC SAFETY DIVIDED INTO VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT AND
FACILITIES, $339 MILLION.
AND PUBLIC FACILITIES OF $253 MILLION.
AND, OF COURSE, THOSE ARE DIVIDED INTO PARKS AND
CONSERVATION FOR 88 MILLION AND THEN RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM
AND AMALIE ARENA OF 165 MILLION.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
5:46:48PM >>LUIS VIERA:
IN OTHER WORDS, THE FUNDS THAT WOULD BE
PROSPECTIVELY GOING TO THIS PROJECT ARE THOSE EARMARKED AS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS?
5:46:55PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT.
5:46:58PM >>LUIS VIERA:
THE CIT FUNDS THAT ARE PROSPECTIVELY GOING TO
THE RAYS SURROUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE, FUNDS THAT COULD BE
USED FOR THINGS LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY ENHANCEMENT OR ARE THEY
GEARED TOWARD A SPECIFIC PURPOSE LIKE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?
5:47:10PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
I SEE.
MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I'LL DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, MY
UNDERSTANDING IS WHAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED HERE IS THE COURSE
THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP WITH OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS.
5:47:24PM >>LUIS VIERA:
WE MAY NEED A BIGGER -- I DO HAVE OTHER
QUESTIONS.
I'LL GO FOR PART TWO.
5:47:34PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
IN REGARDS TO THE CIT, FROM WHAT I'VE
READ, THEY WANT THE MONEY UP FRONT AND BONDING OF THE CIT.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT?
5:47:44PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
YES, SIR.
THE COURSE WE CHARTED AT THE BEGINNING WAS A 15-YEAR TIME
FRAME FOR COLLECTIONS.
AS THE CHIEF SAID, WE HAVEN'T STARTED COLLECTING ON THIS TAX
YET.
IT OCCURS AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
YOU SAW ON THE HANDOUT OR THE SLIDE I JUST PROVIDED, ABOUT
$783 MILLION.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE US 15 YEARS TO GET THAT, ISN'T IT?
IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE RAYS, AND YOU CORRECT ME IF I'M
WRONG, OF COURSE, SIR, THEY CAN'T WAIT OVER A 15-YEAR TIME
PERIOD TO GET THAT FUNDING.
SO WE'LL NEED AN INFUSION OF SIGNIFICANT FUNDING ON THE
FRONT END AS OPPOSED TO WAITING A 15-YEAR PERIOD OF TIME.
THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY BONDING THE REVENUE SOURCE.
5:48:31PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
THE SECOND QUESTION, WITH BONDING COMES INTEREST, WHO PAYS
THE INTEREST?
5:48:36PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
THAT IS STILL A SUBJECT OF NEGOTIATION.
5:48:39PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
THAT'S IT FOR NOW.
THANK YOU.
5:48:41PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
COUNCILMAN CARLSON.
5:48:43PM >>BILL CARLSON:
MR. BABBY, COULD I BRING YOU UP?
I WANT TO START BY THANKING THE COUNTY COMMISSION, THE
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, SEVERAL OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
I'VE SPOKEN TO KEN HAGAN AND JOSH WOSTAL.
BOTH HAVE TOTALLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
I WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK MR. BABBY AND PATRICK AND OTHERS
FOR BEING SO ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
YOU ALL HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE, ANSWERED OUR QUESTIONS
AND DONE A GREAT JOB AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
ALSO HCC.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
ONE OF THE MAIN PIECES OF FEEDBACK WE'RE HEARING FROM THE
PUBLIC IS MAKE SURE WE NEGOTIATE THE BEST DEAL.
CITY COUNCIL HASN'T BEEN INVOLVED SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA
WHERE IT STARTED.
DON'T KNOW WHERE THE STARTING POINTS WERE.
IF YOU ARE NEGOTIATING FOR SOMETHING AND THE PERSON OFFERS
$20 AND YOU OFFER 5, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS THE 20 OR THE 5.
COULD YOU BRIEFLY TAKE THE PUBLIC THROUGH WHAT YOU SAW AS
THE NEGOTIATION POINTS?
WHAT WERE THE POINTS THAT YOU ALL GAVE IN ON THAT THE CITY
OR COUNTY ASKED FOR?
5:49:45PM >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.
APPRECIATE IT.
IT IS A THOUGHTFUL QUESTION.
I THINK IT REALLY COMES BACK TO MR. BENNETT'S COMMENTS ABOUT
PRIORITIES AND PILLARS.
WE STARTED THE DISCUSSION BY SAYING WE WOULD TAKE A DO NO
HARM APPROACH IN ALL ASPECTS OF THIS.
AND THAT RELATES TO SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION.
YOU'LL HEAR TONIGHT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
YOU'LL HEAR TONIGHT FROM THE POLICE.
AND WE'VE GIVEN THEM THE ASSURANCE.
I'VE GIVEN THEM MY WORD, BUT CONTRACTUALLY, WE INTEND TO
GIVE THEM SO THEY KNOW IT IS TRUE.
OUR COMMITMENT THAT MONEY WILL NOT, CANNOT, AND SHALL NOT BE
TAKEN FROM ANY PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM OR PRIORITY, EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT, POLICE, OR FIRE, FOR THIS PROJECT.
THOSE NEEDS ARE GREATER THAN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE
TONIGHT.
AND ANYBODY IN THE ROOM TONIGHT THAT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE
FUNDING FROM ANY FUNDING SOURCE THAT WOULD IMPACT THOSE
AREAS SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH MY WORDS AND FEEL EVEN
MORE COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WILL BE REPRESENTED IN THE
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND EVENTUALLY DEFINITIVE
DOCUMENTS.
5:50:55PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME AGAIN?
5:50:59PM >> KEN BABBY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, TAMPA BAY RAYS.
5:51:04PM >>BILL CARLSON:
I THINK IN THE BEGINNING, YOU ALL PROPOSED
MAYBE THAT THE CITY AND COUNTY PAY HALF.
NOW YOU'RE SAYING ABOVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT YOU'LL COVER THE
DIFFERENCE.
5:51:15PM >> THAT'S CORRECT.
YOU SAW THE PIE CHART GRAPHIC THAT I SHARED EARLIER TONIGHT,
WHICH, BY THE WAY, ON RAYS BASEBALL.COM, YOU CAN SEE THE
RESPONSE.
THE PIE CHART CONTINUES TO GROW AND GROW AND GROW EVEN MORE
TOWARDS THE PRIVATE SIDE.
EVERY TIME WE CHANGE IT, MY WIFE ASKS ME, DOES IT JUST KEEP
GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER?
THIS HAS TO BE A FAIR PROCESS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH.
WE'VE GIVEN UP A LOT TO MAKE THIS WORK.
WE CONTINUE TO GIVE UP A LOT TO MAKE THIS WORK.
BY THE TIME A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REACHES THIS BODY
FOR A VOTE, YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT I BELIEVE YOUR STAFF
WILL AGREE, YOU CAN BARELY HEAR IN MY VOICE SPEAK, WE ARE
EXHAUSTED FROM THIS PROCESS.
5:51:53PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG.
5:51:56PM >>NAYA YOUNG:
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
SO MY QUESTION -- WE'VE BEEN HEARING 2 BILLION STADIUM OR
BALLPARK.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THE MONEY SPECIFICALLY, IS IT ONLY FOR
THE STADIUM OR IS IT FOR THE ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, COMPLEX, YOU
KNOW, ENCOMPASSING THE RETAIL SPACE, HOUSING, HOSPITALITY,
RESTAURANTS, DOES THAT COVER EVERYTHING OR IS IT SOLELY FOR
THE BALLPARK?
5:52:28PM >> KEN BABBY, TAMPA BAY RAYS.
COUNCILWOMAN, HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PUBLIC FUNDING THAT
WOULD EVENTUALLY GO TO THIS PROJECT WOULD GO INTO THE
BALLPARK.
NO MONIES, PUBLIC MONIES FROM THE CITY OR FROM THE COUNTY
WOULD GO INTO THE DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE ON
INFRASTRUCTURE.
I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE INTO THE BALLPARK.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WAS A PRIORITY FROM THE
CITY AT THE OUTSET OF THESE DISCUSSIONS, AND A COMMITMENT
THAT WE INTEND TO MAKE TO THE CITY THAT THE MONEY FROM THE
CITY THAT WILL ULTIMATELY GO INTO THIS PROJECT WILL GO INTO
BALLPARK INFRASTRUCTURE ONLY.
5:53:17PM >>NAYA YOUNG:
MY SECOND QUESTION IS, IN TERMS OF -- I'M NOT
SURE IF YOU REACHED THIS POINT YET -- IN TERMS OF
ACCESSIBILITY, GOING TO THE GAMES, HAVE WE DISCUSSED WHAT
THOSE TICKET PRICES WILL BE?
5:53:30PM >> I WOULD SHARE, COUNCILWOMAN, I SPENT THE LAST 15 YEARS OF
MY PERSONAL LIFE IN MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, IN COMMUNITIES
OWNING TEAMS LIKE JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, AND AKRON, OHIO.
I THINK OUR WORK PRODUCT OVER THOSE LAST 15 YEARS SPEAKS FOR
ITSELF IN TERMS OF OUR COMMITMENT TO AFFORDABILITY.
AND THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THAT IS HOW WE'VE EMBARKED IN THIS
JOURNEY HERE WITH THE RAYS OVER THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS,
HAVING THE LOWEST PRICED AND MOST AFFORDABLE TICKETS IN ALL
OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
$10 TICKETS TO A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL GAME AVAILABLE EVERY
NIGHT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO, NOT ONLY HERE IN
ST. PETERSBURG AT TROPICANA FIELD, BUT INTO THE FUTURE.
AFFORDABILITY AND AFFORDABLE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT IS AT THE
ESSENCE AND EPICENTER OF WHAT I THINK MAKES THE GAME OF
BASEBALL IN OUR COMMUNITY GREAT.
IT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING 81 GAMES, UNLIKE OTHER SPORTS
THAT ONLY PLAY LESS, AND WE ARE COMMITTED AND WILL BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE TO COMMITMENT FOR AFFORDABLE TICKETS FOR YEARS
TO COME.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
5:54:32PM >>NAYA YOUNG:
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION BUT I DON'T HAVE TIME.
5:54:34PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK.
5:54:36PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
THANK YOU.
I'M GOING TO FOLLOW THE SAME QUESTION LINE THAT I TALKED TO
MR. ROGERO ABOUT.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF THERE BEING
NO PROPERTY TAXES, AND WE CAN'T ESTIMATE -- I MEAN, THAT'S
WHAT WE'RE HEARING.
AND WE'RE ALSO -- YOU KNOW, THE STATE IS TAKING OUT THE
ABILITY FOR US TO TAX BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDE CIT FUNDING.
IF WE DO AWAY WITH THE PROPERTY TAXES, WE HAVE NO WAY TO
FUND THE BONDS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING OUT FOR YOU ALL
IF THEY DO AWAY -- IF THE ECONOMY GOES DOWN AND OUR CIT DOES
NOT MAKE IT ABOVE 3%, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY FOR THAT?
5:55:29PM >> WE WILL GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THE FINANCIAL AGREEMENT
IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
I CAN TELL YOU, YOU ARE REPRESENTED AT THE TABLE WITH VERY,
VERY SMART ECONOMISTS, FINANCIAL EXPERTS, POLITICIANS, FOLKS
WHO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ENGAGED AT BOTH THE LOCAL
CITY LEVEL AND IN THEIR CAREER AT THE STATE AND COUNTY
LEVEL.
I THINK IT'S A VALID QUESTION.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
WE READ THE SAME REPORTS THAT YOU DO.
I'LL LEAVE THE POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK DISCUSSIONS
FOR THE STAFF AND POLITICAL EXPERTS TO ANSWER, BUT I WILL
GIVE YOU THE ASSURANCE, COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK, THAT WE ARE
GIVING GREAT SENSE OF FOCUS AND COMMITMENT IN CREATING A
PARTNERSHIP THAT IS FAIR FOR THE CITY, FAIR FOR THE COUNTY,
FAIR FOR THE STATE, AND FAIR FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, I WILL JUST HIGHLIGHT THE LARGEST PRIVATE COMMITMENT
BY A SPORTS TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
5:56:26PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
WHAT SHARE OF THE STADIUM'S TOTAL FOOTPRINT,
INCLUDING THE SURROUNDING MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE
SUBJECT TO PROPERTY TAXES?
5:56:33PM >> WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE FRAMEWORK OF
THE FINANCIAL AGREEMENT.
TONIGHT, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE DETAILS.
BUT REST ASSURED -- AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT -- AS
PART OF THIS TRANSPARENCY DISCUSSION THAT ONCE THERE IS AN
MOU, ONCE THERE IS ULTIMATELY DEFINITIVE DOCUMENTS, THOSE
EXACT CONVERSATIONS AND QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ANSWERED.
PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY LACK OF RESPONSE SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR
QUESTION AS A DISAGREEMENT; IT'S SIMPLY THERE'S NO FRAMEWORK
TO DISCUSS HERE TONIGHT YET.
WE'RE SIMPLY PAINTING THE VISION FOR A PROJECT THAT WILL
COME FORTH VERY SOON, AND WE WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION
WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT IT.
5:57:11PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO.
5:57:12PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
MR. ROGERO, DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW MUCH
OF THAT CIT MONEY WOULD BE BONDED?
HOW MUCH OF THE CIT MONEY WOULD BE BONDED?
WHAT IS THE AMOUNT?
5:57:26PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
WE ARE STILL -- I CAN GIVE YOU A RANGE.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU A PARTICULAR FIGURE.
5:57:31PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
WHAT IS THE RANGE?
HUNDRED MILLION, TWO HUNDRED MILLION?
5:57:34PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
80 TO HUNDRED.
5:57:36PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
OVER A 15-YEAR PERIOD, RIGHT?
5:57:40PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
REMAINS TO BE SEEN.
THE LENGTH OF THE BOND.
5:57:44PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT OUR CREDIT AND
BOND RATING?
WOULD IT AFFECT IT AT ALL?
I KNOW WHAT OUR BONDING CAPACITY IS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THE
DISCUSSIONS.
WHAT HAPPENS TO AA, AAA RATINGS?
5:57:56PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ADVERSE IMPACT TO OUR
CREDIT RATING.
THAT'S BEEN ONE OF OUR HOLD HARMLESS TENETS.
5:58:02PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
LOOKING AT THE CHART OF THE FUNDING OF
THE 15 YEARS AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THAT MONEY, WHAT
IF WE DON'T MEET THESE NUMBERS?
WHAT IF THERE IS A DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY?
WE HAVE A BAD YEAR, A NATURAL DISASTER.
WE'VE HAD A PANDEMIC.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T MEET THESE NUMBERS YET WE HAVE
THESE BOND OBLIGATIONS, DO WE HAVE TO CUT FROM THESE
PROJECTS, IS PUBLIC SAFETY AFFECTED, NOT BECAUSE OF THE
RAYS, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BECAUSE WE DON'T
HAVE THE ANTICIPATED SALES TAX REVENUE COMING IN, WHAT
HAPPENS THEN?
5:58:33PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
YOU WILL, YES.
IF THE FUNDING COMES IN OVER THAT 15-YEAR TIME PERIOD LESS
THAN ANTICIPATED, WE WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE THE ALLOCATIONS
FOR THESE PROJECTS.
5:58:42PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
5:58:43PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
COUNCILMAN VIERA.
5:58:44PM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN.
FOR THE RAYS, FOR MR. BABBY, BEFORE I'LL JUST SAY IN GENERAL
BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT TALLAHASSEE, THAT IF TALLAHASSEE WANTS
THIS TO PASS, I THINK WE ALL AGREE IN THIS ROOM, THE BEST
THING THEY CAN DO IS STOP THREATENING THE MOST EQUITABLE
SOURCE THAT WE HAVE TO FUND OUR COPS AND FIREFIGHTERS.
I THINK THAT IS A BIG ISSUE.
COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK TALKS ABOUT THAT.
ONE THING I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, IF I MAY, SOME OF THE
BENEFITS THAT COULD COME TO THE COMMUNITY ON THIS, THAT THE
RAYS COULD DO OR COULD ADDITIONALLY DO, IT'S NOT
UNREASONABLE TO SAY THAT A BASEBALL STADIUM HERE IS GOING TO
CHANGE THE ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE OF A PART WHERE A LOT OF
WORKING CLASS PEOPLE LIVE.
RIGHT NOW WORKING CLASS PEOPLE FEEL VERY, VERY SQUEEZED.
I WANT YOU TO OPINE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, NOT JUST AFFORDABLE
HOUSING BUT WORKFORCE HOUSING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE
SUPPORTING AND THAT WE COULD INCREASE IN SUPPORT NOT JUST
FOR LOWER INCOME PEOPLE, BUT FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE, THE
WELDERS, COPS, TEACHERS, SO FORTH.
I WOULD TALK LATER ON ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE JOB
TRAINING, APPRENTICESHIPS, TALKING ABOUT A JOINT POLICE AND
FIRE SUBSTATION.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN PRIVATE BEFORE.
I GIVE UP MY TIME, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
THANK YOU, SIR.
5:59:58PM >> KEN BABBY, TAMPA BAY RAYS.
I WOULD JUST SAY THAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE A PART OF OUR
PLAN, COUNCILMAN.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN OUR OWN DISCUSSIONS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH THE POLICE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH FIRE TOGETHER AT MEETINGS WE'VE
ATTENDED.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THOSE.
BUT NOT FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS.
YOU DON'T GET TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT POTENTIALLY OPENING
UP A NEW POLICE STATION IN OUR COMMUNITY, POTENTIALLY IN THE
DISTRICT AS WE VENTURE TO TRY AND DO TOGETHER.
YOU DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT EXPANDED PROGRAMS
FOR FIRE.
YOU DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT TAXES THAT ARE
CREATED TO BE ABLE TO CREATE EVEN MORE OPPORTUNITY TO DO
PROGRAMMING MUCH OF WHAT'S BEEN SHOWN TODAY.
I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE THIS MORNING OF ATTENDING THE STATE
OF OUR CITY.
AND I HEARD THAT THE CITY OF TAMPA, I HEARD OUR MAYOR SAY
THAT THE CITY OF TAMPA HAS THE SECOND HIGHEST BOND RATING OF
ANY CITY IN THE UNITED STATES IF I HEARD THAT CORRECT.
THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE POSITION THAT COMES AFTER MAKING
WONDERFUL DECISIONS, NOT JUST BY THE BODY OF THE ELECTED
OFFICIALS IN THIS ROOM, BUT THOSE WHO WERE YOUR
PREDECESSORS.
THEY ALSO MADE BOLD DECISIONS, MADE BOLD INVESTMENTS THAT
REQUIRED A GREAT DEAL OF SCRUTINY, BUT THEY ALWAYS
MAINTAINED NOT TO IMPEDE ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
THAT IS THE WORK AND COMMITMENT WE'RE MAKING.
6:01:25PM >>LUIS VIERA:
YES, SIR.
I DO WANT US TO TALK ABOUT, I THINK COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG
TALKED ABOUT AFFORDABILITY OF TICKETS, ALSO THE HOUSING
COMPONENT IN THE SURROUNDING AREA, SO THE AREA CONTINUES TO
BE ACCESSIBLE TO WORKING CLASS PEOPLE.
6:01:40PM >> INCLUDING WORKFORCE HOUSING.
YES, YOU HAVE OUR FULL COMMITMENT.
6:01:44PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
I'M GOING TO MAKE STATEMENTS AND THEN
LATER ON MAYBE I CAN SPEAK.
I DON'T KNOW.
BUT THE CITY OF TAMPA -- AD VALOREM TAXES DOES NOT COVER THE
COST OF THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT ITSELF. ALL THE
TAXES WE COLLECT, WE CAN'T EVEN PAY OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND
POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TOTAL.
THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, BASEBALL DOES NOT SELL TO THE SOUTH.
YOU KNOW WHY, ONLY TWO SEASONS, SUMMER AND CHRISTMAS.
UP NORTH, OTHER AREAS, THEY DON'T BUILD 30 SEAT STADIUMS.
THEY BUILD BIGGER STADIUMS.
WHY?
THEY HAVE FOUR SEASONS.
APRIL AND MAY YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE OR APARTMENT
AND SEE A GAME.
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
BUT IT DOES NOT HAPPEN IN THE SOUTH.
DON'T BELIEVE ME, LOOK AT THE ATTENDANCE IN ST. PETE, MIAMI
AND YES, LOOK AT THE ATTENDANCE IN TAMPA.
A LOT MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
FURTHERMORE, WHEN YOU CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS AND
YOU REALIZE THAT THE MONIES THAT ARE NEEDED TO FUND THIS
THING, THE CITY OF TAMPA HAS A TRIPLE-A BOND RATING RIGHT ON
THE HEELS OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.
THAT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE.
THE CITY OF TAMPA IS IN DEBT FOR $2.8 BILLION RIGHT NOW IN
THE BONDING AREA I REALIZE -- THAT'S WHAT WE OWE.
2.8 BILLION.
FURTHERMORE, LET'S LOOK AT OTHER THINGS.
HOW MUCH PAVING DO WE NEED?
CITY OF TAMPA HAS 1212 MILES OF ROAD.
IT TAKES HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD ONE MILE OF ROAD.
HOW MANY DO WE HAVE?
1212 MILES OF ROAD.
HOW ARE OUR ROADS TODAY?
NOWHERE NEAR ANYTHING BUT POOR.
AND YOU'RE ASKING ME FOR MONEY.
WHEN YOU BUY A TEAM FOR 1.7 BILLION, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE
ASSETS TO DO OTHER THINGS WITH IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS A TRUE FIGURE.
WHEN WE GO TO THE BANK, YOU HAVE TO TURN IN A FINANCIAL
STATEMENT, WHERE YOUR MONEY IS COMING FROM.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A SPORTS TEAM, WHICH IS A BUSINESS, YOU
DON'T DO THAT.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE.
WE NEED THE RAYS TO REALLY TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
LET ME SEE ALL YOUR SALES.
LET ME SEE WHAT YOU DID LAST YEAR AT THE YANKEES STADIUM.
SALE OF 1.7 BILLION AND WHY IS THE PERSON WHO SELLS THE TEAM
BECOME MINORITY OWNER.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE UNLESS A SALE IS NOT 1.7 BILLION.
I'M NOT SAYING IT IS OR NOT, I THINK LIKE A CRIMINOLOGIST
BECAUSE I AM.
LET'S GO FURTHER.
WE'RE NOT BUILDING A STADIUM HERE.
WE'RE BUILDING SOMETHING MORE THAN A STADIUM AND IT'S NOT
CALLED A BUSINESS.
THAT IS THE HOTELS AND OTHER THINGS.
BUT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT WILL BE BUILT THAT I KNOW OF.
I YIELD LATER ON.
I'LL FINISH LATER.
6:04:35PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
COUNCILMAN CARLSON FOLLOWED BY
COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG.
6:04:39PM >>BILL CARLSON:
MR. BABBY, I'LL ASK YOU A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS AGAIN.
ONE THING TO RESPOND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE HIGH BOND
RATING, IT'S GONE UP IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS A COUPLE OF
TIMES BECAUSE CITY COUNCIL HAS PUSHED REALLY HARD TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE A HIGHER RESERVE FUND.
WE HAVE JUST NOW HIT THE RESERVE FUND THAT THE CITY HAD 15
YEARS AGO.
SO WE'RE AGGRESSIVELY GOING AFTER THAT, TRYING TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE RESERVE FUNDS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT FINANCIAL
NUMBERS.
ANOTHER THING, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU LIKE THREE QUESTIONS AND
THEN YOU CAN TRY TO REMEMBER ALL OF THEM.
TO COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK'S POINT, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'VE
SAID THIS, BUT MY IMPRESSION IS THAT YOU ALL FOR
INFRASTRUCTURE, WHATEVER, PLAN TO USE ALL THE PROPERTY TAX
MONEY IN THE CRA FOR THE NEXT 20 OR 30 YEARS IN ONE WAY OR
ANOTHER.
MAYBE YOU CAN RESPOND TO THAT.
THE SECOND THING IS, YOU ALL HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT HCC
THAT MUCH AND HOW DIFFERENT IT IS.
THE INTEGRATION OF THE WORKFORCE AND THE TRAINING AND THE
NEW FACILITY, MAYBE YOU COULD TALK FOR A MINUTE WHERE THE
MONEY IS COMING FROM, THE PUBLIC HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
LASTLY, TO COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA'S POINT, WE GET HIT EVERY
DAY BECAUSE THERE IS A BACKLOG OF ROADS NOT BEING PAVED,
SIDEWALKS NOT BEING BUILT, PARKS NOT -- WE'VE GOT
20-YEAR-OLD FIRE TRUCKS.
WE HAVE FIRE STATIONS THAT ARE FALLING APART.
CAN YOU -- WE COULD SPEND A BILLION DOLLARS WITH THE COUNTY
TO FUND A REAL ESTATE PROJECT WITHOUT A BALLPARK.
CAN YOU TELL US -- I KNOW YOU ARE A HUGE FAN OF BASEBALL.
COULD YOU JUST TELL US WHAT ARE THE REASONS -- FINAL
QUESTION, WHAT ARE THE REASONS THAT BASEBALL IN PARTICULAR
IS SUCH A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY?
THANK YOU.
6:06:22PM >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.
KEN BABBY.
JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I'LL TAKE THE LAST QUESTION FIRST.
I THINK I'D START BY LOOKING AT THE ECONOMIC DATA THAT WOULD
NOT BE ACHIEVABLE IN ANOTHER ENTERPRISE AND CERTAINLY NOT
WITHOUT A SPORT LIKE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
THE ECONOMICS OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL BRING 81 HOME GAMES
TO YOUR COMMUNITY EVERY YEAR, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
RAYS, SO THAT MEANS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLAYOFFS AS WELL.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WORLD-CLASS EVENTS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONCERTS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COLLEGIATE EVENTS, FESTIVALS, ALL OF
WHICH WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT A CLIMATE CONTROLLED
INDOOR STADIUM IN TAMPA.
