Tampa Council okays tentative Rays stadium pact amid divide

The Tampa City Council narrowly approved a nonbinding Memorandum of Understanding with the Rays for a $2.3 billion stadium, moving the project forward as Hillsborough County backed its own terms. The deal would commit about $976 million in public funds (roughly $796 million from the county and $180 million from the city) while the Rays would finance the surrounding development and cover maintenance and overruns. Opponents urged a public vote on spending; supporters touted a long-term transformation and a “Forever Home” for the team. Final binding agreements and potential state funding remain pending, with a target of completion by 2029.