LOOK AT THE WORK OF THE OTHER TEAMS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW
THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY OF WHICH THIS BODY HAS MADE
INVESTMENTS IN WISELY, TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE EVENTS LIKE
WE'VE HAD AT RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM AND AT BENCHMARK ARENA.
EACH OF THOSE FACILITIES TOOK BOLD INVESTMENT TO BE ABLE TO
ACHIEVE SUPER BOWLS, WORLD-CLASS CONCERTS, EVENTS,
FESTIVALS, AND CHAMPIONSHIPS.
WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A BOLD INVESTMENT IN THIS
COMMUNITY THAT IS SO MUCH MORE AND YOU GET A MAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALL TEAM TO CALL TAMPA HOME FOREVER.
WE SIMPLY ARE IN THAT MOMENT WHERE WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY OF
FOLLOWING MANY OTHER CITIES IN THAT PROCESS.
I THINK I ANSWERED ONE OF YOUR THREE QUESTIONS.
6:07:47PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG.
6:07:50PM >>NAYA YOUNG:
I KNOW WE SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT THE RAYS, YOU
KNOW, WILL TAKE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF ANY COST OVERRUNS,
OPERATING EXPENSES, MAINTENANCE.
HOW CAN WE GUARANTEE THAT THE PRICE THAT WE'RE GIVEN NOW IS
GOING TO STAY THAT?
BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN IT ALREADY ON COUNCIL A PROJECT COMES,
IT'S IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS.
THE NEXT THING WE KNOW IT'S THREE DIGITS AND WE HAVE NO
CHOICE BUT TO PAY IT.
HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT THIS PRICE THAT YOU'RE GIVING, WE'RE
NOT GOING TO COME BACK AND SAY, WELL, WE HAVE TARIFFS, WE
HAVE THIS, THINGS HAVE GONE UP AND NOW WE'RE AT A
STAND-STILL.
6:08:26PM >> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
I'M HAPPY YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION BECAUSE WE ARE CURRENTLY
RIGHT NOW GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HAVING DISCUSSIONS
WITH POTENTIAL CONTRACTORS ON OUR STADIUM.
AGAIN, WE'RE STILL IN DESIGN.
WE'VE TOLD THE PUBLIC AND WE SAID IT HERE TONIGHT, THAT WE
BELIEVE THIS WILL BE A $2.3 BILLION BALLPARK.
I CAN SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE ESTIMATES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED
SO FAR, EVEN AS WE CONTINUE TO VALUE ENGINEER THINGS LIKE
NOT HAVING A RETRACTABLE ROOF, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT DESIGNS,
LOOKING AT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE BUILDING, THE REALITY
IS THIS PROJECT WILL BE MUCH MORE THAN 2.3 BILLION.
AND SO TO PUT YOU AT EASE WITH YOUR QUESTION, THE RAYS ARE
TAKING 100% OF THE COST OVERRUNS OF THE PROJECT.
IF THE BALLPARK BECOMES 2.6 BILLION, EVERY PENNY ABOVE 2.3
WILL BE PAID BY THIS OWNERSHIP GROUP AND THE TAMPA BAY RAYS.
THAT'S OUR WAY OF SIGNALING TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE
SERIOUS ABOUT THIS COMMITMENT.
WE AGREE WITH YOU.
OFTEN PROJECTS GO OVER BUDGET.
WE NEED TO WORK REALLY HARD TO CONTINUE TO VALUE ENGINEER,
TO BRING THE COST DOWN NOT JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, BUT FOR THE
PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL.
CONTRACTUALLY, WHEN YOU VOTE ON THE MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING, AND WHEN YOU ULTIMATELY VOTE ON THE
DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT, THE CONTRACT WILL BE CLEAR THAT 100%
OF THOSE BUDGETED COST OVERRUNS, THOSE COST OVERRUNS WILL
BELONG AND BEAR THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TAMPA BAY
RAYS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
6:09:56PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE QUESTION IN THIS
ROUND.
IF I DON'T HEAR ANYBODY ELSE, I'LL ASK.
COUNCILMAN CARLSON AND LET HIM FINISH ANSWERING YOUR
QUESTIONS?
6:10:07PM >>BILL CARLSON:
IN CASE YOU RUN OUT OF TIME, COULD YOU TALK
ABOUT THE HCC DEAL, WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM?
WHO IS MAKING THE INVESTMENT?
HOW IS IT BEING DEVELOPED?
6:10:18PM >> IF IT'S OKAY, I'LL BRING UP DR. ATWATER WITH ME AS MY
VOICE CONTINUES TO FAIL.
KEN BABBY.
6:10:25PM >> KEN ATWATER, HC.
6:10:28PM >> THE HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE PROJECT IS A TRULY
TRANSFORMATIONAL ONE.
DR. ATWATER HAS SAID THIS PUBLICLY, BUT IT'S THE STATE OF
FLORIDA THAT HAS STOOD UP AND SAID THIS COLLEGE HAS A
TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS PROJECT, AND THEY ARE
WAITING TO SEE HOW THE CITY AND COUNTY WILL ACT, WHETHER
THEY DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS INCREDIBLE PROJECT.
6:10:52PM >> COUNCILMEN, ALSO REMEMBER, OUR DALE MABRY CAMPUS STANDS
IN NEED OF REPAIR.
WE IDENTIFIED NEARLY 75, 80 MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF REPAIR
NEEDS AT OUR DALE MABRY SITE.
THINGS SIMPLY AS ELEVATORS.
WE HAVE ELEVATORS THAT CONSTANTLY DO NOT WORK.
THEY WERE BUILT IN THE 1970s.
PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
SO THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFORM OUR DALE MABRY SITE IS
SOMETHING THAT IS A GREAT BENEFIT TO US AND PRIMARILY FROM
THE STATE PORTION WILL PAY FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION MAINLY OF
OUR SITE.
6:11:31PM >>BILL CARLSON:
CONSIDERING THE MIX OF STUDENTS AND OTHER
CAMPUSES, WHAT UNIQUE BENEFITS FROM CONNECTED -- I'VE BEEN
TO THE BATTERY IN ATLANTA -- CONNECTED TO A PROCESS LIKE
THAT?
6:11:41PM >> ONE OF THE THINGS WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON, AND I'LL
HIGHLIGHT THREE PROGRAMS THAT I THINK WILL BE A DIRECT
BENEFIT.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, OUR I.T. AREA WILL BE GREATLY BENEFITED
THROUGH A.I. AND CYBERSECURITY, FOR EXAMPLE.
GREATLY NEED.
WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE DOING APPRENTICESHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, AS
THEY ARE GRADUATING FROM THOSE PROGRAMS RIGHT ON-SITE.
AND THEN JOBS MAY BE WAITING FOR THEM AS SOON AS THEY DO
THAT.
THE MOST NATURAL THING WILL BE OUR HOSPITALITY AND CULINARY
PROGRAM, DIRECT FIT.
I THINK SOME YEARS AGO, YOU REMEMBER THE COLLEGE TRIED TO
DEVELOP A HOTEL ON-SITE TO SUPPORT THE CULINARY PROGRAM AND
HOSPITALITY PROGRAM.
THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE NOW THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP.
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE THERE, TOO, AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE ONCE WE
REIMAGE THE DALE MABRY SITE, WE WILL COME FROM A 1974
ENVIRONMENT TO A 2026 ENVIRONMENT.
AND THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NOW.
THEREFORE, WE CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE'LL HAVE ENROLLMENT
GROWTH AND WE'LL HAVE -- WE'LL IMPROVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.
6:12:56PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG STILL HAS TIME LEFT.
6:12:58PM >>NAYA YOUNG:
WE'VE ALL SEEN, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TRYING
TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE AWAY A LOT OF OUR, YOU KNOW, DEI, WOMEN
AND MINORITY BUSINESS PROGRAMS.
I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON THIS DURING SOME OF THE COMMUNITY
SESSIONS, BUT HOW CAN WE ENSURE THOSE BUSINESSES STILL HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS DEVELOPMENT AND NOT
JUST AS SUBCONTRACTORS BUT AS THE PRIME, AS THE CONTRACT
MANAGERS, BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING, THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT
AREN'T EVEN DONATING MONEY TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT
SPECIFICALLY ARE FOR BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY
DON'T WANT TO NOT RECEIVE FUNDING.
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT YOU ALL WON'T FALL SUBJECT TO THAT AND
THAT WE STILL HAVE OUR BUSINESSES ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN
THIS?
6:13:46PM >> LET ME MENTION FIRST FROM THE COLLEGE, I WOULD CHALLENGE
YOU TO LOOK AT THE COLLEGE'S TRACK RECORD AND LOOK AND SEE
WHO WE DO BUSINESS WITH.
WE DO BUSINESS WITH EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY WE
FOCUS A LOT ON LOCAL NEEDS, BOTH MINORITY AND MAJORITY.
WE WILL NOT CHANGE THAT PRACTICE.
IN OUR AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE RAYS, THE
COLLEGE WILL HAVE A -- INNOVATION.
WE WILL MANAGE THAT INNOVATION SITE.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT IS AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS CONDUCIVE
FOR LEARNING AND POSITIVE OUTCOME.
BUT THE COLLEGE WILL MANAGE THAT, AND WE WILL FOLLOW OUR
SAME PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES AND OUR SAME PROCESSES THAT
WE'VE DONE, WHICH HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST.
WE DON'T SEE ANY DEVIATIONS FROM THAT.
6:14:33PM >> COUNCILWOMAN, I WOULD JUST SAY WE'RE THE TAMPA BAY RAYS.
WE'RE NOT SOME OF THE COMMUNITY'S TAMPA BAY RAYS.
WE'RE NOT A PART OF THE COMMUNITY'S TAMPA BAY RAYS.
WE ARE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY'S TAMPA BAY RAYS AND HAVE AN
OBLIGATION TO SERVE ALL OF THE COMMUNITY, NOT SOME OF IT.
AND THIS PROJECT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE WHOLE IN
THAT COMMITMENT TO LOOK FORWARD, TO WORK WITH BUSINESSES OF
ALL COLORS, ALL TYPES, ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
WE WANT OUR TICKET HOLDERS AND OUR FANS TO BE FROM THE
ENTIRE TAMPA BAY REGION.
WE WILL COMMIT TO IT AND BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FROM IT THROUGH
OUR COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT AND THE REPORT CARD THAT WE
WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR.
AS WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND MET WITH BLACK
PASTOR GROUPS, MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY, AND ALL
SORTS OF DIFFERENT PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS, I'VE PERSONALLY
MADE THAT COMMITMENT.
IT'S MY WORD.
IT'S THE COMMUNITY'S WORD.
IT'S THE TAMPA BAY RAYS' BOND.
THANK YOU.
6:15:31PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN MIRANDA AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
SEGMENT.
6:15:35PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A GREAT NURSING PROGRAM THERE AND GREAT
FIREFIGHTER OPERATION TO TEACH.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS COME OUT OF THERE.
TWO OF MY BEST PROFESSORS, DR. STRIKER AND HENRY BELAVIE,
GUY WHO DID SETS AND LOGIC.
WONDERFUL.
HOWEVER, THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE ON THE CORNER OF MLK AND
LOIS HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT UP.
WE GOT TO KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
THE JOBS TALKING ABOUT MOSTLY IN HOSPITALITY.
DID YOU KNOW THAT TAMPA RANKS ONE AND TWO IN THE COUNTRY IN
HOTEL OCCUPANCY RIGHT NOW?
THEY ARE NEEDED.
THEY ARE NEEDED EVERYWHERE, NOT ONLY HERE, BUT EVERYWHERE.
LET'S NOT JUST SAY IT'S JUST FOR THEM.
IT'S FOR A LOT MORE PEOPLE AND A LOT MORE HOTELS.
WE NEED FOUR OR FIVE MORE HOTELS DOWNTOWN.
WE NEED TO EXPAND OUR CONVENTION CENTER BECAUSE WE CAN'T
COMPETE WITH 220 SQUARE FOOT CONVENTION CENTER.
WE NEED ONE AT LEAST 500,000.
THE CITY ALSO HAS NEEDS AND NECESSITIES.
IF WE CAN DO THE CONVENTION CENTER, WE CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM
MAYBE ON HARBOUR ISLAND WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T GET IN AND OUT OF
THE PLACE, CHANGING THE FRONT OF IT, HOW YOU ENTER AND EXIT
HARBOUR ISLAND.
HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT YOU NEED, WE NEED, MAY BE PARALLEL, MAY
BE COMPLETELY OPPOSITE.
THE MONEY IS THE PROBLEM.
NOT THE RAYS.
IT'S THE MONEY, WHETHER THE LACK OF THERE OR THE LACK OF
HERE.
THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
6:16:55PM >> COUNCILMAN, WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING THE TALENT
PIPELINE FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HERE.
WE TALK ABOUT OUR STUDENTS COMING TO US AND OUR MAIN JOB IS
GETTING THEM JOBS.
YOU KNOW THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A JOB.
IT NOT ONLY CHANGES THE STUDENT'S LIFE, IT CHANGES THE
FAMILY AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AS YOU SAY, WE ARE THE TALENT PIPELINE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH
HERE IN TAMPA.
6:17:18PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT CONCLUDES THAT SECTION OF OUR EVENING AGENDA.
OUR NEXT IS GOING TO BE STAKEHOLDERS.
I'LL CALL THEM UP.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
EACH STAKEHOLDER HAS FIVE MINUTES.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE YOUR TIME.
REMAIN IN THE AUDIENCE FOR Q & A FROM COUNCIL.
THE FIRST PERSON WILL BE THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE TAMPA
CITY COUNCIL CITIZEN BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
MR. GRECO.
HELLO, SIR.
6:18:00PM >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL.
6:18:01PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
HOLD ON FOR ONE SECOND.
THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, WE HAVE A CITIZENS ADVISORY
COMMITTEE.
IT'S MADE UP OF APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES FROM TAMPA CITY
COUNCIL.
EACH ONE OF US HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT BOARD, AND THEY
MEET REGULARLY TO LOOK AT CITY FINANCES AND PROVIDE THIS
COUNCIL WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WE'VE INVITED THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM CITIZENS ADVISORY
BOARD TO GIVE THEIR PERSPECTIVE TONIGHT TO THIS BODY.
START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
6:18:29PM >> MY NAME IS JOE GRECO.
I'M LUIS'S APPOINTEE TO THE BOARD.
MINE IS GOING TO BE VERY SHORT AND SWEET.
IT COULD BE VERY LONG-WINDED, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS
LOTS OF INTEREST AND LOTS OF PEOPLE INTERESTED IN TALKING.
I'LL BE VERY BRIEF.
AS A BOARD IN OUR APRIL MEETING, THERE WERE FOUR PEOPLE
PRESENT OF THE SEVEN, AND WE VOTED ON SOMETHING TO BRING TO
COUNCIL AND ASK THIS FROM COUNCIL.
IT'S A VERY SIMPLE STATEMENT.
WE WANT A MOTION MADE BY YOU ALL TO VOTE ON THIS, ANY USE OF
CIT FUNDS ON THE NEW STADIUM IS A VIOLATION OF TAXPAYER
INTENT.
THE USE OF CIT DOLLARS AND ITS PURPOSE OF A NEW RAYS STADIUM
REQUIRES TAXPAYER APPROVAL.
WE RECOMMEND PLACING A QUESTION ON THE NOVEMBER 2026 BALLOT.
I BELIEVE THAT'S DOABLE.
I THINK WE HAVE UNTIL AUGUST TO DO THAT.
JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF TRYING TO BE RUSHED
THROUGH THIS AND SO MANY THINGS THAT THIS CITY HAS IN THE
PAST NOT HAD MONEY FOR OR AT LEAST HAD TO BORROW MONEY FOR
TO COME UP WITH $250 MILLION AND THEN ASK THE COUNTY TO COME
UP WITH ANOTHER 750, IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT.
THERE'S LOTS MORE USES FOR THAT MONEY.
I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST WE'VE ASKED FOR AND IN SOME CASES WE
GOT WHAT WE NEEDED, BUT IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT MONEY.
I THINK THE TAXPAYERS SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON THAT
AND MAKE THEM FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
RIGHT NOW, I THINK A VOTE SHORT OF THAT WOULD NOT GIVE THE
TAXPAYER A FAIR VOICE.
THANK YOU.
6:20:12PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT PERSON ON THE LIST IS OUR CEDRIC McCRAY FROM OUR CRA,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
6:20:22PM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
GOOD EVENING, CEDRIC McCRAY.
TAMPA CRA DIRECTOR.
IN PREPARATION FOR THIS EVENING, I DID PUT A FEW SLIDES
TOGETHER AT THE REQUEST OF THE CHAIR RELATED TO JUST KIND OF
GIVING A BRIEF SNAPSHOT OF THE DREW PARK COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AREA.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, THE CRAs ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA ARE
GOVERNED BY CHAPTER 163 PART 3 AND THE PURPOSE IS TO
REINVEST IN AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN DEEMED SLUM, BLIGHTED
CONDITIONS FOLLOWING THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY THAT'S
REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
FROM THAT POINT, A COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT PLAN IS
DEVELOPED, AND THEN THINGS THAT ARE PLACED IN THAT PLAN ARE
USED TO ULTIMATELY REINVEST IN THAT SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL
AREA.
DREW PARK 850 ACRES.
IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2004 AND SCHEDULED TO SUNSET IN 2034.
THE BOUNDARY TO THE NORTH HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE ROUGHLY, DALE
MABRY TO THE EAST.
WEST TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD TO THE WEST.
AND HESPERIDES STREET.
THE MISSION, OF COURSE, AS I STATED BRIEFLY EARLIER, TO
ELIMINATE BLIGHT, ADDRESS INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIENCIES AND
STIMULATE PRIVATE INVESTMENT THROUGH PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL LARGER SCALE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON
CURRENTLY IN DREW PARK.
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE HUBERT AVENUE PARK, WHICH IS
IN THE DESIGN PHASE AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, IN
PERMITTING.
WE HAVE THE CONNECTIVITY AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MOBILITY AND A CONSULTANT ON.
AND THE OTHER ITEM I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE
LANDSCAPE AND STREETSCAPE SAFETY AUDIT THAT IS GOING ON AS
WELL IN DREW PARK AND ANOTHER ITEM THAT'S UNDERWAY, WE'VE
HAD SOME DAMAGE TO SOME OF THE GATEWAY SIGNS ALONG DALE
MABRY AND ONCE THAT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY THE
COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE STARTED TO WORK AND MAKE
REPAIRS ON THOSE AS WELL AS ADD A FEW INSIDE THE
GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES OF THE DREW PARK CRA.
THERE WAS A REQUEST TO PROVIDE THE REVENUE BREAKDOWN AS IT
RELATES TO THE TIF ALLOCATIONS.
OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, SO WE STARTED WITH FY '16 AND THEN
WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO FISCAL YEAR 2026.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE HAS BEEN STEADY GROWTH IN THE DREW
PARK COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA.
EACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA HAS TO HAVE A PLAN.
UNDER THAT PLAN, THERE ARE DEFINED GOALS, ELIGIBLE PROJECTS
RELATED TO THE FUNDING AND THE PRIORITIES, AND THERE IS A
RULE OF THUMB, IF IT'S NOT IN THE PLAN, THEN YOU SHOULDN'T
NECESSARILY BE DOING IT.
AND THE STATE LAW PRECLUDES YOU FROM DOING SO.
AND PLANS CAN BE UPDATED IF THERE ARE CONDITIONS AND
PRIORITIES THAT CHANGE WITHIN THAT SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL
AREA.
THERE CAN BE AMENDMENTS TO THOSE PLANS THAT IF THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW INVESTMENT, THEY CAN REQUIRE A PLAN
UPDATE, A POTENTIAL PROJECT OF THE SCALE, OF THIS SCALE
COULD POTENTIALLY FALL IN THAT AREA AND THE PLAN AMENDMENT
IS A FORMAL PUBLIC PROCESS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED BY THE
STATE STATUTE.
AND THAT WILL BE VERY FORWARD FACING.
IT WOULD INVOLVE A LEVEL OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT NOT ONLY
WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT ALSO THE BUSINESS
OWNERS AND RESIDENTS IN THAT SPECIFIC AREA.
LOOKING AHEAD, ANY PARTICIPATION OF THE PROJECT WOULD
REQUIRE A FORMAL PLAN UPDATE.
THE PROCESS IS PUBLIC, AS I STATED, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
WOULD BE PARAMOUNT IN THE OVERALL UPDATE OF THE PLAN MOVING
FORWARD.
ANY QUESTIONS?
6:24:40PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
WE'LL SAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR AFTERWARDS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE THAT, CEDRIC.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE FROM THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE.
I BELIEVE JENNIFER CASTRO.
START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
6:24:55PM >> GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER CASTRO.
I AM THE CHIEF DEPUTY TAX COLLECTOR.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING NANCY MILLAN.
SHE IS AT THE FLORIDA TAX COLLECTOR ANNUAL SPRING MEETING.
UNFORTUNATELY, SHE COULD NOT BE HERE.
SHE EXTENDS HER SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THE INVITATION TO
SPEAK TODAY.
AS YOU KNOW, MS. MILLAN SENT A LETTER A FEW WEEKS AGO
STATING HER POSITION ON THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED
RAYS STADIUM DEVELOPMENT ON THE DREW PARK TAX COLLECTOR
OFFICE 4100 WEST MLK JUNIOR BOULEVARD.
TONIGHT, I WANT TO BRIEFLY REINFORCE THE KEY POINTS OF THAT
LETTER.
THE DREW PARK TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE IS A 25,000-SQUARE-FOOT
FACILITY ON FIVE ACRES.
WE HAVE 55 TEAM MEMBERS AND 32 SERVICE WINDOWS, AND WE SERVE
APPROXIMATELY 900 CUSTOMERS PER DAY IN THAT LOCATION.
1 MILLION PEOPLE PER YEAR WALK THROUGH THE DOORS OF THE
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE.
FISCAL YEAR 2025, 218,000 CUSTOMERS WERE SERVED IN THE DREW
PARK OFFICE ALONE.
IT IS OUR BUSIEST LOCATION IN THE COUNTY, SERVING WEST
TAMPA, TOWN N' COUNTRY, SOUTH TAMPA, WESTSHORE, AND
SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
FOR MANY TRANSIT-DEPENDENT RESIDENTS, THIS IS THEIR ONLY
ACCESS POINT TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES SUCH AS GETTING A
DRIVER'S LICENSE.
FOR A LITTLE HISTORY ON THIS FACILITY, IT USED TO BE THE
SITE OF THE OLD STATE MLK DMV OFFICE.
IF YOU ARE A TAMPA NATIVE LIKE ME, I'M SURE YOU VISITED THAT
OFFICE BACK IN THE DAY.
IN 2014, THE TAX COLLECTOR, WHO PROVIDES STATE SERVICES AT
THE LOCAL COUNTY LEVEL, PARTNERED WITH THE STATE TO ASSUME A
99-YEAR LAND LEASE FOR THAT PROPERTY.
THEN TAX COLLECTOR DOUG BELDEN TORE DOWN THE OLD BUILDING
AND BUILT A NEW STATE OF THE ART TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE THAT
OPENED IN 2015 AT A TAXPAYER COST OF APPROXIMATELY $4
MILLION.
THIS WAS PART OF THE TAX COLLECTOR'S LONG-TERM STRATEGY TO
SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON FACILITIES WITH RECURRING EXPENSIVE
LEASE PAYMENTS.
ALTHOUGH THE LAND IS LEASED FROM THE STATE, THE TAX
COLLECTOR BUILT, FULLY OPERATES, AND MAINTAINS THIS FACILITY
TODAY.
IT IS THE TAX COLLECTOR'S PREFERENCE FOR THE EXISTING DREW
PARK TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE TO REMAIN UNTOUCHED ENTIRELY.
NEARLY 900 CUSTOMERS WALK THROUGH THOSE DOORS EVERY DAY.
THAT IS BUILT-IN FOOT TRAFFIC FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD
BE FORTUNATE TO HAVE AS A NEIGHBOR.
DISPLACEMENT WOULD BE VERY COSTLY TO TAXPAYERS.
REPLACING A FIVE-ACRE PROPERTY WITH A 25,000-SQUARE-FOOT
BUILDING TODAY WOULD FAR EXCEED THE $4 MILLION WE PAID IN
2015.
ROUGHLY, IT WOULD BE MORE LIKE 15 TO 25 MILLION.
LOCAL PROPERTY TAX COMMISSION REVENUE ALREADY SUBSIDIZES THE
STATE SERVICES DELIVERED BY THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE.
IF PROPERTY TAX REFORM ELIMINATES OR REDUCES OUR REVENUE
THAT COMES FROM PROPERTY TAX COMMISSIONS, WE MAY SIMPLY NOT
HAVE THE BUDGET TO REPLACE THIS BUILDING AND THERE'S NO
STATE FUNDING WAITING TO FILL THAT GAP.
IF KEEPING OUR EXISTING FACILITY IS NOT AN OPTION, THE TAX
COLLECTOR MUST HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND NEGOTIATIONS
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE DREW PARK TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE
PRIOR TO FINALIZING ANY DECISIONS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO BEING GOOD PARTNERS IN TAMPA'S FUTURE,
BUT WE CANNOT STAND BY WHILE OUR BUSIEST OFFICE IS IN
JEOPARDY WITHOUT A REPLACEMENT PLAN.
TAX COLLECTOR NANCY MILLAN WELCOMES THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET
WITH ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER FURTHER OR
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR INVITATION TONIGHT.
6:28:41PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, JENNIFER.
APPRECIATE IT.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL WITH THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE.
6:28:52PM >> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MICHAEL MAURINO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WESTSHORE ALLIANCE.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME AND INCLUDING ME IN THIS PORTION
OF THE PROGRAM.
WE PROVIDE YOU WITH A LETTER TODAY THAT OUTLINES OUR
SUPPORT.
I'LL SUMMARIZE THAT A LITTLE BIT AND GET KIND OF INTO THE
HISTORY OF IT.
FIRST OF ALL, THE LETTER THAT YOU RECEIVED TONIGHT ALSO THE
COUNTY COMMISSION GOT.
COMPARE NOTES, IT IS THE EXACT SAME LETTER.
WE WERE FORMED IN 1983 TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR WESTSHORE AND
DREW PARK IS PART OF THE WESTSHORE DISTRICT.
ONE OF OUR FORMER PRESIDENTS ACTUALLY HELPED START THE DREW
PARK CRA.
HE GREW UP IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE WENT TO THE OLD LOIS AVENUE SCHOOL.
SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS PROJECT, WE TRIED TO BREAK IT DOWN
AND LOOK AT THREE ASPECTS OF IT AND KIND OF USE OUR OWN
DATA, OUR OWN THOUGHT PROCESS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT
THIS IS A GOOD PROJECT.
SO WE LOOKED AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON WESTSHORE,
TRANSPORTATION AS A COMPONENT AND THE COST OF THE PROJECT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT, AND THIS IS PART OF YOUR
LETTER, IS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WESTSHORE AND DREW PARK
HAVE LAGGED THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH.
WE LOOKED AT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES BECAUSE WE ARE A
BUSINESS GROUP.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO LOOK AT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, ESPECIALLY
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.
BUT ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF THAT AND CEDRIC DEMONSTRATED IN A
SLIDE, THE CRA DOESN'T GENERATE A LOT OF MONEY.
SOME OF THE MOST VALUABLE PROPERTIES IN WESTSHORE ARE IN
WESTSHORE AND IN DREW PARK ARE ACTUALLY PUBLICLY OWNED OR
TAKEN UP BY PART OF THE WESTSHORE INTERCHANGE.
SO GOING FORWARD, THERE IS A NEED TO SORT OF REPLENISH THAT
TAX BASE OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH.
AND THE REASON WHY THAT IS CRITICAL FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA
AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF WESTSHORE,
THE NON-DREW PARK PART OF WESTSHORE, IS NOT IN A CRA.
SO THE REVENUE GENERATED, THE PROPERTY TAXES GENERATED IN
WESTSHORE GOES BACK TO THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
GOES BACK TO THE REST OF THE CITY OF TAMPA.
IT'S NOT CAPTURED BY A CRA.
IT'S NOT HELD IN.
IF THERE IS A NEED, IF THERE IS DESIRE OF THIS BODY AND FOR
THAT MATTER OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION, TO MAKE SURE THAT
PROPERTY VALUES CONTINUE TO GROW AND WESTSHORE REMAINS A
PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT DONATES BACK TO THE REST OF THE
COMMUNITY, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME VERSION OF REINVESTMENT IN
WESTSHORE, WHETHER IT IS THIS PROJECT OR ANOTHER PROJECT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT WAS WITH THE RAYS' PROJECT,
AGAIN 120 ACRES, AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS 6 MILLION TO 8
MILLION SQUARE FEET.
SO WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT BALANCE OF ACREAGE VERSUS SQUARE
FOOTAGE, THAT'S COMPARABLE TO WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED
AT WESTSHORE PLAZA, WHICH IS ABOUT HALF THE SIZE BUT ABOUT 3
MILLION SQUARE FEET IN MIDTOWN TAMPA, ABOUT 25 ACRES AND 1.8
MILLION SQUARE FEET.
YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED THOSE THINGS.
AND THOSE THINGS HAVE TO MEET THE WESTSHORE OVERLAY, AS MR.
BENNETT MENTIONED.
SO THERE'S UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS SCALE DOES MAKE SENSE.
GETS US TO THE TRANSPORTATION PART OF THIS.
THERE IS A BIG HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF WESTSHORE, WHICH IS THE
DOUBLETREE SITE, MEANT TO BE A MULTIMODAL CENTER.
WE THINK THE BEST VERSION OF TRANSIT IN TAMPA IS AN
EXTENSION OF THE PEOPLEMOVER FROM TAMPA INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT DOWN TO THAT DOUBLETREE SITE.
FROM WHERE IT GOES NEXT, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY ALREADY
ON 275, BUT YOU NEED TO GO NORTH AT SOME POINT.
AND ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO GO NORTH IS UP DALE MABRY AND
HAVE THIS SITE WHERE THE RAYS WOULD BE AS ONE OF THE OPTIONS
FOR TOD, FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
AND BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL OF DEVELOPMENT THERE, YOU HAVE
A POTENTIAL FOR RIDERSHIP.
I CAME TO YOU IN FEBRUARY WHEN YOU WERE GOING OVER THE COMP
PLAN, AND I SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THE FACT THAT THE REA
GRANT WILL LOOK AT RIDERSHIP IN A PARTICULAR CATCHMENT AREA.
AND THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN LOOKED AT TRANSIT DENSITY
BONUSES.
THAT GETS INTO AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING AS WELL
BECAUSE YOU'RE PROVIDING THOSE BENEFITS.
THE OTHER THING I MENTIONED BECAUSE I AM A BASEBALL FAN AND
COULDN'T LEAVE THIS OUT.
25 OUT OF 30 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAMS HAVE SOME ACCESS TO
TRANSIT.
BASEBALL IS AN EVERYDAY GAME.
YOU NEED ALL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, ALSO INCLUDES
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.
F.D.O.T. WILL TAKE CARE OF THE ROADS.
ONE THING TO ASK OF THE RAYS, PLAN FOR 120 ACRES EXPANDS OUT
THAT PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY WALK TO THE GAME.
ANYONE BEEN TO THE BUCS GAME IN THE LAST 50 YEARS KNOWS
WALKING TO A GAME IS PRETTY HAZARDOUS BUT YOU CAN GET THERE.
MAKE SURE THIS IS TRUE WITH WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE RAYS.
LAST PART I'LL ADD, WHY WE WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
THERE IS A COST TO THE PROJECT, ALSO THE COST OF DOING
NOTHING.
WHAT IS PERCEIVED AND WHAT IS KNOWN TO THIS COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE IF WE WERE HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION ABOUT
TRANSIT RIGHT NOW, YOU'D HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF PUSH-BACK.
WE HAVE TO DO BIG THINGS.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE THINGS OUT, AND IT'S REALLY HARD WHAT YOU
HAVE TO FIGURE OUT.
YOU SHOULD HOLD THE RAYS ACCOUNTABLE.
YOU SHOULD TRY TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THE PROJECT AS YOU
CAN.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IF WE DON'T DO THIS, THEN WE
JOIN THE RANKS OF OAKLAND.
WE JOIN THE RANKS OF MONTREAL.
THE ONLY TWO MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAMS THAT HAVE MOVED
SINCE THE CREATION OF THE BUCCANEERS.
THAT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT.
SOMETHING WE THOUGHT ABOUT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE IN SUPPORT
OF THE PROJECT AS IT STANDS.
THANK YOU.
6:33:47PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, MICHAEL.
NEXT IS REPRESENTATIVE FROM FIREFIGHTER LOCAL 754.
START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
6:33:58PM >> MY NAME IS WALTER HILL.
VICE PRESIDENT TAMPA FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 754.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND RESIDENTS OF THE
CITY OF TAMPA.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE RAYS ORGANIZATION AND COMPLIMENT
THEIR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE OUR CONCERNS INTO CONSIDERATION
EARLY IN THIS PROCESS.
WE APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY AND THE ABILITY TO STAY
ENGAGED AS DISCUSSIONS HAVE MOVED FORWARD.
OUR FOCUS IS STRAIGHTFORWARD.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FIRE PROTECTION, AND E.M.S. SERVICE DELIVERY.
WE HAVE HEARD AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES
ARE NOT ANTICIPATED TO BE IMPACTED OPERATIONALLY AND THAT
ANY IMPACTS BEING DISCUSSED ARE FINANCIAL IN NATURE.
THAT DISTINCTION MATTERS BECAUSE HOW THOSE COMMITMENTS ARE
CARRIED OUT IS WHAT ULTIMATELY IMPACTS SERVICE DELIVERY.
AS THIS PROCESS MOVES FORWARD, OUR ROLE IS TO ENSURE THAT
THOSE COMMITMENTS ARE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED AND MAINTAINED AS
DETAILS DEVELOP.
PUBLIC SAFETY DEPENDS ON CONSISTENCY AND EXECUTION.
RESPONSE TIMES, STAFFING, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND SYSTEM
RELIABILITY ALL REQUIRE LONG-TERM PLANNING AND
FOLLOW-THROUGH.
THOSE ARE NOT AREAS WHERE UNCERTAINTY WORKS.
WE ALSO EMPHASIZE THAT IDENTIFYING FUNDING IS ONLY ONE PART
OF THE EQUATION.
HISTORICALLY PROJECTS LIKE UPGRADES, FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS
AND NEW STATION HAVE BEEN PLANNED AND BUDGETED BUT NOT
ALWAYS PRIORITIZED OR DELIVERED ON THE TIMELINES ORIGINALLY
EXPECTED.
FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, PLANNING WITHOUT PRIORITIZATION IS
WHERE THE GAP BEGINS.
THAT CONTEXT REINFORCES A SIMPLE POINT.
FUNDING ALONE DOES NOT DELIVER SERVICE.
EXECUTION DOES.
AS DECISIONS ARE MADE AND THIS PROJECT ADVANCES, MAINTAINING
PRIORITY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IMPLEMENTATION IS JUST AS
IMPORTANT AS IDENTIFYING THE FUNDING ITSELF.
MOVING FORWARD, OUR FOCUS STAYS SIMPLE.
THE EXPECTATION IS THAT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITMENTS ARE NOT
ONLY PRESERVED IN CONCEPT BUT CARRIED THROUGH IN PRACTICE.
CLEARLY DEFINED, MEASURABLE, AND EXECUTED.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMAIN ENGAGED AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH COUNCIL, STAFF, AND THE
RAYS AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO MAKE SURE THE EXPECTATIONS STAY
FRONT AND CENTER AS THIS PROCESS DEVELOPS.
FOR US AND THE COMMUNITY, EXPECTATIONS ARE AREN'T MEASURED
BY WHAT IS DISCUSSED.
THEY ARE MEASURED BY WHAT ACTUALLY GETS DONE.
THANK YOU.
6:36:06PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THE NEXT REPRESENTATIVE IS FROM OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT UNION.
LOCAL PBA.
BRANDON.
START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
6:36:18PM >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS BRANDON BARCLAY.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE TAMPA POLICE BENEVOLENT
ASSOCIATION.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT AN ISSUE
THAT SITS AT THE INTERSECTION OF COMMUNITY INVESTMENT,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
RECENTLY, THE PBA MET WITH THE OWNERSHIP OF THE TAMPA BAY
RAYS TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF A NEW STADIUM IN TAMPA.
THAT MEETING WAS PRODUCTIVE, THOUGHTFUL, AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY, GROUNDED IN A SHARED UNDERSTANDING THAT GROWTH
IS GOOD, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF SAFETY.
LET ME BE CLEAR.
WE SUPPORT THE IDEA OF A RAYS STADIUM IN TAMPA, A PROJECT
LIKE THIS HAS POTENTIAL TO ENERGIZE OUR CITY, CREATE JOBS
AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IT CAN SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR DEVELOPMENT AND BRING
FAMILIES TOGETHER IN A WAY FEW THINGS CAN, BUT SUPPORT DOES
NOT MEAN A BLANK CHECK.
OUR POSITION IS STRAIGHTFORWARD.
ANY MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING MUST INCLUDE FIRM GUARDRAILS
THAT PROTECTS PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES.
THOSE PROTECTIONS ARE NOT OPTIONAL.
THEY ARE ESSENTIAL.
AS OUR CITY GROWS, THE DEMAND ON LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTINUES
TO GROW WITH IT.
LARGE-SCALE DEVELOPMENTS LIKE A STADIUM BRING INCREASED
TRAFFIC, LARGER CROWDS AND COMPLEX SECURITY NEEDS.
WITHOUT PROPER PLANNING AND CLEARLY DEFINED COMMITMENTS,
THOSE PRESSURES CAN STRAIN THE VERY SYSTEMS THAT KEEP OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE INSISTING ON ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE NEED ASSURANCES THAT FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY WILL NOT
BE DELUDED.
WE NEED CLARITY ON STAFFING, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND LONG-TERM
OPERATIONAL IMPACTS.
WE NEED THOSE COMMITMENTS LOCKED IN, NOT LEFT TO CHANCE AND
NOT LEFT TO FUTURE INTERPRETATION.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE RAYS HAVE PROVIDED THE GOOD-FAITH EFFORT
TO BEGIN THESE DISCUSSIONS.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT OPPOSING PROGRESS.
THIS IS ABOUT SHAPING IT RESPONSIBLY.
THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE TAMPA POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
ARE ON THE FRONT LINES EVERY DAY.
THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP THE CITY SAFE, NOT
JUST TODAY BUT YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
THEIR VOICE IN THIS PROCESS IS NOT ONLY VALUABLE BUT
NECESSARY.
AND TO THE RAYS ORGANIZATION, WE RECOGNIZE YOUR WILLINGNESS
TO ENGAGE AND THAT MATTERS.
PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THIS ONLY SUCCEED WHEN ALL PARTIES COME TO
THE TABLE IN GOOD FAITH, AND WE BELIEVE THAT'S HAPPENING
HERE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE RAYS FOR PROACTIVELY REACHING OUT TO
BOTH POLICE AND FIRE RESCUE TO ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS AROUND
PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO LET'S MOVE FORWARD, LET'S DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY.
LET'S BUILD SOMETHING THAT REFLECTS THE BEST OF TAMPA,
THRIVING, GROWING CITY THAT NEVER LOSES SIGHT OF ITS
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT ITS PEOPLE.
A STADIUM CAN BE A SYMBOL OF PROGRESS WITH THE RIGHT
SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE, ALSO A SYMBOL OF SMART AND BALANCED
LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU.
6:38:43PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
[INAUDIBLE]
6:38:48PM >> GOOD EVENING, JUSTIN HALL, F.D.O.T., DISTRICT 7
SECRETARY.
I'LL KEEP MY REMARKS SHORT.
QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S BEEN A BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO WORK WITH
THE RAYS ORGANIZATION.
NOT OFTEN THAT WE GET TO WORK WITH A DEVELOPER THAT MEETS
WITH US WEEKLY AND TALKS TO US ABOUT TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IN
THE AREA.
AND JUST LIKE WITH ANY MAJOR DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE CONSIDERING
THE TRAFFIC IMPACTS, LOOKING AT IMPACTS TO SAFETY FOR BOTH
BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS.
I CAN TELL YOU THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THROUGH
WORKING WITH THEM, HAS COMMITTED TO SEVERAL PROJECTS TO
IMPROVE TRANSPORTATION IN THE AREA FOR ALL USERS AND WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM AS THE SITE DEVELOPS TO SEE WHAT
ELSE WE CAN INCLUDE.
ALL OF THAT FUNDING IS NOT COMING FROM CURRENT WORK PROGRAM.
IT IS COMING FROM OUT OF THE AREA.
SO WE'RE NOT TAKING AWAY FROM ANYTHING.
THANK YOU.
6:39:32PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
[INAUDIBLE] [MICROPHONE NOT ON] WHY DON'T
WE EXPAND THIS OUT.
THE INITIAL INTENT WAS JUST FOR STAKEHOLDERS.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO ASK ANYBODY FROM THE CITY OR THE RAYS, I
THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME.
COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK.
6:40:02PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
THANK YOU.
SINCE SECRETARY HALL WAS JUST UP, I'M GOING TO CALL HIM UP
AND MR. BABBY PROBABLY.
SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WHEN I MET WITH MR. BABBY FOR THE
FIRST TIME, I SAID IT'S NOT ABOUT ROADS.
IT'S ABOUT TRANSIT.
AND I SAID THAT I'M GOING TO EXPECT THAT THE STATE IS GOING
TO COME BACK WITH SUPPORT FOR BUS RAPID TRANSIT IN THAT AREA
AND, QUITE FRANKLY, BUSES.
AND WHAT I'VE HEARD IS DALE MABRY WIDENING.
SO WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO
DO FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS
WE'VE GOT IS CAR TRAFFIC.
SO HOW DO WE ALLEVIATE THAT?
WE DO THAT WITH PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AND THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, EASILY, QUICKLY, CHEAPLY IN OUR
SOCIETY, WHILE WE WORK TOWARD THE REA AND THE OTHER THINGS
IS BUSES.
TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW F.D.O.T. IS GOING TO HELP US GET BUSES
IN TRANSIT FOR THIS.
6:41:07PM >> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
JUSTIN HALL, F.D.O.T. DISTRICT 7 SECRETARY.
I'LL TELL YOU, QUITE FRANKLY, THE WIDENING OF DALE MABRY
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MAYBE SOME TURN LANES REALLY ISN'T
EVEN ON OUR LIST.
EXPANSION OF TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD, SOME WIDENING OF THE
SOUTHERN PART OF AIR CARGO ROAD, SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ON DALE
MABRY, NEW SIGNAL PEDESTRIAN OVERPASS, THINGS OF THAT
NATURE.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSIT, HONESTLY IN THE EARLY
CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH THE TRANSIT AGENCY, IT'S ABOUT
TRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY, NOT NECESSARILY A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL
SERVICE.
NOW, IF WE NEED TO TALK ADDITIONAL SERVICE, WE CAN TALK
ABOUT THAT, I'LL TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW IT'S ACCESS TO THAT
AREA.
ANOTHER ISSUE WE TALKED ABOUT IS WITH RIDE SHARE.
RIDE SHARE, THEY DROP OFF RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF DALE MABRY.
THERE'S NO OFFICIAL RIDE SHARE AREA.
THERE'S NO PEDESTRIAN CHANNELIZATION.
SO IT'S REALLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN TALKING WITH THEM ON THE SITE AND AROUND THE
SITE, HOW DO WE PROVIDE CIRCULATION FOR RIDE SHARE?
THAT'S NOT A FORMAL TRANSIT SOLUTION BUT OBVIOUSLY AN
ALTERNATE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION IN THE AREA THAT'S HEAVILY
USED.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK WE'RE PROVIDING A LOT OF
SITUATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSIT ACCESS ON TAMPA BAY
BOULEVARD, AIR CARGO, MLK AND ALSO PROVIDING SOME SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS ON DALE MABRY.
LIKE I SAID, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO CARRY ON MORE
CONVERSATIONS WITH HART ABOUT ADDITIONAL SERVICE.
6:42:25PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
IS THAT SOMETHING -- SO F.D.O.T. COULD
SUPPORT THAT?
6:42:28PM >> FOR SURE.
NEED TO WORK ON A PLAN.
6:42:33PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
THANK YOU.
THAT KIND OF GOES TO MY QUESTION.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. McCRAY.
WELL, OKAY.
I'LL WAIT FOR MY NEXT TURN.
6:42:43PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
COUNCILMAN VIERA, FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMAN
MIRANDA.
6:42:45PM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN.
ONE THING ABOUT THE BRT, I HAVE HEARD RECENTLY THE
EXCLUSION, THE OMISSION OF USF FROM THAT AND NEED TO GET
BACK ON TRACK FOR THAT.
MY QUESTION WOULD BE TO MR. BARCLAY, IF I MAY, MR. HILL.
THE REASON I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE RAYS TO MEET
WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY UNIONS IS BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO
LISTEN TO THE COPS AND FIREFIGHTERS.
YOU CAN'T JUST GO TO MANAGEMENT ON THESE ISSUES.
WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE A TOUGH SITUATION TOUGHER.
MY QUESTION AND I WON'T GO ON BECAUSE OF TIME IS WHAT
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE STADIUM, WITHIN THE
SURROUNDING AREA THERE WOULD YOU ALL LIKE TO SEE?
BECAUSE WE DISCUSS THAT AT LOCAL 2294, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
FIREFIGHTERS.
THINGS LIKE SPACE FOR A RESCUE VEHICLE, A POLICE SUBSTATION
PRESENCE, JOINT POLICE, FIRE, TRAINING PLACE THERE.
TELL ME AND TELL THE RAYS.
6:43:45PM >> WALTER HILL, TAMPA FIREFIGHTERS.
DURING OUR DISCUSSIONS, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID SPEAK ABOUT
WAS, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN THEY ARE HAVING ONE OF THE 82 GAMES,
WHERE IS THE RESCUE UNIT GOING TO SHOW UP?
SOMETHING THEY MAY NOT HAVE INITIALLY TAKEN INTO
CONSIDERATION, HAVING DIRECT ACCESS FOR RESCUE AND
TRANSPORTS.
OBVIOUSLY, EVERYWHERE IS GROWING IN THE CITY OF TAMPA AND
PUTTING ANOTHER CITY OVER THERE IS ESSENTIALLY GOING TO
REQUIRE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
6:44:11PM >> BRANDON BARCLAY, TAMPA PBA.
I'LL ECHO A LOT OF WHAT HE SAID.
OUR MAIN FOCUS WAS THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF PEOPLE THAT
HAVE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE STADIUM, WHAT SECURITY
SITUATIONS LOOK LIKE, GETTING POLICE CARS IN AND OUT.
OBVIOUSLY, SHARING THAT SPACE WITH FIRE RESCUE TO GET PEOPLE
FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
6:44:29PM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU.
MR. HILL, SOMETHING YOU TALKED ABOUT, CITY WITHIN A CITY.
CHANNELSIDE.
AGAIN, HOW YEARS AGO WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING A SEPARATE,
WHETHER IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE STATION 25 IN CHANNELSIDE OR A
FULL ADDITIONAL STATION THERE, AND IT JUST NEVER HAPPENED.
I'LL BE DAMNED, IT NEVER HAPPENED.
I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN FOR THIS STADIUM IF IT COMES
HERE, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CITY WITHIN A CITY.
IF WE DON'T HAVE INCREASED INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
AMENITIES TO MEET THOSE OBVIOUS INCREASED NEEDS, THEN, MAN,
SHAME ON ALL OF US.
I APPRECIATE YOUR ALL'S IDEAS.
WE CAN'T, IF WE DO PASS THIS, WE CANNOT REPEAT THE MISTAKES
OF THE PAST LIKE WE DID WITH CHANNELSIDE.
I SPOKE WITH THE RAYS THE FIRST TIME, I MET WITH MR. BABBY
AND OTHERS, AND I SAID, WHETHER OR NOT YOU DESERVE IT, YOU
CARRY UPON YOU THE SINS OF THE PAST, THE MISTAKES OF THE
PAST.
THAT INCLUDES WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND AREAS LIKE THIS,
WHETHER OR NOT IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT, THOSE ARE
THINGS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED IN THIS DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.
6:45:30PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
6:45:31PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, ALL OF YOU.
EVERYBODY.
GAME DAY, CONCERTS, TRACTOR PULLS AND OTHER EVENTS, ALL OF
THEM.
SO HAPPENS THAT I'M SO LUCKY THAT I REPRESENT WEST TAMPA AND
DREW PARK.
SO WHERE THE ACTION IS, AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENS?
THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THE EAST SIDE OF DALE MABRY, THEY
CAN'T LEAVE OR ARRIVE AN HOUR AND A HALF TO HOUR AND 45
MINUTES, MAYBE TWO HOURS BEFORE THE GAME AND TWO HOURS AFTER
THE GAME, THEY CAN'T GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING?
TO THE GOOD GENTLEMAN FROM THE STATE TRANSPORTATION, WE
DON'T NEED BUSES.
WE NEED LIGHT RAIL, OVERHEAD.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUILD NO MORE ROADS.
EVERY TIME YOU SEE AN EXPANSION OF THE EXPRESSWAY, SIX
MONTHS LATER, ANOTHER EXPANSION BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE COME IN.
LET'S DO IT THE RIGHT WAY SO THEY CAN GO OVER HEAD AND NOT
BOTHER THE CARS ON THE BOTTOM.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO THINGS.
THE PEOPLE IN WEST TAMPA ARE UP IN ARMS, PEOPLE IN DREW
PARK, AND I REPRESENT THOSE PEOPLE, BUT I ALSO REPRESENT THE
REST OF THE CITY.
I NEED SOME ANSWERS.
THE PEOPLE IN WEST TAMPA AND DREW PARK NEED SOME ANSWERS.
NOT JUST EXCUSES, NO AT PLAT.
NOT A BEAUTY THING.
GO TALK TO THEM AND SEE HOW YOU SOLVE THAT PROBLEM BECAUSE
THEY CAN'T GET IN AND OUT NOW.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ALL OF YOU.
6:46:57PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
IF THERE IS A TRACTOR PULL, ARE YOU GOING
TO GO?
6:47:00PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
ONLY IF THERE IS A TRACTOR.
[ LAUGHTER ]
6:47:12PM >>NAYA YOUNG:
I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO I THINK I HEARD YOU MENTION EARLIER WHEN WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT FUNDING AND PROPERTY TAXES, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY
THAT WE MAY HAVE TO CUT FUNDING FROM SOME OF THE CIT PROJECT
LIST, DID I HEAR THAT CORRECTLY?
HOW DO WE PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING?
OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO SEE, ESPECIALLY
COMMUNITY.
I KNOW YOU'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS, STILL
WORKING OUT WHAT THE FIGURES ARE GOING TO BE, BUT IS THAT
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN WRITING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING
TO CUT FUNDING FROM THOSE PROJECTS?
6:47:54PM >> IF I CAN STATE YOUR QUESTION BACK TO YOU.
6:47:57PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
6:47:59PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
DENNIS ROGERO, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
YOU'RE ASKING THE ADVERSE IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH PROPERTY
TAX REDUCTION AND HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT THESE PROJECTS.
6:48:12PM >>NAYA YOUNG:
RIGHT.
BECAUSE EARLIER YOU HAD SAID THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT SOME
FUNDING FROM SOME OF THE -- FROM THE PROJECT LIST.
6:48:19PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
YES.
THERE IS A POTENTIAL TO CUT SOME FUNDING FOR THE PROJECTS
UNDER A FEW DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
ONE IS, IF THE REVENUE WE ANTICIPATE DOESN'T COME IN LIKE WE
THOUGHT IT WOULD.
IF, FOR INSTANCE, THE ANNUAL AVERAGE INCREASE IS LESS THAN
3%.
SO THAT IS THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX VULNERABILITY.
THE PROPERTY TAX VULNERABILITY GOES ANYWHERE -- YOU KNOW,
AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO ENGAGE IN EXAGGERATION, BUT THE
ELIMINATION OF PROPERTY TAXES THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED WOULD BE
CATASTROPHIC.
AND IT WOULDN'T JUST BE CATASTROPHIC FOR THE CITY.
IT WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC FOR MOST OF THE LOCALITIES IN THE
CITY OF FLORIDA.
NOW, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK, DOES ANYBODY THINK THAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN?
I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S UNLIKELY, BUT IT WOULD HAVE SERIOUS, SERIOUS ADVERSE
IMPACT.
THERE IS A SCHOOL OF THOUGHT THAT THINKS THE MOST LIKELY
IMPACT WILL BE A LESSER ADVERSE IMPACT TO THE PROPERTY TAX
REVENUE SUCH AS AN ADDITIONAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH WE'VE WEATHERED IN THE PAST AND I'M
SURE WE'LL WEATHER AGAIN, BUT THEY ARE NO MEANS A POSITIVE
FOR OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS.
THERE WOULD BE A REDUCTION.
IF AN ACTION IS TAKEN AT THE STATE LEVEL TO REDUCE PROPERTY
TAXES, THERE WILL BE A NEGATIVE IMPACT.
SO I SAY THAT TO SAY HOW DO YOU BUTTRESS THESE PROJECTS
RIGHT HERE AGAINST THOSE VULNERABILITIES?
AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF -- I'M SORRY, CAN I CONTINUE TO
SPEAK?
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF POSSIBILITIES.
YOU'D LOOK AT IT FROM THE REVENUE SIDE, ARE THERE OTHER
REVENUES APPROPRIATE FOR THESE PROJECTS OR YOU'D LOOK AT IT
FROM THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, ARE THERE OTHER EXPENSES OUT
THERE OF A LESSER PRIORITY THAN THESE PROJECTS?
AND THAT'S PROBABLY MORE OF AN ANSWER THAN YOU WANTED BUT ON
BOTH SIDES, THE INFLOW AND THE OUTFLOW, WE WOULD HAVE TO
LOOK AT THAT ALONG WITH THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AS TO
PRIORITIZATION BECAUSE BOTH OF THOSE SCENARIOS WOULD TAKE
REVENUE AWAY FROM WHAT WE'D LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH.
6:50:22PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, SIR.
COUNCILMAN CARLSON.
6:50:24PM >>BILL CARLSON:
IS MIKE MARINO STILL HERE?
MIKE, I THINK OF YOU AS A PLANNER AND A TRANSPORTATION
EXPERT.
YOU ARE ALSO HEAD OF THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE.
AND MAYBE MR. BABBY WOULD LIKE TO REFER TO THIS, TOO.
AS COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA SAID, WE HAVE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM
THE NEIGHBORHOODS, DREW PARK, BUT ALSO THOSE FURTHER EAST,
EVEN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF RAYMOND
JAMES.
IS THERE ANY -- IS THERE THE BEGINNING OF ANY KIND OF MASTER
PLANNING GOING ON THAT INCLUDES TRANSPORTATION, LAND USE,
ACCESSIBILITY BETWEEN MR. BABBY MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A
POSITIVE DISCUSSION WITH THE YANKEES AND ALSO THE BUCS, BUT
IS THERE ANY KIND OF MASTER PLANNING AND WOULD YOUR
ORGANIZATION LEAD THAT MAYBE WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR
D.O.T.?
WHO WOULD LEAD THAT AND CONVENE THAT?
6:51:16PM >> I'LL KIND OF TAKE IT IN SEQUENCE.
I'VE ACTUALLY SPOKEN WITH LEADERS -- MICHAEL MARINO,
WESTSHORE ALLIANCE.
I'VE SPOKEN TO ONE OF THE LEADERS IN THE WEST TAMPA HEIGHTS
NEIGHBORHOOD WHO PARTICIPATES ON OUR COMMITTEES AND TALKED
TO HIM A LOT ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT COUNCILMAN MIRANDA
MENTIONED, THE FACT THAT YOU'RE KIND OF TRAPPED IN THAT
NEIGHBORHOOD.
OUR OFFICE IS RIGHT THERE AT HIMES AND MLK.
I KNOW HOW IT IS ON THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, MONDAY NIGHT
FOOTBALL.
HARD TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ST. JOSEPH'S BEING THERE.
THERE IS A NEED TO IMPROVE UPON THAT.
AND THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED THIS RAYS' SITE IS 120 ACRES BUT
THE SCALE OF THE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE MUCH LARGER.
THAT'S WHERE THE PEDESTRIAN COMPONENT COMES IN.
WE AS AN ORGANIZATION HAVE HAD A MASTER PLAN SINCE 2012.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING OUR TRANSPORTATION ACTION
PLAN.
THAT WILL COME TO YOU IN SOME FORMAT PROBABLY AFTER OCTOBER
1st.
BUT THE NEXT PHASE IS TO UPDATE OUR MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS
FROM 2012, LIKE I MENTIONED.
THE ACTION THAT YOU HAVE ALL TAKEN WITH THE COMP PLAN, EVEN
THOUGH THE STATE KICKED IT BACK, THAT LEADS TO THE POTENTIAL
REDEVELOPMENT OF WESTSHORE THROUGH MIXED USE.
SO THAT'S WHERE THIS OPPORTUNITY IS.
WE HAVE THE MECHANISM TO DO OUR OWN PLANNING, BUT YOU HAVE
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE TPO HERE.
YOU HAVE PLANNING COMMISSION IS A GOOD PARTNER OF YOU ALL.
BUT THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE YOU TAKE THE 120 ACRES AND
EXPAND IT OUT.
OBVIOUSLY, THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE COULD BE A PARTNER OF
THAT.
NOW YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE WESTSHORE DISTRICT.
AND GOING BACK TO THE TRANSIT ISSUE, THE CRAs FROM
DOWNTOWN KIND OF STACK UP.
AND END AT HOWARD AND ARMENIA, THE WEST TAMPA BOUNDARY ENDS.
SO YOU NEED SOME REGENERATION OF PROPERTY TAXES AND VALUE IN
THAT AREA.
IF YOU WANT SOME VERSION OF MASS TRANSIT TO GET ACROSS AND
SERVE WEST TAMPA, SERVE WESTSHORE AND SERVE THE AIRPORT.
6:53:13PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
OTHERWISE WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK.
6:53:20PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
SO FOR MR. McCRAY, I HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS.
IN THE RECENT HISTORY, WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THE CRA HAS
BONDED FOR ANYTHING?
6:53:37PM >> HAVE NOT.
6:53:39PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
THIS WOULD BE THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT THE
CRA HAS BONDED.
6:53:41PM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
THAT'S CORRECT.
6:53:42PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
WHEN YOU SHOWED THE DREW PARK PLANS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR
THEIR CRA, ONE OF THE LINE ITEMS WAS THE LINEAR PARK, AND IT
SAID TPD NEXT TO IT BECAUSE IT'S WAITING FOR US TO FUND IT.
WE SIT AS THE CRA BOARD, BY THE WAY, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T
KNOW.
SO WHAT IS THE EXPECTED COST OF THAT LINEAR PARK?
I MEAN, NOT A HUGE THING, BUT JUST AN ESTIMATE THAT IT MAY
COST BASED ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS IN THAT AREA.
6:54:16PM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
I KNOW THERE WERE SOME PRELIMINARY DESIGNS.
SORRY.
GOOD EVENING.
CEDRIC McCRAY, TAMPA CRA DIRECTOR.
I KNOW THERE WERE SOME PRELIMINARY DESIGNS WHEN I WAS
SERVING IN INTERIM CAPACITY IN THE DREW PARK CRA OR FOR THE
CAC.
WE LISTED THEIR PRIORITIES, AND THE LINEAR PARK WAS ONE OF
THE LATTER ONES BECAUSE OF THE OVERALL EXPENSE.
I HIGHLIGHTED THREE OF THE FOUR PROJECTS THAT EARLIER THAT
THEY SHARED WERE THE PRIORITY.
THE LINEAR PARK, I COULDN'T TELL YOU.
IF YOU WANT PIE IN THE SKY, I'D HAVE TO COME BACK AND TELL
YOU OR AFTER HAVING CONVERSATION WITH PARKS AND RECREATION
AND THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WE WOULD HAVE TO PARTNER WITH.
2 MILLION?
5 MILLION?
I COULDN'T SAY DEFINITIVELY HOW MUCH THAT WOULD COST.
BUT I KNEW IT WOULD BE MORE THAN THE PROJECTS WE APPROVED ON
THE SHORT-TERM BASIS.
6:55:06PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
OKAY.
YOU'RE SHOWING US AS GETTING ABOUT $3 MILLION A YEAR
CURRENTLY.
6:55:10PM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
YES, MA'AM.
6:55:13PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
MY OTHER QUESTION I GUESS WOULD GO TO MR.
ROGERO.
IF WE WERE TO DO THAT, HOW MUCH OF THIS CRA MONEY DO THEY
WANT?
HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD COME FROM THE CRA?
BECAUSE THERE'S OBVIOUSLY -- I'M GOING TO GUESS BECAUSE MR.
McCRAY DID NOT THAT IT WOULD BE AT LEAST A $10 MILLION
PARK BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF LAND THAT'S THERE AND WHAT THEY
WANT.
6:55:44PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
DENNIS ROGERO, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION.
HOW MUCH IS BEING DISCUSSED BEYOND --
6:55:53PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
HOW MUCH MONEY ARE THE RAYS EXPECTING TO GET
FROM THE CRA?
6:55:57PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
UNDERSTOOD.
AGAIN, I CAN GIVE YOU A RANGE BECAUSE STILL UNDER
NEGOTIATION.
YOU'VE SEEN ANYWHERE FROM THE COUNTY WORKSHOP $160 MILLION,
ONE OF THE MOST RECENT DISCUSSIONS IS $100 MILLION, COULD BE
LESS.
AGAIN, ALL OF THE REVENUE SOURCES ARE PLAYING OFF EACH OTHER
AS WE NEGOTIATE.
6:56:16PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
BUT HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT WHAT THE CRA, THE
CURRENT CRA WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH?
WOULD THAT IMPACT THE MONEY THAT THEY CAN USE?
6:56:26PM >>DENNIS ROGERO:
THE INTENT TO PAY BACK THAT BOND FUNDING
WOULD BE FROM THE GROWTH ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PARTICULAR
INCREMENT, THE MIXED DEVELOPMENT INCREMENT.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE ON THE EXISTING
PLAN, BUT YOU'D HAVE THE INCREMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE
DEVELOPMENT AND THEN THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT AND THEN
YOU'D ALSO HAVE FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE WIDER DREW PARK
CRA.
6:56:54PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG.
6:56:58PM >>NAYA YOUNG:
OKAY.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS
AGREEMENT.
I KNOW THERE WAS A SLIDE ABOUT IT, MR. BABBY, ABOUT THE
COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
BUT CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH THE COMMITTEE, WHAT
IS THE PROCESS OR SELECTION PROCESS FOR HAVING THAT
COMMUNITY BENEFITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE?
MR. ATWATER, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU AS WELL.
6:57:31PM >> THE TWO BALD KENS UP HERE.
6:57:34PM >> SAME BARBER.
6:57:36PM >> KEN BABBY, TAMPA BAY RAYS.
COUNCILWOMAN AS WE SHARED AND DISCUSSED TONIGHT, WE'LL HAVE
A ROBUST COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT PROCESS THAT WILL
INCLUDE A COMMITTEE, PILLARS OF AREA OF FOCUS FROM PARKS TO
AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO OUR EDUCATION COMMITMENTS BOTH IN
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND, OF COURSE, WITH THE CITY AND
WORKING ALONGSIDE THE COLLEGE.
THE COMMITTEE WILL BE ASSEMBLED INCLUDING ELECTED OFFICIALS,
LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WILL GO THROUGH A FULL ROBUST
COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT PROCESS THAT, OF COURSE, WOULD
ULTIMATELY BE APPROVED BY THIS BODY.
IT'S A CRITICAL PART OF OUR SUCCESS.
AND I'LL SHARE WITH YOU WILL BE THE LARGEST AS WE SAID IN
THE CITY OF TAMPA'S HISTORY.
6:58:16PM >>NAYA YOUNG:
THANK YOU.
ALSO, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY DURING THE DEVELOPMENT, IF
THIS IS APPROVED, THAT HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE STUDENTS WILL
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN WORK AS WELL?
6:58:35PM >> KEN ATWATER.
YES, WE ALREADY OFFER INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS ALL
THE TIME.
AND THIS ONLY EXPANDS THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT TO OCCUR
ON-SITE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE OFFER ABOUT 360 OR 70 APPRENTICESHIPS IN
CONSTRUCTION.
DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE WE ANTICIPATE THAT THOSE
APPRENTICESHIPS WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S
GOING ON, BOTH AT THE STADIUM AND BOTH IN THE MIXED USE
DEVELOPMENT.
6:59:05PM >>NAYA YOUNG:
THAT WAS ALL.
THANK YOU.
6:59:06PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE QUESTION.
COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK.
6:59:08PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
GENTLEMEN, DON'T GO ANYWHERE.
BOTH OF YOU.
MR. ATWATER AS WELL.
I'VE HEARD THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GETTING $150 MILLION
FROM THE STATE FOR THE COLLEGE.
WE JUST FINISHED BUILDING ONE BUILDING IN THE CITY OF TAMPA
THAT COST $120 MILLION.
WHAT DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BUILD
WITH $150 MILLION?
6:59:36PM >> WE ANTICIPATE $500 A SQUARE FOOT, THAT WE ANTICIPATE WE
CAN BUILD ABOUT 300,000 SQUARE FOOT OF SPACE FOR THE
COLLEGE.
THE COLLEGE CURRENTLY OPERATES ON ABOUT 650,000 SQUARE FEET
OF SPACE.
WE'RE RETAINING ABOUT 250 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE, AND WE'RE
GOING TO USE THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT TO USE FOR THE
ADDITIONAL HUNDRED THOUSAND.
THINGS SUCH AS A SHARED GYMNASIUM, SHARED PHYSICAL PLANT,
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THOSE ARE THE WAYS THAT WE THINK WE'LL HAVE 650,000 SQUARE
FEET OF FACILITY TO DO SO.
LET ME TELL YOU, BY GETTING NEW FACILITIES, IT WILL ALSO
ACCOMMODATE ANTICIPATED GROWTH THAT WE PLANNED IN, BECAUSE
IT WILL BE DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT WILL BE EASY TO
ACCOMMODATE THE GROWTH THAT WE CANNOT DO NOW AT OUR PRESENT
SITE.
7:00:25PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
WHO WOULD PAY FOR THE FACILITIES?
7:00:28PM >> THE STATE IS PLANNING TO PAY 150 MILLION FOR US TO DO
THAT.
7:00:31PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
NO, I'M SORRY.
YOU TALKED ABOUT SHARING THINGS LIKE THE GYM AND LIKE -- I'M
ANTICIPATING A -- SIMILAR TO WATER STREET.
7:00:42PM >> THAT'S PART OF THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
7:00:43PM >>KEN BABBY:
THE OTHER THING I CAN SPEAK TO IN TERMS OF THE
STATE'S COMMITMENT, THE STATE IN ITS HISTORY HAS NEVER BEGUN
AN EDUCATIONAL COMMITMENT THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT IS
FUNDED THAT IS NOT COMPLETED.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF THAT.
I THINK THE COUNCIL SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT BY THE
STATE'S COMMITMENT THAT IT'S NOT ONLY BEEN A GREAT PARTNER
TO HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE, BUT TO THE TAMPA BAY RAYS, THE
BROADER COUNTY AND THE CITY AND HAS EVERY INTENTION OF
COMPLETING THAT PROJECT.
7:01:08PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
THANK YOU.
THEN I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
YOU HAVE ABOUT 27,000 STUDENTS ON THE CAMPUS.
7:01:15PM >> ON THAT SITE, YES.
7:01:16PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
SO REALISTICALLY, HOW MANY INTERNSHIPS COULD
ACTUALLY HAPPEN?
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONSTRUCTION.
YOU SAID IT'S LIKE 350 FOR CONSTRUCTION.
7:01:26PM >> I JUST USED CONSTRUCTION AS AN IDEA.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE COULDN'T DO INTERNSHIPS IN HOSPITALITY,
CULINARY, AND OTHER PROGRAMS.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
WE DO I.T. PROGRAM INTERNSHIPS WITH THE YANKEES.
I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY THAT COULDN'T OCCUR.
7:01:48PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
HOW MANY STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THAT?
7:01:51PM >> IN THE I.T. PROGRAM, APPROXIMATELY 25.
ABOUT 25.
7:01:55PM >>LYNN HURTAK:
SO 25 IN THE INTERNSHIP.
THANK YOU.
7:01:58PM >> SURE.
7:01:59PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT CONCLUDES THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FROM COUNCIL.
NOW I'M SURE COUNCIL WILL AGREE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED
TO HEAR FROM IS THE PUBLIC.
ONE OF THE BIG PURPOSES OF THE WORKSHOP IS HEAR FROM YOU.
I HAVE THE SIGN-IN SHEETS.
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, I'LL READ OFF THREE NAMES AT A TIME SO
YOU GUYS CAN BE READY TO SPEAK SO WE CAN GO BANG, BANG.
EACH PUBLIC SPEAKER GETS THREE MINUTES.
ONCE AGAIN, THERE IS A TIMER ON THE PODIUM.
IT WILL BE GREEN WHEN YOUR TIME STARTS.
WHEN YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT, IT WILL TURN TO YELLOW.
WHEN YOU ARE DONE WITH YOUR THREE, IT WILL TURN TO RED.
YOU HAVE TO STOP AT RED.
EVEN IF MID SENTENCE, YOU STOP.
WHEN YOU COME TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE START WITH YOUR NAME.
THAT'S WHEN YOUR THREE MINUTES WILL START.
FIRST THREE SPEAKERS KURT THORESON, JOE ROBINSON, AND JIM
DAVISON.
7:02:55PM >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.
MY NAME IS KURT THORESON.
I GREW UP ON THE SOUTHERN SHORE OF TAMPA BAY AND SEE
DOWNTOWN TAMPA ACROSS THE BAY WHEN I WAS A KID.
I VISITED TAMPA OFTEN GROWING UP AND MOVED HERE AFTER
FINISHING COLLEGE.
I HAVE NO INTENTION OF LEAVING.
WHEN I WEAR A TB HAT WHEN I TRAVEL, NOT BECAUSE I AM A RAYS'
FAN, BUT BECAUSE TAMPA AND THE GREATER BAY AREA IS MY HOME.
I WEAR THE TB WITH PRIDE.
TAMPA IS A MAJOR LEAGUE CITY AND WE NEED MAJOR LEAGUE
LEADERS TO BRING THIS DEAL HOME.
IN 2021, ATTENDED TAMPA BAY VERSUS ATLANTA BASEBALL GAME.
TAMPA BAY WON.
THAT WAS MY FIRST TIME VISITING THE BATTERY.
I WAS FLOORED BY THE DEVELOPMENT AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE IT.
THIS PROJECT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO USHER TAMPA INTO THE
HIGHER ECHELON OF CITIES AND DESTINATIONS.
STRIKING OUT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE A CATASTROPHIC
STEP BACKWARDS FOR TAMPA, ONE THAT THE ENTIRE AREA WOULD
SUFFER THE RAMIFICATIONS OF.
MANY MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE NATION HAVE OR ARE PREPARED
TO CONSTRUCT SIMILAR DISTRICTS, CLEVELAND, KANSAS CITY,
VEGAS, L.A., ARLINGTON, ATLANTA, BUFFALO, INDIANA, JUST TO
NAME A FEW.
A NEW ERA OF SUCH COMPLEXES IS EMERGING.
TAMPA HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A SIZABLE PIECE OF THE PIE
FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
PERHAPS YOU HEARD OVER THE WEEKEND THAT MIAMI WAS INFORMED
THEIR STADIUM NO LONGER MEETS THE NFL REQUIREMENT FOR
HOSTING A SUPER BOWL DUE TO A LACK OF ENTERTAINMENT AND
EVENTS COMPLEX AROUND THE STADIUM.
TAMPA CURRENTLY DOES NOT HAVE THIS EITHER AND WHILE OTHER
CITIES ARE CONSTRUCTING THEIR OWN COMPLEXES TO SECURE THEIR
SPOT IN LINE TO HOST MAJOR EVENTS, THE RAYS' ENTERTAINMENT
DISTRICT COULD SOLVE THIS NEED.
CITY COUNCIL IS EXPECTED TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEND
AND INVEST MONEY SO AS TO RECEIVE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT
WHILE ALSO IMPROVING UPON THE CITY.
THE RAYS' PROJECT ACCOMPLISHES ALL THE ABOVE.
TALK ABOUT A GRAND SLAM HOME RUN.
LEST WE FORGET, A $100 MILLION PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN WATER
STREET HAS REALIZED $23 MILLION A YEAR ANNUALLY IN TAX
REVENUE WHICH 7 MILLION IN TOURIST TAXES.
PRIME EXAMPLE OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME STARING US IN THE FACE
IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND TAMPA AND NEVER HAD SUCH A
PROJECT ACCESSIBLE TO THEM AND PERHAPS NEVER AGAIN IF WE
SQUANDER THIS.
FURTHERMORE, THE SPORTS VENUES HOST FAR MORE EVENTS THAN
JUST THE HOME TEAM'S GAMES.
TWO YEARS AGO, THE WWE ROYAL RUMBLE HELD AT THE TROP AND
GENERATE HE HAD $47 MILLION IN ECONOMIC OUTPUT ALONE.
THE DISTRICT ON NORTH DALE MABRY WILL BE AN ECONOMIC
JUGGERNAUT THAT RETURNS MILLIONS TO THE COMPANY IN TAXES
ALONE EVERY YEAR.
THIS IS A GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT FOR US.
I WANT TAMPA TO BE A LEADER AND REMAIN RELEVANT AS OTHER
CITIES DO WHAT THEY SEE FIT TO DO THE SAME.
TAMPA WANTS TO THINK LIKE A CITY THAT CAN TRULY SIT AT THE
TABLE WITH THE BIGGEST MARKETS IN THE COUNTRY OR DOES IT
WANT TO TREAT EVERY MAJOR INVESTMENT LIKE IT IS TOO
AMBITIOUS FOR THIS CITY AND AREA?
WHERE ARE YOU WILLING TO ESTABLISH TAMPA'S CEILING?
WE ARE TAMPA.
WE'RE NOT SARASOTA.
WE'RE NOT OCALA.
THIS IS WHAT WE DO.
PLEASE VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE NEW RAYS' DEVELOPMENT AND
USHERING OF TAMPA INTO A NEW CLASS OF MUNICIPALITIES AND ON
THIS CONTINENT.
7:06:03PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, KURT.
JOE ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY JIM DAVIDSON.
7:06:18PM >> FIRST OF ALL, I WASN'T GOING TO SPEAK, BUT I GOT TO SAY
SOMETHING.
FIRST OF ALL, JOE ROBINSON.
SECOND OF ALL I THOUGHT TSA WAS A STAKEHOLDER.
THEY WERE NOT INCLUDED ON THE LIST.
7:06:32PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THEY WERE INVITED.
7:06:33PM >> THE TAMPA SPORTS AUTHORITY WAS NOT INCLUDED ON THE LIST.
SAY THIS AS JOE ROBINSON, WEST TAMPA.
HERE'S WHAT I SEE.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING BUT MOU NOT DONE YET.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING BUT, YOU KNOW, KEEP TALKING, MOMENTUM
IS GOING.
THIS AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
THIS IS A ONE-TIME SCENARIO.
GET THAT STRAIGHT.
YOU MISS THIS, HOPEFULLY YOU MIGHT BE IN OFFICE.
PARKING ISSUE STILL.
WAITING ON IT.
THEY ARE WORKING ON IT.
PROCUREMENT.
THEY ARE WORKING ON IT.
TRANSPARENCY.
THE BIG ONE, AND, OF COURSE, I'M SAYING THAT SITTING ON THE
CITY'S COMMUNITY BENEFITS ADVISORY COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, HAVING
SAT FOR GASWORX AND GOT A GOOD COMMUNITY BENEFIT, HAVING
WORKED ON THE RAYS BENEFIT WHEN I WAS IN ST. PETE, HAVING
WORKED ON ROME YARD'S COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT.
THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT IN THIS AREA HAS TO COMPLY
WITH THE CITY'S CODE AND ORDINANCE UNDER -- WHEN THE CRA IS
GIVING UP MONEY, OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
IT HAS TO FOLLOW THAT.
THEY CAN COME UP WITH THEIR OWN COMMUNITY BENEFIT GROUP, BUT
IT HAS TO BE FOLLOWING THE CITY'S ORDINANCE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR.
I THINK AFTER LISTENING TO EVERYTHING, WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
WE MIGHT GET THERE.
I THINK THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE, THEY ARE GOING TO
GIVE US SOME MONEY, BUT THEY ARE WAITING TO SEE WHAT
EVERYBODY ELSE WILL DO.
HERE IS MY FINAL READ AND I NOT DECIDED ON IT ONE WAY OR THE
OTHER.
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
BUT I THINK WHEN YOU'RE NEGOTIATING, YOU ALWAYS START HIGH
AND SOMEWHERE YOU GO -- START UP HERE, HERE'S WHERE I SEE
THIS CLOSING OUT.
IT APPEARS THAT A REIMBURSEMENT SCHEME OF SOME PERCENTAGE
WOULD BE MORE FEASIBLE THAN A 100% NON-REIMBURSEMENT FUNDING
METHOD TO GET THIS DEAL DONE.
AND THAT'S MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION, BEING AN ENGINEER.
AND IN MY LAST 30 SECONDS, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS.
IT'S TIME FOR US TO BE GENUINE.
NOBODY WANTS TO LOSE FIRE, SAFETY, NONE OF THAT.
BUT IF WE HAD NOT BUILT THE CONVENTION CENTER, IF WE HAD NOT
BUILT A HOTEL, NOT SPENT ON THE AIRPORT, NOT TAKEN CARE OF
THE STADIUM, DIDN'T BUILD AN AQUARIUM, ON AND ON, IF WE
DIDN'T DO, WE WOULDN'T BE NUMBER ONE, WHATEVER THEY CALL US
TO BE.
I'M SAYING WE AIN'T THERE YET.
BUT REMEMBER, MOU IS WHAT?
MR. BABBY -- I GOT TO GO.
I AIN'T PAYING NO MORE PARKING FOR YOU ALL, MAN.
[ LAUGHTER ]
7:09:32PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
JIM DAVISON FOLLOWED BY MINDY MURPHY AND
THEN RON WEAVER.
JIM DAVISON, MINDY MURPHY, RON WEAVER.
7:09:41PM >> JIM DAVISON, HICKORY MOSS PLACE.
WHAT YOU ARE BEING HANDED OUT THERE ARE THE CLERK OF THE
COURTS RECORDS AND RECEIPTS, DISTRIBUTION OF REVENUES FROM
THE STATE FOR THE CIT TAX AND INDIGENT HEALTH CARE FUND.
I CANNOT BELIEVE WE ARE FOUR MONTHS INTO THIS AND YOU DO NOT
KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE.
THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
YOU WOULDN'T GET YOUR KITCHEN DONE AT THAT RATE.
ANYWAY, THE NUMBERS ARE FROM THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025 UP
UNTIL THE FIRST QUARTER, END OF THE FIRST QUARTER 2026.
IF YOU DO THE MATH, THEY ARE DOWN $6 MILLION.
JUST IN THE FIRST QUARTER.
IF YOU GO TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE'S WEBSITE FOR
THE OFFICIAL REVENUE CONFIRMATION, FOR THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS
OF 2025, THEY RECEIVED $79 MILLION FOR THE CIT.
FOR THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 2026, THEY COLLECTED $58
MILLION.
THAT IS A 26% DECREASE.
THE DIFFERENCE?
25, THEY HAD THE COMMERCIAL LEASE.
HERE THEY DON'T.
AND THE OTHER THING, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THIS GROWTH RATE
BATTED AROUND.
HOW THEY CAME UP WITH THEIR NUMBER AND THEIR SURPLUS WAS
THEY USED THE ORIGINAL BASELINE IN 2024 OF $200 MILLION.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND THEN YOU HEARD THE GROWTH RATE OF 4.1 HISTORICAL, HEARD
IT FROM THE CFO, BECAUSE THEY REMOVED THE LEASE.
ANY FINANCE MAJOR WILL TELL YOU THAT YOU HAVE TO RECALCULATE
THE GROWTH RATE.
YOU CANNOT USE THE HISTORICAL GROWTH RATE.
YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT THE REMOVED ELEMENT, THE RELEASE, THE
COMMERCIAL LEASES, AND FIGURE OUT A NEW GROWTH RATE GOING
FORWARD.
IT'S GOING TO WIND UP BEING ABOUT $182 MILLION.
YOU WILL BE LUCKY TO HAVE A DEFICIT OF 150 TO $200 MILLION.
AND GLAD TO SIT DOWN WITH THE CFO AND LOOK AT THEM AND GO
OVER THE NUMBERS.
THE PEOPLE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM.
THEY TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, AND THIS IS A GENERATIONAL
EVENT.
HASN'T BEEN ANY TRANSPARENCY.
THE PEOPLE HAVEN'T SEEN A DAMN THING.
AND IT'S OUR MONEY.
YOU WANT GENERATIONAL, THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY
OF TAMPA THAT HAVE NOT HAD THEIR STREETS REPAVED FOR
GENERATIONS.
SIDEWALKS FIXED FOR GENERATIONS, SWIMMING POOLS, AND
EVERYTHING ELSE.
THIS IS NOT A GOOD DEAL.
WHEN YOU CAN'T AFFORD THE CAR, YOU DON'T BUY IT.
I'D LOVE TO BUY A HOUSE ON HARBOUR ISLAND.
CAN'T AFFORD IT.
THIS TOWN CANNOT AFFORD THIS DEAL.
THERE ARE TOO MANY OTHER NECESSITIES.
OTHERWISE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, THINK ABOUT THIS AND GET THESE
NUMBERS BECAUSE THE WHOLE THING HINGES ON THIS SURPLUS AND
THERE ISN'T GOING TO BE ANY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
7:12:45PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, JIM.
MINDY MURPHY FOLLOWED BY RON WEAVER.
7:13:05PM >> WAITING FOR THE GREEN.
7:13:07PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
START WITH YOUR NAME.
7:13:08PM >> MINDY MURPHY.
I AM THE CEO OF THE SPRING OF TAMPA BAY.
WE ARE THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CENTER FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
I AM NOT HERE AS AN EXPERT IN THE FINANCING OF THIS PROJECT,
BUT I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF THE TAMPA BAY
RAYS AND WHAT A GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNER THEY ARE TO
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MINE AND MANY OTHERS IN THE BAY AREA.
I WANT TO TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THREE WAYS THAT THEY HELP.
THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT FINANCIAL PARTNERS TO THE SPRING AND TO
OUR COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE POND IN PINELLAS COUNTY.
THEY HAVE SUPPORTED SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THEIR
KIDS WITH THEIR MONEY.
THEY'VE SUPPORTED US WITH VOLUNTEER PROJECTS, AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY, THEY HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING ADVOCATE FOR
SURVIVORS AND MAKING SURE WE TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE
SAFE IS WE MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THE RESOURCES IN THEIR
COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN THEY JUST REDESIGNED THE TROP FOR THE FINAL COUPLE
OF YEARS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE THERE, THEY HAD AN
AMAZING PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN THAT THEY PUT IN EVERY
RESTROOM IN THE TROP.
SO IF YOU HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A GAME, YOU WILL SEE POSTERS
IN THE BATHROOM, MEN'S AND WOMEN'S BATHROOMS THAT SAY, ARE
YOU SAFE AT HOME?
THAT MESSAGE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU ARE A SURVIVOR OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THAT YOU CAN BE DIRECTED TO THE SPRING
AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND CASA IN PINELLAS COUNTY TO
RECEIVE LIFESAVING SERVICES THAT SOMETIMES ARE THE
DIFFERENCE AGAIN BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
SO THEY ARE AN AMAZING COMMUNITY PARTNER.
THEIR CHARACTER IS STRONG.
THEIR PRIOR OWNERSHIP GROUP WAS GREAT AND THE CURRENT
OWNERSHIP GROUP IS EVEN BETTER.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ISN'T LOST IN THE
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT GOOD PEOPLE THEY ARE AND HOW MUCH
THEY CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY NOW CALL HOME.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT WE ARE A PART OF THE
DREW PARK CRA.
THE SPRING OWNS 21,000-SQUARE-FOOT PROPERTY ON 1.1 ACRES
THAT WE'VE OWNED NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
IT WAS AN 85-YEAR-OLD BUILDING THAT WE REHABBED.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY FOR DREW PARK WHERE WE
PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE ARE
INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED THERE.
THERE ARE TRANSIT ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT ARE THE THINGS
THAT ARE GOING TO HELP SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SEEKING RESOURCES FROM THE SPRING AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS
PROJECT WILL HELP THE SPRING BE ABLE TO BETTER DELIVER ITS
SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, NOT AN EXPERT IN THE FINANCING, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY
HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THE TAMPA BAY RAYS AND WHAT THEY ARE
DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME.
7:15:46PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, MINDY.
RON WEAVER FOLLOWED BY I BELIEVE IT'S AODEL SEEME.
7:15:55PM >> RON WEAVER.
I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST START WITH SHAKESPEARE WHO SAYS THERE
COMES A TIDE, THE AFFAIRS OF MEN, TAKEN AT THE FLOOD, LEAD
ON TO FORTUNE AND FAME, BUT IF THAT FLOOD IS MISSED, IF THAT
TIDE IS MISSED, ONLY TO DESPAIR AND MISERY, YOUR TIME HAS
COME.
THE FLOOD HAS COME.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE BASEBALL AND GIVE IT ITS PERMANENT
HOME HERE IN TAMPA, AN OPPORTUNITY THAT 10 OR 12 OTHER
CITIES WOULD DIE FOR IN ORDER TO GET AND WE HAVE THAT
OPPORTUNITY HERE.
GEORGE AND LEONARD LEVY AND MONSIGNOR HIGGINS AND TOM
McEWEN AT THE TAMPA TRIBUNE NOT ONLY BELIEVED BASEBALL IS
AN AMERICAN PAST TIME, THE COMMUNITY IS THE AMERICAN
LIFELINE.
AND THAT COMMUNITY IS TOGETHERNESS AND CAN DO AND GET IT
DONE AND FIND A WAY AND GEORGE AND LEONARD LEVY AND
MONSIGNOR HIGGINS AND TOM MCEWEN AT THE TAMPA TRIBUNE USED
TO BELIEVE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WHAT IT CAN DO WHEN IT SETS
ITS MIND TO IT.
AS YOU HEARD FROM THE 23 TIME RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT
PUBLICLY IN WATER STREET, THANK YOU, KURT, THERE WILL BE A
DOZEN OF THOSE IN THE $55 BILLION OF THESE DIRECT AND
INDIRECT ECONOMIC EFFECTS EVERY 30 YEARS.
THAT'S $189 BILLION OVER THE NEXT CENTURY.
IT'S 11,900 ON-SITE JOBS AND 39,000 CONSTRUCTION JOBS WE
DESPERATELY NEED.
AMAZON LAID OFF 32,000.
A.I. IS GOING TO KILL 15% OF ALL JOBS.
WE DESPERATELY NEED THOSE 11,900 ON-SITE JOBS, THOSE 39,000
CONSTRUCTION JOBS.
AND WE NEED THOSE BILLION VISITORS OVER THE NEXT CENTURY.
10 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR IS A BILLION -- IS GOING TO BE A
BILLION VISITORS TO TAMPA OVER THE NEXT CENTURY.
THOSE BILLION VISITORS TO TAMPA ARE GOING TO BRING SOMETHING
THAT SHOULDN'T BE BROUGHT INSTEAD TO NASHVILLE OR CHARLOTTE
OR ANY OF THOSE OTHER CITIES.
THOSE BILLION VISITORS OVER THE NEXT CENTURY SHOULD COME AND
BRING NOT ONLY THEIR MONEY TO SPEND HERE, BUT, MORE
IMPORTANTLY, TO COME AND VISIT HERE AND THEN BRING THEIR
COMPANY HERE AND THEIR SPOUSE COME AND TEACH HERE AND THEY
DONATE DOWN AT THE CHURCH AND THEY DONATE DOWN AT THE CLINIC
AND THEY BRING THEMSELVES TO TAMPA BECAUSE THEY ARE AMONG
THE BILLION VISITORS THAT WILL COME WITH TEN MILLION
VISITORS PER YEAR.
I'M GRATEFUL THAT GEORGE AND LEONARD LEVY AND MONSIGNOR
HIGGINS AND TOM MCEWEN INSPIRE ALL OF US TO REMEMBER, WE
NEED THOSE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS.
WE NEED THAT 55 BILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF ECONOMIC, DIRECT
AND INDIRECT, OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS.
AND WE NEED TO SHOW OUR CHILDREN WE KNOW HOW TO GET HER
DONE.
WHEN WE GET HER DONE AND SHOW THE COMMUNITY OUR ABILITY TO
GET THINGS DONE, THEN WE CAN MOVE ON OTHER WAYS.
ELEVATED RAIL SOON.
WE FIND THE CAN DO.
WE FIND THE COMMUNITY AND WE GET IT DONE.
7:18:58PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, RON.
SEEME.
7:19:16PM >> GOOD EVENING.
TODD SEEME.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE.
I WANT TO SAY THIS.
I WANT TO PUT THIS ON THE ELMO, IF I CAN.
IF IT'S VISIBLE.
I WASN'T SURE WHEN MR. BABBY PUT THIS ON.
THIS IS STEINBRENNER FIELD.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS DALE MABRY.
THE RAY-JAY IS OVER HERE.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THIS WHOLE COMPLEX WAS TAKEN ALL THE
WAY TO LOIS.
BUT MAYBE YOU GUYS, BECAUSE THERE WAS A RENDERING OF THE
ARCHITECTURAL.
SAY THIS, I GREW UP IN NEW YORK.
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE GOING WITH MY DAD TO SHEA STADIUM.
YOU CAN'T PUT MONEY ON THAT.
WENT TO JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF '82.
DWIGHT GOODEN WAS PITCHING FOR HILLSBOROUGH HIGH.
TWO WORLD SERIES AND ONE HALL OF FAMER.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
I GREW UP AT 14 YEARS OLD SELLING COKES AT THE OLD SOMBRERO.
HERE WE ARE HERE AT THIS TIME IN THIS PLACE.
THEN WE BUILT RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM.
AND THEN WE CAME OVER AND PHIL ESPOSITO HAD A DREAM TO BUILD
AMALIE ARENA.
SAID HOCKEY WILL NEVER WORK HERE.
WELL, IT DID WORK HERE.
WE HAVE THREE STANLEY CUPS AND TWO SUPER BOWLS.
I KNOW YOU WON'T BELIEVE ME BUT IT'S TRUE ANYWAY.
TOM BRADY WAS SIGNED.
I CALLED BRYAN GLAZER AND TOLD HIM HE WAS WORTH THE 25 TO 30
MILLION DOLLARS TO SIGN HIM.
MY BUDDY ON WESTSHORE SAID THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE SIGNING
TOM BRADY AND ROBERT CRAFT.
I GOT TOM BRADY SIGNED OVER HERE AND WON THE SUPER BOWL
BECAUSE I KNEW HE WAS THE MISSING PIECE.
THIS IS THE MISSING PIECE RIGHT HERE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE I KNOW DREW PARK AND IT IS A
HEAVY INDUSTRIAL AREA.
EVERYONE WHO HAS A BUSINESS THERE NEEDS TO BE COMPENSATED
AND GET TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE THEIR PROPERTY, WHEN YOU GOT
BIG COMMERCIAL TRUCKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT HAS A
FACTOR.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE AS CHARLIE MIRANDA SAID, WE'LL DO
THAT OVERHEAD.
THERE'S NO -- WE HAVE 72,000 PARKING SPACES OVER HERE.
WE FIT INTO RAYMOND JAMES.
WE GET OVER THERE, WE GET IT DONE.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A CHAMPION.
SECOND PLACE IS FIRST PLACE LOSER.
MR. ROBINSON HAD SOMETHING WELL SAID.
HE SAID THIS, THERE HAS TO BE A CEILING.
I UNDERSTAND, RON DESANTIS, I'VE GOT MORE RESPECT FOR RON
DESANTIS WINNING THE WORLD SERIES THAN I DO HIM BEING
GOVERNOR.
I DID MORE FOR HIM BEING GOVERNOR THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN THE
COUNTRY BECAUSE HE WAS A NO-NAME CONGRESSMAN AT THE TIME
FROM ORLANDO.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS
PROTECTED AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS GETS DONE
BECAUSE TAMPA BAY RAYS, NOT THE ST. PETE RAYS, THEY ARE THE
TAMPA BAY RAYS.
GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO
YOU.
7:22:12PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CHRISTOPHER PALERMO FOLLOWED BY J.P. PETERSON AND JAMES
VANHAERENTS.
CHRISTOPHER?
SEE IF YOU CAN FOLLOW THAT.
START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
7:22:29PM >> MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER PALERMO.
I'M AN ATTORNEY FROM TAMPA.
PRACTICING 30 YEARS.
MY FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE CLOSE TO 140 YEARS.
WHEN I HEAR THAT TAMPA DOESN'T LIKE BASEBALL, PEOPLE IN THE
SOUTH DON'T LIKE BASEBALL, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT COMES
FROM.
IF YOU ARE A TAMPANIAN, A TRUE TAMPANIAN AND YOU REALLY
UNDERSTAND -- MY GREAT GRANDFATHER PLAYED WITH AL LOPEZ ON
THE TAMPA SMOKERS.
PEOPLE IN TAMPA ARE BASEBALL FANATICS.
SO IF YOU SAY PEOPLE IN TAMPA DON'T LIKE BASEBALL, I'M GOING
TO QUESTION IF YOU ARE A TRUE TAMPANIAN.
I DON'T THINK YOU ARE.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THINGS SAID.
I KNOW PEOPLE IN OAKLAND.
GUESS WHAT, THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR ROADS.
GUESS WHAT, THEY STILL GOT POTHOLES.
THAT PROBLEM NEVER GOES AWAY.
LET'S NOT BE NAIVE.
WE'RE NOT OCALA.
THAT'S NOT OUR ONLY CONCERN.
I TELL YOU WHAT, PEOPLE IN OAKLAND THAT STILL HAVE POTHOLES,
THAT STILL DON'T HAVE ROADS, I GUARANTEE YOU ONE THING, THEY
ARE DEPRESSED.
THEY ARE DEPRESSED.
I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING, I SAID THIS WHEN THE BUCCANEERS
STADIUM.
PEOPLE KNOW THE COST OF EVERYTHING BUT THE VALUE OF NOTHING.
IF WE LOSE THIS TEAM, LET'S NOT FORGET ONE THING.
THIS IS A COMPETITION TO BE THE PREEMINENT CITY IN CENTRAL
FLORIDA.
ORLANDO WANTS WHAT WE'VE GOT.
ARE WE GOING TO BE THE COWARDS THAT ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN?
OH, BECAUSE, THE ROADS AND THE POTHOLES.
WE NEED REVENUE.
WE NEED REVENUE.
WE NEED TO INVEST IN THE PROJECTS.
I'LL TELL YOU A STORY.
MY FATHER WENT TO TAMPA, WENT TO CLEVELAND IN THE 1950s.
ASKED HIM, WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
TAMPA?
TAMPA?
WHERE IS TAMPA?
WHAT'S TAMPA?
NOW, LET ME JETTISON FORWARD TO EARLY 1980s AFTER DOUG
WILLIAMS AND JOHN McKAY AND THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
BECAME SOMETHING, PUT US ON THE MAP.
I'M IN ACAPULCO MEXICO, JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH CLASS,
BUSINESS SAID TAMPA.
A MAN WALKED UP TO ME AND SAID, HOW ABOUT THEM BUCCANEERS?
THAT'S WHERE GROWTH COMES FROM.
THAT'S WHERE GROWTH.
HOW MUCH WOULD IT HAVE COST THIS CITY TO STAGE TOM BRADY
THROWING THAT LOMBARDI TROPHY IN THE HILLSBOROUGH RIVER?
HOW MUCH WOULD THAT HAVE COST US?
DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH -- IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY FROM NEW YORK OR
ANYBODY IN THE INVESTMENT COMMUNITY, THAT WAS GOLD.
EVERY TIME THOSE PEOPLE SEE THE BEAUTIFUL SKYLINE, SPORTING
EVENT.
LET ME ASK THIS, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO GET THAT
ADVERTISEMENT?
BILLIONS.
WITHOUT THOSE BILLIONS, WITHOUT THOSE PEOPLE, YOU'RE
POTHOLES NEVER GET FIXED.
YOUR ROADS NEVER GET DONE.
LEARN SOMETHING.
7:25:47PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER.
7:25:57PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
[INAUDIBLE]
7:25:57PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
PUT YOUR MIKE ON.
7:26:01PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
-- DOESN'T SELL IN TAMPA BECAUSE THEY
HAVE TWO SEASONS.
SUMMER AND CHRISTMAS.
I COMPARED IT TO THE NORTH.
I MENTIONED ALL THE GAMES.
THAT'S ALL, SIR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BUT I ENJOY YOUR CONVERSATION.
YOU MUST BE A GREAT ATTORNEY.
7:26:15PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
FOLLOW THAT, JP PETERSON.
7:26:17PM >> THANK YOU, CHRIS.
JP PETERSON.
A LOCAL SPORTSCASTER AND HAVE BEEN FOR 30 YEARS.
I CAN TELL YOU, CHARLIE, MR. MIRANDA, THAT PEOPLE LOVE
BASEBALL HERE.
THE RAYS BASEBALL IS THE NUMBER ONE CONSISTENTLY RATED
PROGRAM EVERY SINGLE NIGHT ON TV.
PEOPLE ARE WATCHING.
YOU'RE RIGHT.
THEY DON'T GO TO THE GAMES.
YOU KNOW WHY?
BECAUSE WE'VE DONE IT ALL WRONG.
NOW YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FINALLY DO IT RIGHT.
WE'VE HAD A TERRIBLE STADIUM AND A TERRIBLE LOCATION.
LOVE ST. PETE, BUT IT'S NOT A PLACE FOR BASEBALL.
AND WE'VE HAD VERY UNPOPULAR OWNERS.
NOW WE HAVE A GROUP OF ELITE BUSINESSMEN WHO ARE NOT HERE TO
STEAL OUR MONEY.
THEY ARE HERE TO BUILD SOMETHING ICONIC THAT WE'LL ALL LOVE
AND MAKE MEMORIES.
BASEBALL MAKES MEMORIES.
CHARLIE, YOU KNOW THAT.
YOU'VE TAKEN YOUR KIDS.
I'VE TAKEN MINE TO THE WORLD SERIES.
I'LL NEVER FORGET TAKING MY KIDS TO A WORLD SERIES HERE.
I HEARD A LOT OF TALK ABOUT MONEY.
IT SEEMS LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY TO DO THE THINGS YOU
NEED.
SEEMS LIKE YOU NEED A REALLY GOOD INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY.
HERE IT IS.
PUT IN A BILLION, GET THREE BACK AT LEAST.
AND NOT TO MENTION $55 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT.
I SAW IT HAPPEN IN ATLANTA.
I WAS LIVING IN ATLANTA AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
AND EVERYBODY, ALL THE OPPONENTS SAID THE SAME THING.
DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.
CAN'T AFFORD IT.
GUESS WHAT, THEY WENT NET POSITIVE IN TEN YEARS.
ALL THOSE PEOPLE WERE WRONG.
AND NOW THEY ARE PUTTING $4 MILLION INTO THEIR GENERAL FUND.
$8 MILLION INTO THEIR SCHOOL EVERY YEAR.
AND THE STATE GETS ANOTHER $17 MILLION.
THEY WERE WRONG.
AND YOU'RE WRONG NOW IF YOU DON'T THINK THIS IS A GREAT
INVESTMENT.
AND THERE ARE TEN CITIES RIGHT NOW WAITING FOR YOU FOLKS TO
SAY, NAH, WE DON'T WANT IT, WE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR
POTHOLES.
THEY KNOW THE BUSINESS.
THEY KNOW WHAT ATLANTA HAS.
THEY SAW WHAT THEY DID.
ALL THESE PLACES HAVE TO PAY $2.5 BILLION IN AN EXPANSION
FEE AND ANOTHER $2 BILLION FOR THE STADIUM.
WE'RE GIFTED THAT.
WE HAVE THE RAYS HERE, AND THE PEOPLE LOVE THEM.
AND YOU ARE THE STEWARDS THAT ARE GOING TO SEND THIS TEAM TO
ORLANDO?
THAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR VOTE?
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA AT ALL.
ANOTHER THING, BASEBALL, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HOLD ON TO
OUR GREAT PLAYERS HERE BECAUSE OF THE REVENUES AND UNPOPULAR
OWNERS THAT DON'T KNOW HOW TO SPEND.
THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS MONEY THAT THEY MAKE AND
PUT IT BACK INTO OUR TEAM.
KEEP OUR STAR PLAYERS HERE.
AND MAYBE EVEN WIN A WORLD SERIES.
IT WOULD BE FUN TO SEE.
IN CLOSING, I WANT TO SAY THIS.
THE CIT TAX.
WE BUILT RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM FOR $168 MILLION.
THREE SUPER BOWLS.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
ANOTHER ONE ON THE WAY.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL.
MONSTER TRUCKS.
TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERTS.
NONE OF IT WOULD HAPPEN.
THE BUCS WOULD BE IN ORLANDO IF WE DIDN'T SPEND THAT $168
MILLION.
IT IS THE BEST MONEY YOU'VE EVER SPENT AND SHOULD SPEND IT
AGAIN.
IN CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO SAY, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME
THROUGH HERE PLAYING BASEBALL, I KNOW THEM PERSONALLY.
WADE BOGGS, McGRIFF, GONZALEZ, PETE ALONSO, KYLE TUCKER,
WE PRINT BASEBALL PLAYERS HERE.
IT'S PART OF OUR FABRIC.
PART OF OUR CULTURE.
LET'S FINALLY DO IT RIGHT AND MAKE BASEBALL GREAT IN TAMPA
BAY.
WE CANNOT LOSE OUR RAYS.
DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN.
7:29:20PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, MR. PETERSON.
JAMES VANHAERENTS FOLLOWED BY CHRIS INSLEY.
7:29:29PM >> JAMES VANHAERENTS.
WE KNOW THE BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT.
I HOPE THAT YOU APPROVE IT.
TO THE OWNERS OF THE RAYS, NEW OWNERS, I WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND INVESTING HERE.
WE'VE HAD AN OWNER WHO FOR TOO LONG DIDN'T CARE ABOUT US.
HE'D RATHER BE IN NEW YORK AND USE US AS A POCKETBOOK.
GOOD TO SEE FINALLY THE OWNERS LOVE THE COMMUNITY.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THREE REASONS WHY I
LOVE THIS PROJECT.
THE FIRST IS EDUCATION.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COLLEGE BECAUSE THAT IS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT COLLEGE.
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY ME GROWING UP.
I STRUGGLED IN SCHOOL WITH MATH.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT.
THE WHOLE WHEN TRAIN A LEAVES STATION AND TRAIN B TRAVELING
AT THIS SPEED, WHAT TIME AND WHEN MEET.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
FINALLY IN NINTH GRADE I HAD A TEACHER PINELLAS PARK HIGH
SCHOOL WHO SAT ME DOWN AND SAW THAT I LOVED BASEBALL.
THAT I LOVED THE RAYS.
HE BROKE IT DOWN FOR ME.
HOW ABOUT WE THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY.
IF JAMES SHIELDS IS PITCHING ON THE MOUND AND THE RED SOX
GOES TO STEAL SECOND BASE, HOW FAST DOES SHIELDS HAVE TO
DELIVER THE PITCH AND GET IT TO SECOND BASE AND IT CLICKED.
EDUCATION IS A BIG PART OF THIS BECAUSE BASEBALL IS A BIG
EDUCATIONAL ASSET.
SECOND IS COMMUNITY.
THERE IS A LOT OF PRIDE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
BASEBALL BRINGS COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
GROWING UP, MY DAD TOOK ME TO BASEBALL GAMES.
THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST MEMORIES I HAVE OF MY DAD.
WHEN IN CUB SCOUTS, RAYS IN A SLEEPOVER AT TROPICANA FIELD.
I GOT TO SLEEP ON THE TURF.
SOME OF THE BEST MEMORIES WITH MY FATHER.
TALKING ABOUT BASEBALL AND BUILDING THAT COMMUNITY.
THIRD IS HEALTH.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, BASEBALL CAN BE A GREAT
MENTAL HEALTH HELP.
I STRUGGLE WITH DEPRESSION.
I'M LOSING MY VISION.
I'M VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
BUT BASEBALL GIVES ME THAT OPPORTUNITY TO STEP AWAY FROM IT
AND JUST ENJOY IT.
IT HELPS IN SO MANY WAYS TO GET THAT ESCAPE AND THAT HELPS
SO MANY PEOPLE WHEN GOING THROUGH TOUGH TIMES IN THEIR LIFE
TO SIT BACK, RELAX AND ENJOY A GOOD GAME.
I URGE YOU ALL TO PLEASE PASS THIS BECAUSE THIS IS A GOOD
DEAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
7:31:36PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JAMES.
CHRIS INSLEY FOLLOWED BY DEVON GARNET.
7:31:45PM >> GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER INSLEY.
I'VE BEEN A RAYS FAN SINCE 1998 WHEN I MOVED HERE.
MEMORIES OF GOING THERE WITH MY DAD, GROWING UP LIKE MANY
OTHER FOLKS HAVE.
I EVEN MADE A PROJECT IN 2010, USF.
SOCIAL CHANGE PROJECT.
I DON'T THINK I REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE TOPIC BECAUSE I ENDED
UP GETTING A C ON IT.
I WANTED TO CREATE SOCIAL CHANGE.
I WANTED TO SEE WHERE WE COULD DEVELOP A NEW RAYS STADIUM IN
A BETTER LOCATION THAN WAS ALREADY BUILT BECAUSE THERE ARE
PLENTY OF RAYS FANS HERE.
THE TAMPA BAY REGION, EVERYBODY IS A BASEBALL FAN IN MY
EYES.
GETTING OVER ACROSS THE BRIDGES, TO BE IN THAT LITTLE CENTER
SPOT IN ST. PETE, TIP OF PINELLAS COUNTY, GIANT 50-MILE
RADIUS AROUND WHERE THAT LOCATION IS, 80% OF THAT IS IN
WATER.
IF WE BUILD A STADIUM IN A METROPOLITAN CENTER LIKE WE HAVE
NOW OVER HERE IN TAMPA, I BELIEVE THAT THE RAYS COULD
FLOURISH.
WE ARE NOTHING SHORT OF BASEBALL FANS AT HEART.
THERE ARE PROBABLY ABOUT TEN OTHER CITIES THAT WOULD BEG FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WITH HUNDRED MILLION
DOLLARS, OR HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND SITTING RIGHT DIRECTLY
ACROSS FROM RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM ON DALE MABRY.
CITIES LIKE SALT LAKE CITY, PORTLAND, CHARLOTTE, NASHVILLE,
AND ESPECIALLY ORLANDO.
WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE OUR BASEBALL TEAM TO ORLANDO.
C'MON, GUYS.
LET'S GET THIS DEAL DONE, MAKE TAMPA A FOREVER HOME FOR THE
RAYS.
LET'S GO.
THANK YOU.
7:33:16PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU.
DEVON.
7:33:27PM >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.
DEVON GARNET.
LIFELONG TAMPA BAY RESIDENT.
THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I WAS IN MIDDLE
SCHOOL.
SINCE THEN, I'VE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, LEFT FOR COLLEGE,
STARTED MY CAREER, MOVED BACK HOME, MET MY WIFE, GOT
MARRIED, BOUGHT A HOUSE, HAD A CHILD AND EVEN BOUGHT ANOTHER
HOUSE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS FOLLOWED ME THROUGH EVERY CHAPTER OF
MY LIFE AND RESPECTFULLY GONE ON FOR FAR TOO LONG AS I WATCH
OTHER CITIES GET THE DEALS DONE WITH EASE.
THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF THE TAMPA BAY RAYS LABELED AS A SMALL
MARKET TEAM.
THERE IS NOTHING SMALL MARKET ABOUT TAMPA BAY.
NOT OUR GROWTH, NOT OUR PEOPLE AND CERTAINLY NOT OUR
POTENTIAL.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT TODAY IS WE FINALLY HAVE AN OWNERSHIP GROUP
THAT REFLECTS THIS REGION AND OWNERSHIP GROUP THAT HAS REAL
TAMPA BAY TIES.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO LIVE HERE, INVEST HERE, AND EMBED
THEMSELVES IN THIS COMMUNITY AND JUST A FEW MONTHS THEY HAVE
SHOWN MORE COMMITMENT IN THE REGION THAN WE'VE SEEN IN YEARS
AS FANS.
THEY WANT IT TO WORK HERE.
I'M NOT GOING TO STANDS UP HERE AND READ ECONOMIC
STATISTICS.
YOU'VE SEEN THEM.
INSTEAD, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING WE ALREADY LIVED
THROUGH.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING WERE STRUGGLING, ARENA NEEDED UPGRADES,
ATTENDANCE LOW AND DOWNTOWN EMPTY, JUST PARKING LOTS AND NO
ACTIVITY OUTSIDE OF GAME NIGHT.
THEN WE GET A SAVIOR, JEFF VINIK.
STEPPED IN WITH A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, INVESTMENT
INTO THE TEAM AND SURROUNDING AREA.
LOOK AT WATER STREET TODAY.
IT TRANSFORMED OUR CITY.
IT CREATED JOBS, DROVE TOURISM, REVITALIZED DOWNTOWN, AND
EVEN PEOPLE WHO DON'T CARE ABOUT HOCKEY REAPED BENEFITS FROM
THAT INVESTMENT.
YES, REQUIRED TO GIVE MONEY TO BILLIONAIRES.
REDEVELOPMENT AREA THAT GENERATED LIMITED RETURN OVER
DECADES BEING TRANSFORMED INTO A VIBRANT, MIXED USE DISTRICT
ANCHORED BY A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM WITH 81 HOME GAMES
A YEAR.
ADD IN EDUCATION, JOBS, LONG-TERM ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, IT IS A
CATALYST.
WE LIVE IN A TOURISM DRIVEN MARKET WITHOUT WORLD-CLASS
VENUES WE DON'T ATTRACT THE BIGGEST EVENTS.
IT TAKES MONEY TO MAKE MONEY.
WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT BUDGET CONSTRAINTS.
THE REALITY IS YOU DON'T GROW MONEY BY STANDING STILL.
STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS LIKE THIS EXPAND YOUR TAX BASE, DRIVES
NEW DEVELOPMENT, AND CREATES LONG-TERM RECURRING REVENUE FOR
THE CITY.
IF YOU WANT MORE FUNDING FOR POTHOLES, YOU CAN BUILD THE
FOUNDATION FOR THAT TODAY.
ASK YOURSELF THIS, IF THIS IS SUCH A BAD DEAL, WHY ARE THERE
MULTIPLE CITIES TODAY WAITING FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, WAITING
FOR US TO SCREW THIS UP.
THEY HAVE THE OPTIONS TO LEAD YET THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO
PRIORITIZE TAMPA BAY.
AND IN CLOSING, I URGE YOU NOT TO OVERCOMPLICATE THIS
DECISION.
LOOK AT WHAT WORKED WITH WATER STREET, LOOK HOW STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT CAN TRANSFORM AN ENTIRE CITY.
THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO DO IT AGAIN ON AN EVEN BIGGER SCALE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
7:36:11PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DONNY SLEDGE AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A TEN-MINUTE BREAK.
7:36:24PM >> MY NAME IS ALEJANDRO NORIEGA.
NICE TO MEET YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
I HAD A SPEECH PREPARED, BUT BEING THAT I HAVE THREE
MINUTES, I'LL GO WITH MY HEART ON THIS ONE.
AS A RAYS' FAN, I THINK THIS PROJECT IS VITAL, BECAUSE AS MY
OTHER FELLOW RAYS' FANS, MR. PETERSON SAID, THE TEAM NEEDS
TO BE IN TAMPA BAY PROPER.
THIS TEAM SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
THE REASON THEY WEREN'T, ORIGINALLY, WHEN THE TEAM STARTED,
THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PLOY TO BRING OTHER TEAMS LIKE THE
GIANTS, THE WHITE SOX AND OTHER TEAMS THAT DIDN'T WANT TO BE
IN THEIR STADIUMS HERE.
BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY ARE USING US AS A PLOY, AND THAT'S
WHY WE HAVE THE BAD LOCATION OF ST. PETE.
AND THAT'S NOT WHY IT SHOULD BE.
THE STADIUM SHOULD BE HERE IN TAMPA FOR A REASON THAT TAMPA
BELONGS WITH BASEBALL AS MY OTHER COHORT SAID.
BASEBALL IS -- WHETHER IT BE THE INTERSOCIAL GROUPS OF CUBAN
BASEBALL, NEGRO LEAGUES THAT USED TO BE PLAY IN THE 1950s,
TAMPA BAY SMOKERS OR TAMPA BAY TARPONS, BASEBALL BELONGS IN
TAMPA NO MATTER WHAT THE COST MAY BE.
MY DAD AND MY UNCLE USED TO SAY, YOU CAN'T TAKE THE MONEY
WHEN YOU GO.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS A LOT OF MONEY AND INVESTMENT IN THE
TEAM, BUT THE TEAM IS NEEDED FOR THIS INVESTMENT.
MR. BABBY I THINK IS THE BEST OWNER WE HAVE SO FAR AND COULD
POSSIBLY BE OUR NEXT JEFF VINIK AS MY OTHER COHORT SAID WITH
WATER STREET WHICH HAS BEEN A SUCCESS, THEY ARE GOING TO
NEXT TO RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM, MULTIPLE SUPER BOWLS.
THANKS TO TOM BRADY, THANK YOU FOR THAT AND MAJOR EVENTS
WOULD COME TO THE STATE AND THIS TEAM, SUCH AS ALL-STAR TEAM
THAT HAD NEVER BEEN, ALL-STAR IN TAMPA BAY HISTORY, POSSIBLE
EVENT COME TO THE CITY THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE WHILE AT
THE TROPICANA FIELD.
THAT BRINGS IN A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE ALONE
AND MILLIONS OF FANS.
I UNDERSTAND THE CRITICISMS AND THE SCARINESS AND SKEPTICISM
OF SOME PEOPLE.
UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE MY OTHER COHORT SAID, YOU HAVE TO SPEND
MONEY TO MAKE MONEY.
THAT'S WHAT JOHN ROCKEFELLER SAID ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.
IN ORDER TO BETTER OURSELVES, WE HAVE TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT
AND TAKE A LITTLE BIT IN ORDER TO GET BETTER AS A SOCIETY
AND A GROUP.
AND HONESTLY, LIKE I SAID FOR ME, IT HITS HOME BECAUSE I'VE
ALWAYS BEEN A RAYS' FAN SINCE I GREW UP.
GREW UP THE SAME YEAR AS THE TEAM.
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, I'VE SEEN THE TEAM GO THROUGH
STRUGGLES AND COMMITTED MYSELF AS A PERSON TO CONNECT THE
DOTS WITH EACH OTHER.
SO WHEN THE TEAM STRUGGLED, I WOULD GO THROUGH PERSONAL
STRUGGLES.
WHEN THE TEAM WAS SUCCESSFUL, I WAS SUCCESSFUL.
I GREW UP WITH THAT ALL MY LIFE.
AGAIN THIS TEAM MEANS THE WORLD TO ME AND I DO NOT WANT TO
LOSE THE RAYS.
I LOVE BASEBALL THROUGH AND THROUGH.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM GO.
LIKE EVERYONE SAID, MILLIONS OF OTHER CITIES WOULD LIKE TO
HAVE THIS DEAL, BUT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIX IT AND
CHANGE IT FOR THE BETTER OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I APPRECIATE AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
LET'S GET THIS DEAL DONE AND GO RAYS.
I LOVE YOU GUYS AND APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
7:39:23PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DONNY SLEDGE, ARE YOU IN THE ROOM?
DONNY?
HEARING NONE, GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE, DONNY, ARE YOU
DOWNSTAIRS?
IF YOU ARE DOWNSTAIRS I'LL BRING YOU BACK AFTER BREAK.
7:40.
RETURN TO COUNCIL CHAMBERS 7:55.
15 MINUTES.
WE ARE ON BREAK.
[ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
[RECESS]
7:57:30PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
DONNY SLEDGE.
IS DONNY HERE?
HEARING NONE, THE NEXT SPEAKERS CASEY SAROFIAN, BRANDON
BARCLAY, AND JULIE MAGILL.
BRANDON IS GONE.
7:57:59PM >> -- I AM A RESIDENT AND ECONOMIC STUDENT IN TAMPA.
I AM HERE BECAUSE I RECENTLY READ REPORTING FROM FOX 13 NEWS
TAMPA BAY ABOUT THE PROPOSED MEMORANDUM FOR A NEW TAMPA BAY
RAYS STADIUM.
I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT IT ASKS OF TAXPAYERS.
FROM WHAT'S BEEN REPORTED, THIS DEAL COULD REQUIRE ROUGHLY
750 MILLION FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND OVER 250
MILLION FROM THE CITY OF TAMPA.
WHICH IS OVER A BILLION DOLLARS IN PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION
TOWARDS A PRIVATE SPORTS FRANCHISE.
I THINK IT'S FAIR TO ASK A SIMPLE QUESTION.
IS THIS THE BEST POSSIBLE STRUCTURE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
PAYING FOR IT?
I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE AGAINST BASEBALL OR EVEN AGAINST THE
NEW STADIUM.
I UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ARGUMENTS AND THE
DESIRE TO KEEP THE RAYS IN TAMPA.
BUT I RECENTLY CAME ACROSS AN ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL ONLINE
FROM TAMPA MAYORAL CANDIDATE TARYN SABIA THAT MADE A LOT
MORE SENSE FROM A TAXPAYER PERSPECTIVE.
HER PROPOSAL OUTLINES A DIRECT PUBLIC OWNERSHIP MODEL.
WHERE IF PUBLIC MONEY IS USED TO FUND THE STADIUM, THEN THE
PUBLIC SHOULD ALSO SHARE IN THE UPSIDE.
THROUGH OWNERSHIP, REVENUE PARTICIPATION OR LONG-TERM
CONTROL OF THE ASSET.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE STRUCTURE BEING DISCUSSED ASKS THE
PUBLIC TO TAKE ON SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL RISK WHILE THE
PRIVATE TEAM RETAINS MOST OF THE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL
BENEFIT.
THAT IMBALANCE CONCERNS ME.
IF WE ARE GOING TO INVEST PUBLIC DOLLARS AT THIS SCALE, THEN
WE SHOULD BEGIN NEGOTIATING FROM A POSITION OF STRENGTH AND
NOT JUST TRYING TO CLOSE A DEAL QUICKLY.
OTHER CITIES, LIKE ATLANTA, HAVE EXPLORED, AND BEEN
SUCCESSFUL IN MODELS WHERE TAXPAYERS AREN'T JUST
SUBSIDIZING, BUT ARE ACTUALLY INVESTING, CREATING RETURNS
THAT CAN SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE, SCHOOLS, AND FUTURE
COMMUNITY NEEDS.
MY ASK IS SIMPLE.
BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WITH OR DECLINING ANY AGREEMENT, I
URGE THIS COUNCIL TO FULLY EVALUATE ALTERNATIVE STRUCTURES,
INCLUDING PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OR REVENUE SHARING MODELS LIKE
THE ONE PROPOSED BY TARYN SABIA THAT BETTER PROTECTS
TAXPAYERS AND ALIGNS INCENTIVES.
AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, THIS IS A ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION
DECISION.
LET'S MAKE SURE IT IS STRUCTURED LIKE AN INVESTMENT FOR ALL
OF THE PUBLIC AND RESIDENTS AND NOT JUST AN EXPENSE.
THANK YOU.
8:00:19PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, CASEY.
JULIE MAGILL, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN LOCKETT.
8:00:31PM >> HI, COUNCIL.
JULIE MAGILL.
AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, I'M A GENERAL CONTRACTOR.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT A PROJECT AND THE PERSON WANTS TO SPEND
700,000 AND THEY HAVE ONLY GOT 400,000, WE USUALLY SCALE
DOWN THE PROJECT.
MY PROPOSAL WOULD BE TO SCALE DOWN THIS PROJECT.
THERE'S 25,000 SEATS IN THE ST. PETE, WHERE THEY PLAY IN
ST. PETE AT THE TROP.
THEY CAN'T FILL THAT.
DON'T GET ME WRONG.
I LOVE THE RAYS.
EVERYBODY LOVES BASEBALL.
EVERYBODY LOVES THE RAYS.
BUT WHY DON'T WE SCALE DOWN THE PROJECT SO WE DON'T NEED
PUBLIC FUNDS, THEY STILL CAN PLAY BASEBALL HERE AND
EVERYBODY WOULD BE HAPPY.
I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, HOW LONG WILL THIS PROJECT
TAKE?
AND WHERE ARE ALL THESE STUDENTS GOING TO GO WHEN THE WHOLE
PLACE IS TORN UP?
HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT?
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A LOT OF SUGAR COATING AND NOT ENOUGH
ANSWERS ON THE PROJECT.
I WON'T TAKE MY WHOLE THREE MINUTES BECAUSE I HAVE TO GET
HOME.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU.
8:01:36PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
ROBIN LOCKETT, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN AND
LESLIE.
8:01:44PM >> HI, COUNCIL.
ROBIN LOCKETT.
INITIALLY -- I'M BRINGING THIS FROM A DIFFERENT LENS.
INITIALLY, I WAS SKEPTICAL.
I WENT TO THE FIRST MEETING, AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE
EVERYTHING THAT I WAS HEARING BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, YOU HAVE
TO FIND SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS.
SO IT LED ME TO THE SECOND MEETING AND THE PRESENTATION WAS
THE SAME.
THE QUESTIONS ASKED FROM THE COMMUNITY, THEY WERE ANSWERED.
I WAS LIKE, OKAY.
SO IF EVERYTHING THAT THEY ARE SAYING IS CORRECT AND TRUE,
THEN THIS IS A FABULOUS DEAL.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT DEAL.
I'M DOWN HERE WITH CITY COUNCIL.
I FIGHT FOR HOUSING ALL THE TIME.
WE'RE GETTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
QUESTION ON THE AMI, ENOUGH FOR ALL PEOPLE TO BENEFIT FROM
IT, JOBS, PERMANENT JOBS, NOT JUST JOBS FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION, BUT PERMANENT JOBS, THAT QUESTION WAS ASKED,
PERMANENT JOBS.
WHAT'S DEAR TO MY HEART, YOU GUYS KNOW I'VE BEEN FIGHTING
FOR THE YELLOW JACKETS.
HAVE YOU INCLUDED BELMONT HEIGHTS BECAUSE IT IS AN
HISTORICAL BLACK TEAM AND MENTORINGSHIP, SPONSORSHIP, I
AGREE WITH THIS BECAUSE THEY CAME TO THE COMMUNITY TO ASK.
THEY HELD SEVERAL MEETINGS.
THEY CAME TO THE COMMUNITY TO ASK.
COACH WRIGHT WROTE A LETTER.
QUITE SURE EVERYONE RECEIVED IT.
SOME OF YOU GUYS RESPONDED, IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
I ADMIRE AND RESPECT COACH WRIGHT A LOT.
THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT, THAT'S WHERE WE WILL MAKE
A DECISION SITTING AROUND A TABLE IN REGARDS TO HOW THINGS
WILL FOLD TOGETHER.
THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART OF THIS IN REGARDS TO WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO RECEIVE BACK FROM THIS.
GREAT -- OH, ONE OTHER THING.
SO WHEN I WAS AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS, DR. COLLINS ASKED, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING OUT OF CARVER CITY.
CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC.
CARVER CITY, NOT DALE MABRY.
CARVER CITY.
MR. BABBY TOLD HER IT WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF.
AM I NOT TELLING THE TRUTH?
OKAY.
IT WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF IN REGARDS TO TRAFFIC FLOWS AND SO
FORTH, DEALING WITH CARVER CITY.
SO AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THE MEETINGS, AND IF YOU'RE
NOT COMING TO THE MEETINGS AND YOU HAVE AN OPINION, THEN
GUESS WHAT, YOU'RE NOT COMING AND ASKING THE PERSON YOU NEED
TO ASK TO GET THE CORRECT ANSWER.
IF EVERYTHING THAT THEY AND CITY COUNCIL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, YOU KNOW HOW?
ENFORCING THE CONTRACT.
IF THEY ARE SAYING THAT EVERYTHING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO
PUT INTO -- THEY ARE GOING TO PUT EVERYTHING INTO WRITING
AND THAT CONTRACT IS ENFORCEABLE, THEN IT WOULD BE UP TO THE
CITY AND THE COUNTY TO ENFORCE THE CONTRACT.
THEY WILL BE BREACH OF CONTRACT.
THANK YOU.
8:04:48PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, ROBIN.
SCHNEIDT.
LESLIE FOLLOWED BY JAMES ADAIR.
SORRY FOR SLAUGHTERING YOUR NAME.
8:05:06PM >> HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
MY NAME IS LANA SCHNEIDT.
I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE WEST TAMPA HEIGHTS
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
BEING A PART OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN
INCREDIBLY REWARDING TO ME, AND I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH.
REALLY, I HAVE.
I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH.
I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT TAMPA CITY PLANNING.
I'VE GONE TO CITY PLANNING, WHAT ARE THEY CALLED TAMPA CITY
PLANNING DISTRICT MEETINGS TO TALK ABOUT THE MAPS AND ALL OF
THOSE THINGS.
I HAVE TO ADMIT -- WELL, WHAT I'VE ALSO REALIZED IS THAT ALL
OF THESE THINGS ARE SPOKE IN A LANGUAGE THAT MOST PEOPLE
DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SO I'VE BEEN VERY FIXATED AND BETTER UNDERSTANDING THESE
THINGS SO I CAN TRANSLATE THAT TO MY COMMUNITY.
I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT BASEBALL.
I DO LIKE SHOPPING AND EATING.
I APPRECIATE EDUCATION.
I THINK THAT IT COULD BE A REALLY GREAT IDEA.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE A PATRON.
WHAT I HAVE REALLY COME TO FIND, AS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW
MUCH THEY LOVE THE IDEA AND LOVE BASEBALL AND WE NEED TO
SUCK IT UP ABOUT THE POTHOLES IS THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS
DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT.
AND SOMEBODY SAID EARLIER THAT THE SINS OF THE PAST OR
SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND -- AND I TRULY
APPRECIATE, TRULY, THANK YOU, FOR COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY
AND TALKING AND HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE, WELL,
QUITE FRANKLY, I WAS TOO YOUNG DURING THE PREVIOUS ONE AND I
WASN'T A WEST TAMPA HEIGHTS RESIDENT.
I LOVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
OUR NEIGHBORS ARE SOME YOUNG, SOME MORE SENIOR.
WE TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER IN WAYS THAT I HAVE NOT HAD THAT
TYPE OF COMMUNITY SINCE GROWING UP IN THE SUBURBS OF
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, VALRICO, FLORIDA.
WE AREN'T ON THE MAP, LIKE, WE ARE NOT IN THE DISCUSSION.
I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR SOMEBODY FROM TRANSPORTATION TALK
ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
BASICALLY, ALL I WANT TO SAY -- OH, GOSH, RUSH -- IS THAT IT
SEEMS LIKE A SHALLOW CONVERSATION WHEN THERE IS NO
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
I WOULDN'T KNOW THE FIRST THING ON HOW TO HOLD THE RAYS
ACCOUNTABLE EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN SAID.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU, THE CITY, TO PLEASE DO THAT PART
AND NEGOTIATE SOMETHING WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF WEST TAMPA
HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
WE ABSORB THE TRAFFIC, THE GARBAGE, AND I'M DONE.
8:08:12PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
NO APPLAUSE, BUT SHE DID A GOOD JOB.
LESLIE FOLLOWED BY JAMIE ADAIR.
AND THEN LAURA LAWSON.
START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
8:08:32PM >> LESLIE MATTERN.
I'M MISSING MY SON'S LITTLE LEAGUE GAME TO BE HERE TO SPEAK
AGAINST THE STADIUM.
BUT WHAT AN EXCITING TIME FOR A BILLIONAIRE IN A COUNTY AND
A CITY WHERE PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY RANGE BETWEEN 11 AND
15 PERCENT.
HERE WE ARE OFFERING UP BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OR AT LEAST ONE
OF THEM, FOR BILLIONAIRE SHINY NEW TOY.
I WOULD RECOMMEND THE RAYS PURSUE BUYING A YACHT INSTEAD.
I'M HERE VERY CLEARLY TO URGE THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL TO
OPPOSE ANY KIND OF PUBLIC FUNDING FOR THIS RAYS' STADIUM.
AT THIS POINT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER A BILLION DOLLARS.
IT'S A BAD DEAL FOR TAMPA AND THERE'S VERY SIMPLE REASONS
FOR THAT THAT HAVE QUITE A BIT OF DEPTH AND HAVEN'T EVEN YET
BEEN EXPLORED IN THAT DEPTH BY THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HEARD
FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS.
ONE, THE ECONOMICS SIMPLY DON'T WORK.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN THE PAST, AND I HEARD EARLIER SOMEONE
SAY LET US NOT BE NAIVE.
LET US NOT BE NAIVE IN THIS FACT: NO ECONOMICS, NO
ECONOMIST HAS COME UP WITH ANY OTHER CONSENSUS.
ALL OF THEM ARE UNWAVERING.
THESE PROJECTS SHIFT SPENDING.
THEY DON'T CREATE NET NEW MONIES FOR PEOPLE TO BRING IN TO
PAY FOR EXTRA TAXES AND REVENUE.
THERE'S NO NEW WEALTH.
THERE'S NO LONG-TERM GROWTH.
AND THEY DON'T GENERATE NET NEW TAX REVENUE.
WE HEARD FROM MR. BABBY THAT ORIOLE PARK IS THE GOLD
STANDARD.
AND QUICKLY I WAS LOOKING INTO ORIOLE PARK AND EVERY YEAR IT
OPERATES AT AN $11 MILLION DEFICIT.
IF THAT IS THE GOLD STANDARD, I'M REALLY SCARED ABOUT WHAT
WE'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING HERE IN TAMPA.
SECONDLY, WE ARE NOT HERE TO DONATE HARD-FOUGHT TAX DOLLARS
TO BILLIONAIRES THAT ARE CAPABLE OF FINANCING THEIR OWN
PROJECTS.
I REALLY LIKE WHAT THE PREVIOUS PERSON SAID, SCALE BACK YOUR
PROJECT.
IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD THE $2 BILLION HOUSE, BUILD THE $1
BILLION HOUSE WITH YOUR OWN MONEY.
IN FACT, WE COULD BE WHAT SOME OTHER FOLKS HAVE SAID, TOO,
MAKING A GENERATIONAL COMMITMENT TO BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS AND
RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY STEWARDS AND WE WOULD DO THAT INSTEAD
BY BEING ABLE TO FUND THINGS LIKE HOUSING, TRANSIT, ROADS,
EDUCATION, AND HEALTH CARE.
AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO ACTUALLY GIVE
ROI, NOT LIKE A STADIUM WHICH ECONOMISTS AGREE, PUBLICLY
FUNDED CANNOT PRODUCE THE FORECAST THAT IT SAYS.
MY LAST POINT IS VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART WHICH IS ABOUT THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE BEING AT RISK.
FOR MANY PEOPLE, HCC IS NOT JUST ONE OF MANY OPTIONS.
IT IS THE ONLY OPTION.
MY COUSIN RECENTLY IS GOING THROUGH SOME VERY SEVERE ASPECTS
OF HER LIFE ON SURVIVAL MODE AND SHE SAID I'LL GO TO HCC,
NOT USF, NOT ULTIMATE MEDICAL ACADEMY.
HCC.
WE CANNOT PUT PEOPLE IN A PLACE WHERE WE SAY, HEY, YOUR
FUTURE CAN WAIT BECAUSE WE NEED A BASEBALL STADIUM.
I'M ASKING YOU, PLEASE, MAKE A WISE DECISION IN AN
UNPRECEDENTED TIME.
LYNN AND BILL, YOU ARE RUNNING FOR MAYOR, YOUR CHOICES TODAY
ARE IMPORTANT.
OPPOSE THE STADIUM.
8:11:38PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, LESLIE.
JAMIE ADAIR.
LAURA LAWSON AND ANDY JOE SCAGLIONE.
8:12:09PM >> JAMES ADAIR, THE NEIGHBOR WHO CARES.
MOST EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SAID THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.
I WANT TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS.
YOU HAD A QUESTION ABOUT HOW MUCH TAX REVENUE WE MIGHT LOSE
IF THE MOST AGGRESSIVE PROPERTY TAX REFORM COMES THROUGH,
IT'S 26 MILLION PER THE PROPERTY APPRAISER.
THE CANOPY, WE HAD ASKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, THE CANOPY THAT
WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, WHETHER ON PUBLIC LANDS OR NOT, IT
IS INDEED TAXABLE, JUST SO YOU KNOW.
SPARKMAN WHARF, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A TAXABLE ENTITY.
IT IS THE IMPROVEMENTS TAXED NOT NECESSARILY THE PROPERTY.
WE DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A BOT E-MAIL IN HILLSBOROUGH
COUNTY.
SURPRISED THAT WE BROUGHT IT UP.
I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER ABOUT IT.
QUITE FRANKLY, IT GETS TO AN INTEGRITY QUESTION.
IF IT WAS AN ACCIDENT JUST, YOU KNOW, LET'S ADMIT IT AND
MOVE ON.
YOU ALL HAVE COPIES IN CASE THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST COME
BACK FOR YOUR IP ADDRESSES.
FINALLY, THE THING THAT I CARE ABOUT, AND HONESTLY, THERE'S
SOME REALLY GREAT STUFF ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
THIS IS OFF CITY WEBSITE FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE IN PROGRESS
OR IN PLANNING THAT ARE NOT FUNDED.
JUST A FEW OF THEM THAT ARE ALL UP FOR THE CHOPPING IF WE
DON'T KEEP CIT AND OTHER FUNDS AND IF WE HAVE TO START
DIVERTING.
THESE ARE ALL VERY REAL THINGS.
WE CAN GO THROUGH THEM ALL.
WE ALL WANT TO GO HOME.
THESE ARE OFF THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
THESE ARE REAL.
YOU ALL HAVE A TOUGH DECISION AHEAD OF YOU.
GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, BEFORE ANY
OF THE STADIUMS WERE HERE, THIS SAME FOUNDATION WAS
CRUMBLING AND THAT'S WHY IT STILL NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
WE CAN GET A NEW SHINY OBJECT AND IT'S THE BEST THING THAT
COULD HAPPEN TO HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE STILL NEED INFRASTRUCTURE.
THANK YOU.
8:13:55PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, JAMIE.
LAURA LAWSON, ANDY SCAGLIONE AND ADAM KAHN.
8:14:04PM >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M LAURA LAWSON.
I'VE LIVED IN TAMPA ABOUT 28 YEARS, I THINK.
AND I'LL BE HONEST, I LOVE THE RAYS.
I LOVE BASEBALL.
FOUR BIG SPORTS, IT'S MY FAVORITE ONE.
YOU KNOW WHERE I LOVE THE RAYS.
I LOVE THEM OVER IN ST. PETE WHERE THEY COULD AFFORD THEM.
WE HAVE TWO TEAMS ALREADY.
THIS IS ABOUT EXPANDING OUR FAMILY OF TEAMS.
AND I HEARD A LOT OF TALK ABOUT DO NO HARM TODAY, BUT I'M
NOT FEELING THE DO NO HARM PART OF THIS.
I THINK THIS IS GOING TO DO HOME TO OUR BUDGET, SIGNIFICANT
HARM.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO DO TERRIBLE HARM TO OUR TAX
COLLECTOR'S OFFICE.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO DO HARM TO OUR TRAFFIC SITUATION ON
DALE MABRY HIGHWAY RIGHT OUT THERE AT RUSH HOUR.
AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO DO TERRIBLE HARM TO HILLSBOROUGH
COLLEGE.
AND I'M REALLY FRUSTRATED THAT NO ONE IS REALLY FOCUSING ON
THIS.
ONE THING WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THAT THE HILLSBOROUGH
COLLEGE BOARD IS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR WHO IS GOOD
FRIENDS WITH THE OWNER OF THE TEAM.
THE LOSS OF LOCAL FUNDING FOR A WANT IS BAD ENOUGH, BUT
DESTROYING LIKE DEMOLISHING A COLLEGE WITH NO PLAN TO
REBUILD IT, THERE IS WIDE AGREEMENT AMONG ECONOMISTS THAT
STADIUMS DON'T GENERATE RELEVANT FISCAL IMPACT.
IT'S JUST NOT TRUE, JUST LIKE LESLIE JUST TOLD YOU.
THERE'S ALSO WIDE AGREEMENT AMONG ECONOMISTS THAT COMMUNITY
COLLEGES ARE AN EXCELLENT PUBLIC INVESTMENT THAT GENERATE A
HIGH LEVEL OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR TAXPAYERS, FOR THE
COMMUNITY, FOR THE STUDENTS.
THE COLLEGE IS FUNDED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
SO WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS TWO PARTS.
HEARING THAT, OH, THE COLLEGE IS IN DISREPAIR, AND THE ONLY
WAY IT COULD EVER BE REBUILT IS TO GIVE IT A BASEBALL TEAM.
BUT THAT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE BECAUSE THE SAME PEOPLE
THAT ARE FUNDING THE COLLEGE RIGHT NOW ARE THE SAME PEOPLE
THAT ARE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FUNDING ITS
RECONSTRUCTION, THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE.
I WENT TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE STILL WORKING ON THAT.
THE SENATE HAS $50 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR HILLSBOROUGH
COLLEGE.
YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THE FLORIDA HOUSE HAS?
ZERO.
$50 MILLION ISN'T ANYWHERE NEAR TO MAKING THAT COLLEGE
WHOLE.
NOW, THE WAY THIS IS GOING, BIGWIGS ARE GOING TO BE PARTYING
IN SKYBOXES AT THAT STADIUM ON THE RUINS OF THE COLLEGE.
HILLSBOROUGH COLLEGE IS CURRENTLY RENTING TEMPORARY.
SO THE STUDENTS WILL BE IN THOSE TEMPORARY BUILDINGS TO
LEARN.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.
THEY HAVE 27,000 STUDENTS ON THAT CAMPUS LEARNING EVERY DAY,
WHICH IS MORE THAN THE TEAM TYPICALLY GETS IN TURNOUT OF
FANS.
THEY SHOULD BE THE PRIORITY.
THAT STADIUM SHOULD NOT BE BUILT UNTIL THAT CAMPUS IS FIRST
MADE COMPLETELY WHOLE.
THAT BELONGS IN THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT.
THAT WOULD MAKE IT FAIR, BUT IT STILL DOESN'T SOLVE THE
FUNDING PROBLEM.
THANK YOU ALL.
8:17:11PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, LAURA.
ANDY JOE SCAGLIONE FOLLOWED BY ADAM KAHN.
ANDY JOE, I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE LEFT.
GOING ONCE, TWICE, GONE.
ADAM KHAN FOLLOWED BY DON FAIR.
KHAN?
HE LEFT.
OKAY.
DAWN FAIR FOLLOWED BY RICK -- DAWN FAIR, ARE YOU HERE?
NO.
GONE.
RICK?
TAG, YOU ARE UP.
AFTER RICK, VICTOR DiMAIO FOLLOWED BY MALIK ABDULLAH.
8:17:49PM >> RICK KOCHEN.
I'M A TAMPA RESIDENT UP IN CARROLLWOOD FOR 30 YEARS NOW.
A LITTLE LONGER THAN THE TEAM HAS BEEN HERE.
THERE IS A LOT FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER FINANCIALLY, BOTH
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE.
LOOKING AT THIS AS A WHOLE, TOUGH DECISION.
ONLY THING I CAN SAY, BASEBALL FAN, I'M GOING TO BE 60 YEARS
OLD THIS YEAR, BEEN A BASEBALL FAN FOR A LONG TIME.
I KNOW A LOT OF DEALS HAVE FALLEN THROUGH AND YOU HAVEN'T
HAD MAYBE LEADERSHIP OR OWNERSHIP THAT HAS WHAT I CAN TELL
SEEN AS GENUINE AS THE RAYS GROUP HAS AT THIS POINT.
THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS SOMETHING
DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN.
SO THEY ARE AT LEAST TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST FINANCIALLY,
DOES IT, DOESN'T.
ALL THAT.
AGAIN, ALWAYS A TOUGH THING TO CONSIDER AND LOOK AT.
BUT IT WOULD BE TOUGH TO LOSE MAJOR LEAGUE FRANCHISE.
IT DOES GENERATE A LOT OF TOURISM.
AS WE KNOW, TAMPA RELIES ON THAT A LOT, AND SO MANY EXAMPLES
BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE WATER STREET AND LIGHTNING AND VINIK
AND BUCS HOSTING ALL THESE BIG EVENTS.
I'M A RIDE SHARE DRIVER.
HAVE BEEN FOR TEN YEARS.
BEEN DOING IT FOR -- JULY WILL BE THREE YEARS.
SO I KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING.
WE GET PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER.
THE BTS CONCERT THAT WE JUST HAD, I HAD PEOPLE FROM ENGLAND
THAT I PICKED UP AT THE AIRPORT THAT CAME TO THIS CONCERT.
WHEN THE BUCS ARE PLAYING, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
WINTER, WE GET PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER COMING DOWN HERE AND
SPENDING MONEY.
SO ALL THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN LAID OUT AS FAR AS HOW MUCH
THIS IMPACT WILL BE AND DOWN THE ROAD.
AND WE HAVE EXAMPLES OF THINGS BEING SUCCESSFUL.
THE BATTERY UP IN ATLANTA.
HAS PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AT LEAST TO THIS POINT.
THE THING ABOUT THE COMMENT ABOUT THE ORIOLES, MAYBE THE
ORIOLES AREN'T DOING AS WELL NOW.
THAT COULD BE PART OF HOW THIS CITY IS BEING RUN AND NOT
DOING WELL.
BALTIMORE PARK, WHEN IT FIRST STARTED WAS SUCCESSFUL AND
VERY VIBRANT AND ENTHUSIASTIC.
BUT IT'S BEEN 25 YEARS OR SO AT LEAST SINCE THAT PARK HAS
BEEN BUILT.
YOU'RE NOT COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES.
TAMPA IS THE HOT PLACE.
IT'S KIND OF BEEN DISCOVERED SINCE AFTER THE PANDEMIC, SO
MANY PEOPLE HAVE MOVED HERE AND CONTINUE TO MOVE HERE.
MY MAIN THING ON BEING A RIDE SHARE DRIVER IS JUST -- I KNOW
SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED, BUT JUST
MAKING SURE THAT IT IS SAFE.
THE BUSES, PLACES TO PICK UP, RIDE SHARES.
IT'S PART OF THE FABRIC NOW.
RIDE SHARE IS PART OF WHAT WE DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT, HOW
PEOPLE GET AROUND AND LIKE TO GO TO GAMES AND EVENTS.
I CAN ATTEST TO THAT.
PICKING UP ON DALE MABRY ISN'T THE SAFEST.
HAVING A GREAT PLACE TO DO THAT AND WALKWAYS.
THE MOST WALKWAYS YOU CAN DO OVER KEEPS THE TRAFFIC FLOWING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
8:20:52PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RICK.
VICK DiMAIO FOLLOWED BY MALIK.
8:21:00PM >> I'M GOING TO WAIVE MY TIME.
I SIGNED UP DOWNSTAIRS.
8:21:03PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
I WILL CROSS YOU OFF THE LIST.
VERY GOOD.
MALIK FOLLOWED BY ANGEL.
HE LEFT.
OKAY.
ANGEL D'ANGELO FOLLOWED BY TONY FOLLOWED BY JONATHAN BUTLER.
8:21:22PM >> ANGEL D'ANGELO.
I LIVE IN YBOR CITY.
THANKS FOR THIS LONG, VERY LONG, DRAWN-OUT MEETING.
THERE'S NO OTHER PLACE I WOULD RATHER BE.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN TAMPA LOVE BASEBALL I'M HEARING.
SO I THOUGHT WE'D TALK BASEBALL.
I THINK IT'S REALLY TIME THIS TAMPA CITY COUNCIL FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME HIT A HOME RUN.
WE HAVE A WORLD SERIES' WORTH OF PRIORITIES IN TAMPA THAT
SHOULD HAVE YOUR FOCUS.
WE NEED TO STRETCH 7th INNING TO HEALTH CARE, TRANSIT,
REPAIRING ROADS, NONVIOLENT ALTERNATIVES TO POLICING LIKE
THE CALL PROGRAM IN ST. PETE.
OF COURSE, HOUSING.
THAT CRISIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
I'M KIND OF TIRED OF HAVING ROOMMATES.
LOVE THEM BUT TIRED OF IT.
I'M HOPING THAT TAMPA CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE A FOUL BALL
ON THIS VOTE TODAY.
NOT A SINGLE TAX DOLLAR SHOULD GO TO WHATEVER THIS IS.
WHY IS MY CITY COUNCIL ALWAYS SO WILLING TO FUND THE ALREADY
WEALTHY BUT THE POOR AND WORKING CLASS HAVE TO BEG FOR THE
BASIC NECESSITIES.
ALWAYS SO WILLING TO SUBSIDIZE THE WEALTHY.
IT'S WELCOME LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING IN IT FOR YOU ALL.
I DON'T WANT THIS CITY TO TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME.
I WANT A CITY WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK TWO JOBS JUST TO
LIVE A BASIC LIFE.
ALREADY PAID FOR THREE HOURS OF PARKING TO BE HERE.
I WON'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD ANY OF THE GAMES, BY THE WAY,
BECAUSE IT'S SO EXPENSIVE TO LIVE IN THIS CITY.
I GUESS ALL THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS CAN COME IN AND ENJOY THE
RAYS.
ASIDE FROM THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC ISSUES THAT THIS WILL
CAUSE, IT DOES NOTHING TO SOLVE MANY OF THE DEEP SYSTEMIC
ISSUES HAPPENING IN TAMPA, THAT TAMPE OS HAVE BEEN ASKING
YOU TO ADDRESS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
WE NEED IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS TO THE HOUSING CRISIS, THE
INCOME GAP AND THE CONTINUED PATTERN OF NEGLECT, ESPECIALLY
IN EAST TAMPA AND YBOR CITY.
WHY IS THERE NEVER MONEY TO SUPPORT THESE INITIATIVES BUT
THE RAYS CAN GET SEVERAL MILLION?
ASK YOURSELF THAT.
IT'S TIME THAT CITY COUNCIL GET SERIOUS ABOUT FOCUSING ON
WHAT WE TRULY NEED AND NOT LITERALLY PUTTING OUR MONEY ON
GAMES.
THESE ARE ACTUAL LIVES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS, MINE
INCLUDED.
FOCUS THE MONEY WHERE IT ACTUALLY MATTERS.
YOUR CONSTITUENCY.
THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE TAMPA THRIVE.
BECAUSE THEY SAY BASEBALL IS AMERICA'S PAST ACTUALLY, WELL,
I PREFER THE PASTIME OF BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY THRIVE AND
NOT JUST SURVIVE.
THANK YOU.
8:24:17PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, ANGEL.
TONY SCHIAFFLO FOLLOWED BY JONATHAN BUTLER.
TONY?
GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE, GONE.
JOHNATHAN BUTLER, FOLLOWED BY ROB LEDFORD AND THEN ALISON
HEWITT.
8:24:32PM >> JOHNATHAN BUTLER, 3614 WEST CLARK CIRCLE IN SOUTH TAMPA.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW THE
PUBLIC TO SPEAK TODAY.
I HAVE LIVED HERE SINCE 2001 AND ATTENDED SEVERAL GAMES,
GOING RIGHT OVER THE GANDY BRIDGE TO ST. PETE TO SUPPORT OUR
TEAM.
WE ARE TAMPA, BY THE WAY.
WE ARE THE RAYS.
WE ARE THE LIGHTNING, AND WE ARE THE BUCS.
THIS IS ONE COMMUNITY, AND THIS OPPORTUNITY DOES NOT COME
ALONG VERY OFTEN.
IF WE LET THIS GO BY, WE'RE GOING TO BE SHAKING OUR HEADS
SAYING, GOSH, WE'RE JUST LIKE MONTREAL.
WE'RE JUST LIKE OAKLAND.
GUESS WHAT, IT'S TAMPA NOW.
WE DO NOT WANT TO BE ON THAT LIST.
THIS BRINGS JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO NOT JUST TAMPA BUT THE
WHOLE REGION.
YES, EVERY CITY HAS ISSUES.
WE HAVE SEVERAL.
WE'RE NOT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CITIES.
THEY ALL HAVE ISSUES.
BUT WE ARE TAMPA.
WE ARE THE BEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
I LOVE IT HERE.
THIS IS MY HOME, AND I WILL STAY HERE.
PLEASE THINK LONG-TERM AND NOT SHORT-TERM.
I LOVE THIS TEAM, I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY, AND I LOVE TAMPA.
BY THE WAY, IF YOU'RE WONDERING, IT'S 3-2.
AND THE RAYS ARE RALLYING.
RAYS UP.
THANK YOU, TAMPA.
8:26:20PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, JONATHAN.
ROB LEDFORD FOLLOWED BY ALISON HEWITT AND THEN JAMIE JONES.
8:26:30PM >> GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN, CITY COUNCIL.
ROB LEDFORD.
I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE TAMPA BAY CHAMBER.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE THE CHAIR FOR THE 2026 YEAR FOR THE
TAMPA BAY CHAMBER.
ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OVER 1400 BUSINESS
MEMBERS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
TONIGHT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THE RAYS IN TAMPA BAY.
THE RAYS ARE MORE THAN JUST A BASEBALL TEAM.
THEY ARE AN ECONOMIC DRIVER AND A SOURCE OF COMMUNITY AND
REGIONAL PRIDE.
THEY ARE A KEY PART OF OUR IDENTITY AS A GROWING,
COMPETITIVE MARKET.
KEEPING THEM HERE MATTERS TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE
FOLKS THAT WE REPRESENT.
THIS IS FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS OF OUR REGION.
WE'RE ENCOURAGED BY THE VISION.
IT'S AN EXCITING PROJECT THE PROPOSED STADIUM.
THE POTENTIAL FOR JOB CREATION SIGNIFICANT.
KEY PART OF THIS DEVELOPMENT IS THE MIXED USE OPPORTUNITY
AND THE SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION TO CONTINUE OUR WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT.
ALL THOSE ALIGN DIRECTLY WITH WHAT THE CHAMBER STANDS FOR IN
OUR VISION OF TAMPA BAY'S FUTURE.
DONE RIGHT, THIS PROJECT WILL BE A CATALYST FOR THE ECONOMY,
OUR GROWTH, AND LONG-TERM SUCCESS.
AT THE SAME TIME AS THE VOICE OF BUSINESS IN TAMPA BAY
REGION, WE BELIEVE IT'S ESSENTIAL TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE
FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROPOSAL.
A PROJECT OF THIS MAGNITUDE, STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT IS
TRANSPARENT, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, AND DELIVERS MEASURABLE
RETURNS FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO ALSO LOOK AT THIS AGREEMENT AND MAKE SURE
IT DOESN'T COME AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR LONG-STANDING SUCCESS
OF OTHER ASSETS WITHIN TAMPA BAY, SPECIFICALLY THE
BUCCANEERS, THE LIGHTNING, AND GEORGE STEINBRENNER FIELD.
THESE INSTITUTIONS HELP SHAPE US FOR THE LAST 30, 40
DECADES.
40 DECADES -- FOUR DECADES.
ADDITIONALLY, TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, NEIGHBORHOOD
IMPACT MUST BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION TO ENSURE THE
DEVELOPMENT WORKS NOT JUST FOR VISITORS WHO COME HERE, THE
10 MILLION THAT WILL COME EVERY YEAR, BUT THE FOLKS THAT
LIVE ADJACENT TO THIS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
THIS IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SOMETHING
TRANSFORMATIVE FOR TAMPA BAY.
WE REMAIN OPTIMISTIC AND ENGAGED.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING ALONGSIDE ALL OF TO YOU MAKE
SURE THE PATH FORWARD KEEPS THE RAYS IN OUR REGION AND
DELIVERS A PROJECT THAT BENEFITS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
ON A PERSONAL, NOT CHAMBER TOPIC, I AM A BASEBALL FAN.
BORN AND RAISED PLAYING BASEBALL, GREW UP IN FLORIDA, THE
ONLY PLACE TO SEE BASEBALL WAS MINOR LEAGUE OR ATLANTA.
22 YEARS AGO WHEN MY SON WAS BORN, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TAKE HIM TO RAYS GAMES.
THAT WAS PRETTY SPECIAL TO HAND OFF THE VISION OF WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE IN A COMMUNITY AND A SPORT THAT I LOVE AND NOW MY
SON HAS THAT SAME PASSION.
CHAIRMAN, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
IT IS A TOUGH DECISION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THIS DECISION WILL HOLD LONG-TERM VALUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY
AND FOR OUR REGION.
OUR BUSINESSES, OUR ECONOMY DEPEND ON LONG-TERM VISION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
8:29:29PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, ROB.
ALISON HEWITT FOLLOWED BY JAMIE JONES AND THEN M.NY.
8:29:39PM >> GOOD EVENING.
ALISON HEWITT, RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER.
I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC FUNDS TO BE INTENDED TO BE
USED SOLELY FOR THE STADIUM.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE ARE FACING A FUNDAMENTAL
STRUCTURAL ISSUE THAT WARRANTS IMMEDIATE RECONSIDERATION.
BECAUSE UNDER FLORIDA STATUTE 163 PART 3, CRA FUNDS ARE NOT
DESIGNATED TO SUBSIDIZE PRIVATE FACILITIES.
THEY EXIST TO DRIVE REDEVELOPMENT, ELIMINATE BLIGHT AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY TO GENERATE LONG-TERM PUBLIC BENEFIT.
SO IF THE CRA FUNDS ARE TO BE UTILIZED IN THIS PROJECT, WE
NEED TO DO MORE THAN JUST CONTRIBUTE TO CONSTRUCTION.
AND AS COUNCILMAN CARLSON SAID, YOU ALL ARE NOT AT THE TABLE
AS CITY COUNCIL, BUT IF THE CRA DOLLARS ARE AT PLAY, THEN
SOMEBODY FROM THE CRA BOARD NEEDS TO BE AT THAT TABLE TO
NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF, NOT TO TRY TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE, BUT
YOUR AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY DOES NOT NEGATE YOUR ABILITY TO
NEGOTIATE WHAT THE FUNDS THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT
YOU ARE A PART OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS.
SO THE WAY THE PROJECT IS RIGHT NOW, FROM THE BASE OF THE
MATERIALS I READ, RAYS RETAIN STADIUM REVENUES, NAMING
RIGHTS, SPONSORSHIPS, AND CONTROL OVER THE MIXED USE
DEVELOPMENT AND MEANWHILE THE PUBLIC IS BEING ASKED TO
CONTRIBUTE A SUBSTANTIAL LEVEL.
I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD NOT LOOK AT THIS AS A SUBSIDY.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS AS EQUATE POSITION IN A LARGE SCALE
DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE CRA.
SO THAT MEANS WE SHOULD HAVE SOME DEFINED OWNERSHIP
INTEREST, PARTICIPATION IN STADIUM RELATED REVENUE, AND SO
THAT WAY WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR THE TAX DOLLARS TO COME IN,
BUT AFTER WE HAVE POTENTIALLY A WATERFALL PAYMENT THAT WE,
THE COMMUNITY, THE CRA, THE CITY OF TAMPA IS PARTICIPATING
AS AN EQUITY PARTNER AND NOT AS A SUBSIDY.
I WILL DO AS A REMINDER, GASWORX, WHICH IS A $2 BILLION
PROJECT LEVERAGED THE TIF DOLLARS AS A PAY AS YOU GO
STRUCTURE, WHERE THE PRIVATE CAPITAL ADVANCE INFRASTRUCTURE
COSTS AND REIMBURSED ONLY AS NEW TAX VALUE WAS CREATED.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO DO THIS RIGHT, NOT TO SIMPLY
BUILD A STADIUM, BUT TO BUILD LASTING PUBLIC WEALTH FOR THE
PEOPLE OF TAMPA AND ESPECIALLY WITH DREW PARK.
THANK YOU.
8:31:58PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, ALISON.
JAMIE JONES FOLLOWED BY M. NY AND BISHOP MICHELLE B. PATTY.
8:32:07PM >> JAMIE JONES, WEST TAMPA HEIGHTS.
I WANT TO GET THROUGH AS MUCH OF THIS AS I CAN SO I WROTE IT
ALL DOWN.
HOPEFULLY I HAVE SOME TIME AT THE END.
CITY COUNCIL, GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US ALL THIS TIME TO PROVIDE OUR
FEEDBACK ON THE RAYS STADIUM.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO LIVE AND WORK IN WEST TAMPA.
I'M A PLANNER AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE WEST TAMPA HEIGHTS
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION JUST TO THE EAST OF THIS
DEVELOPMENT.
OUR ORGANIZATION EXISTS TO BUILD COMMUNITY FROM THE BOTTOM
UP.
WE LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER TO LEND OUR TOOLS OUT, COOK FOR
ONE ANOTHER, DO NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS, THROW BLOCK PARTIES.
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT WE WOULD
BE CELEBRATING CINCO DE MAYO TODAY IF THIS WASN'T SO
IMPORTANT TO US.
THIS IS GOING TO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT ON MY
NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND OUR DAILY LIVES.
AND TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL KNOW WHAT WE NEED OUT OF THIS DEAL
IF YOU INTEND TO SUPPORT IT, WE'RE HERE TO ENFORCE IT AS WE
CAN.
JUST IN CASE I RUN OUT OF TIME, PLEASE KNOW THAT MY MAIN
POINTS HERE ARE THAT WE FIND THE NEED FOR CONTINUAL -- OR WE
FIND THE CONTINUAL DISCUSSION ABOUT REDEVELOPING OUR POCKET
OF THE CITY WITHOUT A PLAN BEYOND THE BALLPARK BOUNDARIES
EXTREMELY EGREGIOUS.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A STADIUM DISTRICT WITH A BUDGET AND SOME
TEETH THAT FOLLOWS THE NEW STADIUM.
WE'RE CONTEMPLATING ADDING A THIRD STADIUM WITHIN A STONE'S
THROW OF ALL OF OUR HOMES.
THIS NEEDS TO BE ITS OWN PLANNING DISTRICT.
SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH TRANSIT, WE TALK ABOUT
WITH HOUSING SOLUTIONS.
AND REALLY, A BIG PART OF THIS, OF MY OFFENSE TO THIS ALL IS
THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS OVER 70% SPANISH SPEAKING.
AND I HAVE SEEN ALMOST NO OUTREACH IN THE SPANISH LANGUAGE
TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO GET THROUGH TO
THEM.
JUST LIKE MY VICE PRESIDENT SAID, WE SPEAK A DIFFERENT
LANGUAGE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LAND USE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
POLICY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAN THE NORMAL PERSON.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD, AGAIN, IS 40,000 DOLLARS IS THE MEDIAN HOME
VALUE.
THE ONLY WAY THAT MY NEIGHBORS ARE ABLE TO SURVIVE IS BY
USING THEIR OWN CREATIVE HOUSING SOLUTION ALREADY.
AND THEN WE BRING MULTIBILLION DOLLAR, 8 MILLION-SQUARE-FOOT
PROJECT DOWN THE ROAD, THIS IS GOING TO HAVE INSANE IMPACTS.
AND HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS ONLY GOING TO SAVE A FEW OF US.
AND WE HAVE TO BE WELL EDUCATED.
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DO TO NAVIGATE THAT.
AND WE NEED HELP.
IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE 250 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.
WE NEED MORE THAN THAT.
8:35:13PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
VICTOR DiMAIO.
YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER.
KEEP IT DOWN BACK THERE.
JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, THE ACOUSTICS
ARE REALLY GOOD.
EVEN IF YOU ARE WHISPERING IN THE BACK, IT COMES RIGHT UP
HERE.
IT'S VERY DISTRACTING.
M.NY.
IS THERE AN M.NY IN THE HOUSE?
GOING ONCE, TWICE, GONE.
BISHOP MICHELLE B. PATTY FOLLOWED BY IAN JONES AND HONORABLE
PAT KEMP.
8:35:53PM >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS BISHOP MICHELLE B. PATTY.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN THE CITY OF TAMPA.
1508 NORTH A STREET.
MY HUSBAND AND I, WE WAS A FAN OF THE RAYS WHEN THEY WERE
THE DEVIL RAYS.
I WATCH THEM ON TV JUST ABOUT EVERY NIGHT.
I LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS, THEY ARE DOING WELL.
MY CONCERN, I HEAR ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
I'M HEARING ABOUT COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PARTNERS, BUT WHO IS
GOING TO VET THESE PEOPLE?
WHO IS TO SAY WHO IS SITTING AT THAT TABLE?
BECAUSE MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY GOING TO BE CALLING TO
THE TABLE ARE NOT FOLKS THAT'S GOING TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE
THAT'S ON THE LOWER SPECTRUM.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE EVERYDAY JOE WHO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
COME TO A GAME OR MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BENEFIT.
I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT BASEBALL IS NEEDED.
I LOVE IT.
MY SON WAS GOING TO BE A BASEBALL PLAYER UNTIL HE WAS
MURDERED AND HE WAS MURDERED BY A YOUNG MAN GOING NOWHERE.
SO THAT KID, IF HE WOULD HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE GARY
SHEFFIELD, LAST NOVEMBER, HANDED OUT TURKEYS WITH HIM.
I DO KNOW THAT BASEBALL, FOOTBALL, ANYTHING CAN MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN A CHILD'S LIFE.
BUT I DON'T WANT THE SAME OLD PEOPLE BEING IDENTIFIED TO
REPRESENT THE MASSES OF THE FOLKS.
AND THEY GET THE MONEY AND HOLD IT.
I'M GOING TO BE FRANK.
I'M TALKING ABOUT ORGANIZATIONS.
I WANT TO THANK THE CITY THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN A GOOD
STEWARD OVER THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS WHEN YOU SAY NO
ORGANIZATION WILL GET A DIME UNLESS THEY DO AN AUDIT AND
SHOW WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING.
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN WITH TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS.
AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE NAACP DOES.
THEY DON'T EVEN ADHERE TO THEIR OWN AUDIT, THE ORGANIZATION
IS SUPPOSED TO DO A YEARLY AUDIT.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN ONE DONE.
AND PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
PLEASE, I HOPE THAT'S NOT ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE
SITTING AT THE TABLE BECAUSE WE NEED TRANSPARENCY.
WE NEED PEOPLE THAT IS GOING TO CARE ABOUT THE ONES ON THE
GROUND.
I KNOW MEN AND WOMEN, EVERY DAY THEY PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE
GROUND AND DON'T GET ONE DIME, ON THEIR LAND, THEY DON'T GET
A DIME FROM ANY ENTITY, BUT THEY ARE OUT THERE TRYING TO
STOP THE VIOLENCE AND WE DO HAVE VIOLENCE HERE IN THE CITY
OF TAMPA.
WE DO HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE KILLING CHILDREN AND THEY ARE
GOING TO JAIL AT A RAPID SPEED.
SO IF THEY CAN GET SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE TANGIBLE TO
HELP CURB THAT, I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR IT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR ANYONE WHO IS GOING TO BE SITTING AT A
TABLE, GETTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS, THAT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS BE
VETTED, AND THAT THEY SHOW US A RECORD OF WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH MONIES BEFORE YOU ALL JUST GIVE IT TO THEM AND THEN
THEY DO NOTHING AND THEN THE MASS OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO
TAKE THE BRUNT, THE BRUNT OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY TAX
DOLLARS ARE BEING USED CAN'T EVEN GET INTO A GAME BECAUSE
THERE ARE NO JOBS FOR THEM.
THANK YOU ALL, COUNCIL.
8:38:59PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, BISHOP.
IAN JONES.
IAN JONES?
FOLLOWED BY HONORABLE PAT KEMP, FOLLOWED BY NEIL.
GOOD EVENING.
8:39:12PM >> IAN JONES.
TAMPA HEIGHTS RESIDENT.
I'M A BIG FAN OF BASEBALL MYSELF.
I'M PROBABLY LIKE THE IDEAL AUDIENCE FOR THEM.
AFTER LOOKING OVER THIS DEAL, THOUGH, I DO FIND THE FINANCES
TO BE QUITE QUESTIONABLE.
I THINK THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT WAYS WE COULD LOOK AT THIS
DEAL AND FIND ALTERNATIVE PATHS THAT DON'T INVOLVE TAKING
OUT MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF DEBT.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN OVERLOOKED IS THE
TOTAL COST, THE UP FRONT PRINCIPAL PLUS INTEREST THAT WE'LL
HAVE TO PAY OVER 15 OR 30 YEARS OF THESE BONDS AND WHAT THAT
MEANS IF WE BOND AGAINST THE CIT.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE HAVE A DOWNTURN?
ARE THE RAYS GOING TO COVER THE SHORTFALL FOR THE TWO,
THREE, FIVE YEARS WHEN THAT MONEY ISN'T THERE OR WILL WE
HAVE TO CUT PROGRAMS?
I THINK THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED BEFORE
ANY KIND OF DEAL GETS MADE.
ALONG WITH THAT, SOMETHING AWFULLY CONCERNING THAT NOBODY
HAS BROUGHT UP IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THIS INITIAL LEASE ENDS?
LET'S LOOK AT WHAT THESE OWNERS ARE.
THEY ARE DEVELOPERS.
DEVELOPERS BUILD STUFF, SELL IT, AND LEAVE.
IF THAT IS IN A 30 YEAR, 15 YEAR, 20 YEAR TIME FRAME, STILL
MEANS AT SOME POINT THEY'LL LEAVE.
NEW OWNERS, THEY WILL WANT A NEW CONTRACT WITH NEW MONEY.
WE SHOULD MAKE SOME KIND OF CAVEAT IN THIS DEAL THAT LOCKS
THIS INTO TAMPA AND KEEPS THIS HERE WITHOUT NEW MONEY GOING
INTO IT 10, 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE CONTRACT IS LONG
FORGOTTEN.
THANK YOU.
8:40:43PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, IAN.
HONORABLE PAT KEMP, NEIL METNICK, MARITZA.
SORRY.
8:40:53PM >> HI.
THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT AND EVERYONE ELSE.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF GREAT COMMENTS TONIGHT.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO --
8:41:05PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
START WITH YOUR NAME.
8:41:07PM >> I'M SORRY.
PAT KEMP.
FORMER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSIONER WHO WORKED ON THIS
OVER THE EIGHT YEARS THAT I WAS THERE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I DID IN MY EIGHT YEARS WAS DO A LOT
OF RESEARCH ON THIS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD COME JUST
LIKE THIS.
YOU GET NO INFORMATION.
ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S THROWN AT YOU.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ALTERNATIVE INFORMATION.
YOU'RE IN A BUBBLE, AND YOU HAVE TWO LITTLE FACTS -- TOO
LITTLE FACTS.
I'LL SAY THIS, THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, THE LACK OF FACTS,
SOMEONE SAID THE SHALLOWNESS OF THIS IS STUNNING.
AND THAT'S WHY I DECIDED TO COME AND SPEAK OUT TONIGHT.
IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING THE FACTS HERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL,
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANALYSIS, IF YOU WANT TO SAY I DON'T
HAVE RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE, OH, IT'S ALL BEING DONE BY THE
COUNTY, THEN YOU NEED TO JUST MAKE A NO VOTE RIGHT OUT AND
NOT DO IT.
NOT DO WHAT ANYBODY IS ASKING YOU TO DO UNTIL YOU GET THE
FACTS.
UNTIL YOU GET A HARD CONTRACT.
THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON TO RUSH ON THIS.
NO REASON AT ALL.
YOU SHOULD BE SPENDING SIX MONTHS STUDYING THIS, A YEAR.
THIS IS THE INVESTMENT OF NOT JUST ONE GENERATION, BUT MANY
GENERATIONS THAT YOU'RE COMMITTING TO WITH THIS.
I'LL SAY THAT ONE OF THE RESOURCES THAT I HAD WAS THIS BOOK,
FELLOW SCHEMES, HOW THE GREAT STADIUM SWINDLE TAX PUBLIC
MONEY INTO PRIVATE PROFIT, NEIL DEMOSS, WHO I INTERVIEWED
TWICE ON WMNF RADIO SINCE THIS ALL STARTED.
BUT AS WELL, I'VE HEARD REFERENCES TONIGHT TO THE ATLANTA,
THE BASEBALL STADIUM THERE.
AND THE BASEBALL ECONOMIST, JC BRADBURY, WROTE A BOOK CALLED
THE BASEBALL ECONOMIST, THE REAL GAME EXPOSED.
HE HAPPENS TO LIVE JUST A FEW MILES FROM THE BRAVES STADIUM.
THIS IS WHAT HE DOES FOR A LIVING, AN ECONOMIST.
HE SAW THE AECOM REPORT HERE.
THIS WAS HIS COMMENT.
I'VE SEEN THE REPORT.
AS I EXPECTED, IT'S MOSTLY A PILE OF USELESS NUMBERS OF
DUBIOUS ORIGIN.
PSEUDOECONOMIC DRIVEL WITH THE ANALYTICAL OF A JUNIOR HIGH
SCIENCE PROJECT.
YOU ALL NEED MORE THAN THAT.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE CITY HIRE JC BRADBURY, ANOTHER ONE,
AND ALSO HE IS WRITING A BOOK ON THE ATLANTA BRAVES, THE
STADIUM THERE, THAT THEY HAD THE -- HE IS WRITING A BOOK,
TEN YEARS OF STUDYING IT AND HIS ANALYSIS.
HE SAYS THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR THE TAXPAYERS AS EVERY
ECONOMIST SAYS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THESE DO NOT BRING BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY.
THEY BRING BENEFITS TO THE OWNER, ESPECIALLY, AND THAT IS A
MIXED USE STADIUM HE SPECIFICALLY ANALYZES.
8:43:57PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, PAT.
NEIL METNICK.
GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
I'M NOT GOING TO SLAUGHTER YOUR NAME AGAIN.
MARITZA.
COME UP AND SAY YOUR LAST NAME FOR ME.
ASTORQUIZA.
8:44:22PM >> MY NAME IS MARITZA ASTORQUIZA.
I AM WITH THE DREW PARK CAC.
I AM THE PRESIDENT, CHAIR, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT OF
THE CAC.
I WAS ALSO A FOUNDER OF THE DREW PARK CAC BACK IN 2004.
SO I'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.
DREW PARK IS AN INDEPENDENT.
WE DON'T BELONG TO ANYBODY ELSE.
WE ARE OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
WE ARE THE DREW PARK CRA.
WE ARE DREW PARK.
I WANT TO SAY THAT DREW PARK HAS THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE AND IT
HAS A COMMUNITY -- A BUSINESS SIDE, INDUSTRIAL SIDE.
BUSINESS.
AND ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE
WHO OWN AND ARE VERY PROUD OF THEIR HOMES AND SOME ARE
RENTALS AND SOME ARE AFFORDABLE HOUSES.
WE CHECK, CHECK EVERYTHING, RIGHT.
ON THE BUSINESS SIDE, WE HAVE BUSINESSES THAT ARE JUST
STARTING UP, AND THOSE HAVE BEEN 40, 50, 60, 70 YEARS.
BUT WHAT IS VERY COMMON IS THAT WE ARE MULTIGENERATIONAL.
MANY GOOD PERCENTAGE MINORITY OWNED AND SOME BUSINESSES ARE
JUST STARTING UP AND SOME, AND MANY ARE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR
BUSINESSES.
WE HAVE A BIG STAKE IN DREW PARK.
I WAS APPROACHED -- I WAS APPROACHED BY THREE REPORTERS FOR
A COMMENT ON THE RAYS' PROJECT.
ALL THREE TIMES, MY COMMENT WAS, NO COMMENT.
BUT IT'S NOT NO COMMENT BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT
IT.
NO COMMENT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T MET WITH THE RAYS.
THE RAYS MORE SPECIFICALLY HAVEN'T MET WITH US.
NO ONE HAS REACHED OUT TO US TO MEET WITH THE CAC NOR HAVE A
COMMUNITY MEETING WITH THE DREW PARK RESIDENTS AND
BUSINESSES.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING FOR OUR AGAINST, BECAUSE I JUST DON'T
KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE PROJECT.
I DO KNOW THAT OUR RESIDENTS LIVE THERE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK,
AND A LOT OF OUR BUSINESS OWNERS ARE THERE SEVEN DAYS A
WEEK.
AND SOME BUSINESSES ARE OPEN ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS AS
WELL.
WE ARE NOW, BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING GOING ON, AND WE DID LOVE
HAVING THE RAYS THERE TEMPORARILY, AND MAYBE PERMANENTLY.
BUT ALONG WITH THE CONCERTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WE ARE
DIRECTLY IMPACTED EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I'M THERE AND I'M GOING, OKAY, SO ARE WE GOING TO GET SOME
HELP WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE REPAIRS OF OUR STREETS
AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ALONG WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC?
ALSO, SOME THINGS I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SPOKE, IS THERE
GOING TO BE A VENDOR PROGRAM?
A CERTAIN AMOUNT TO COME BACK, THAT ARE CONTRACTS FOR THE
PEOPLE ALREADY WORKING THERE.
THERE IS A LOT TO BE TALKED ABOUT.
AGAIN, WHAT'S MY COMMENT?
NOT MUCH OF A COMMENT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD THE
CONVERSATION, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
BASICALLY THAT'S IT.
I'M DONE.
8:47:30PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU.
HAVE A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT.
I SUSPECT YOU'LL PROBABLY GET A CALL.
OKAY.
THE LAST SPEAKER, GOING TO BRING IT HOME.
SHE'S GOING TO CLOSE US OUT.
THE ONE, THE ONLY, KELLA McCASKILL.
8:47:50PM >> GOOD EVENING, KELLA McCASKILL.
THE MERE FACT THAT DREW PARK HAS NOT HAD A CONVERSATION WITH
THIS TEAM IS JUST -- THAT IS DISRESPECTFUL, NUMBER ONE.
THEY ARE DIRECTLY AFFECTED.
I CAME HERE -- I'M GOING TO PREFACE MY MESSAGE ABOUT
BASEBALL BECAUSE I'VE BEEN A REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL IN
THIS CITY AND HAVE BENEFITED FROM WORKING WITH SOME OF THE
PLAYERS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THIS CITY AND WORKED WITH
MANY OF THEM, SOME SOON TO BE HALL OF FAMERS.
I APPRECIATE BASEBALL AND WHAT IT'S DONE FOR PEOPLE IN
COMMUNITIES THAT I GREW UP IN.
BUT I WANTED TO COME TONIGHT TO TALK THROUGH THE PROJECT AND
HOW IT WOULD IMPACT A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT I KEPT HEARING THE
REFERENCE ON WATER STREET.
FROM MY MEMORY, MY RECEIPT SHOWED ME THAT VINIK JUST ABOUT
FUNDED HIS DEAL.
HE DIDN'T NEED THE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
IT WAS OFFERED.
IT WAS OFFERED.
I BELIEVE BECAUSE THEY WANTED THEIR NAME ON THE PROJECT SO
BAD.
BUT IT WAS ALMOST FUNDED.
I DON'T THINK HE NEEDED THOSE FUNDS.
I BELIEVE IT WAS OFFERED TO THEM.
AND OUR DOLLARS WAS GIVEN TO THIS PROJECT, BUT LIKE WATER
STREET, WE SAW VERY LITTLE PARTICIPATION FOR PEOPLE THAT
LOOK LIKE ME.
OUR BUSINESSES WERE NOT, THEY WEREN'T A PART OF IT.
THEY DIDN'T GROW.
THEY DIDN'T SCALE.
NONE OF THAT WAS A PART.
WE DIDN'T BENEFIT FROM IT.
JUST LIKE HANNA STREET, VERY LITTLE PARTICIPATION FOR PEOPLE
THAT LOOK LIKE ME.
WE DAMN NEAR HAD TO FIGHT FOR IT.
HAVE A WAR JUST TO GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE.
JUST LIKE HANNA STREET.
JUST LIKE GASWORX.
JUST LIKE FAIR OAKS.
I CAN GO ON AND ON.
TOO OFTEN THESE CUTE PROJECTS COME ALONG AND IT BENEFITS THE
PEOPLE.
I'M GLAD THERE ARE BILLIONAIRES THAT WANT TO TAKE AN
INTEREST AND INVEST IN THAT AREA, BUT IT SHOULD INCLUDE
PEOPLE.
NOT JUST WEALTHY PEOPLE THAT PAYS TAXES IN THE CITY.
IT SHOULD INCLUDE ALL PEOPLE.
NOT JUST CONTINUE TO BE WEALTHY, IT SHOULD BENEFIT SOME OF
THE PEOPLE.
IN OUR SMALL BUSINESSES TODAY, DOES NOT INCLUDE, THE WOMAN
OWNED, SMALL BUSINESS.
I KNOW THEY STRIPPED THAT LANGUAGE AND CAN'T SUPPORT, QUOTE,
UNQUOTE.
SMALL AND LOCAL INCLUDES PEOPLE THAT ARE MINORITIES, PEOPLE
THAT ARE WOMEN.
I BELIEVE THOSE BUSINESSES SHOULD BE PROVIDED AN
OPPORTUNITY, IF NOT TO CREATE WEALTH, BUT BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN SUCH A HIGH-DOLLAR PROJECT.
THEY KEEP REFERENCING WAGES.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT I BELIEVE THEY ARE LOW WAGES.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME DIFFERENT WAGES IN THERE AND MORE
THAN 25 APPRENTICESHIPS IN THIS PARTICIPATION.
JUST REMEMBER THAT TAXPAYERS ALL OVER THIS CITY HAS TO PAY
FOR IT.
AND I WANT TO SEE MORE FROM THIS PROJECT AND THEIR CBA
AGREEMENT, NOT THE COOKIE CUTTER LIKE THEY HAD IN ALL THE
OTHER PROJECTS REFERENCED.
MANY OF YOU WON'T BE HERE WHEN THE MONEY IS ALREADY SPENT.
YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
ASK THOSE HARD QUESTIONS NOW.
MAKE THEM SHOW YOU MORE THAN WHAT IS WRITTEN ON THAT PIECE
OF PAPER.
I KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT COMMITTED TO IT BECAUSE THE TEAM
THAT DID THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH DIDN'T EVEN
KNOW TO START WITH DREW PARK.
YOU START IN DREW PARK AND WORK YOUR WAY OUT.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THE PEOPLE LIVED IN TAMPA THAT CAME.
MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW WHO TO ASK.
START WITH THE HARD QUESTIONS.
MAKE THEM BE ACCOUNTABLE.
BEFORE YOU GIVE THEM THE MONEY, DO SOME RESEARCH.
8:50:55PM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
THANK YOU, KELLA.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
I THINK I WILL CLOSE OUT AND SAY, ONE, I WANT TO THANK THE
CITY STAFF FOR STICKING WITH US TONIGHT AND THANK YOU FOR
ALL THE WORK.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING HARD ON THE
PROJECTS AND THE COUNTY AS WELL.
THANKS TO ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS AND MOSTLY THANKS TO THE
COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG EVENING, BUT WE VERY MUCH -- WE HAVE
THIS MEETING SO THAT, ONE, AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, WE
CAN ALL HEAR THE INFORMATION AT THE SAME TIME.
AND WE CAN ALSO HEAR FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY YOUR
THOUGHTS AND HOW YOU PERCEIVE THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THIS WON'T BE I'M SURE THE LAST TIME YOU'LL HEAR FROM US.
WON'T BE THE LAST TIME WE HEAR FROM YOU.
CITY COUNCIL FOR THURSDAY, IT IS A VERY LONG AGENDA.
I'M WORKING WITH STAFF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP THIS
FROM HAPPENING AGAIN WITH ALL THESE AGENDA ITEMS.
WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT.
IF YOU HAVE STAFF REPORTS ON THE AGENDA ON THURSDAY THAT CAN
BE A WRITTEN STAFF REPORT, PLEASE REVIEW YOUR REQUEST FOR
STAFF REPORTS, AND MAYBE WE CAN CUT SOME OF THE TIME BACK ON
THAT.
MR. SHELBY.
MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO.
SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OPPOSED?
AYES HAVE IT.
IT'S 8:52 P.M.
[ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
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