CRA — May 21, 2026 FINAL

Alan Clendenin

11:29:55AM I call this meeting back to order. Please, everybody, if you would, silence your cell phones, and clerk, would you please call the Tampa City Council roll.

Charlie Miranda

11:30:03AM Here.

Guido Maniscalco

11:30:05AM Here.

Lynn Hurtak

11:30:06AM Here.

Naya Young

11:30:07AM Here.

Luis Viera

11:30:08AM Here.

Bill Carlson

11:30:09AM Here.

Alan Clendenin

11:30:10AM Here.

The Clerk

11:30:11AM We have a quorum.

Alan Clendenin

11:30:12AM First, i'll read the first 16 pages -- we'll do public comment first when we start public comment, but i'll read the first 16 names to ensure that they come to City Council Chambers. If you are downstairs and you hear your name read, please come to City Council Chambers on the third floor so that you'll be present when your name called. Michael Maurino. Kurt Thoreson. Ray Wong. Vincent Dolan. Christine Turner. Pamela Cannella. Ron Weaver. James Vanhaerents. Michelle Mastrototaro. David Phillipson. Stephanie Poynor. James Adair. Alejandro Noriega. Joe Robinson. Joe Greco, and Michelle Dyson. If you heard your name, please make sure you come to the third floor and be ready for public comment. At this time, I would like to hand the gavel over to our CRA chair, councilwoman Naya Young.

Naya Young

11:31:33AM Thank you. Good morning. Thank you. Good morning. As chair of Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency, I call this special call meeting of May 21, 2026 to order. [ sounding gavel ] roll call, please.

Charlie Miranda

11:31:54AM Here.

Guido Maniscalco

11:31:55AM Here.

Lynn Hurtak

11:31:56AM Here.

Alan Clendenin

11:31:57AM Here.

Bill Carlson

11:31:58AM Here.

Luis Viera

11:31:59AM Here.

Naya Young

11:32:00AM Here.

The Clerk

11:32:01AM We have a physical quorum.

Naya Young

11:32:04AM We are now in session as both the Tampa City Council and the Community Redevelopment Agency for the purpose of hearing public comment on the Memorandum of Understanding with the Tampa Bay rays on the City Council agenda that is item 58. On the CRA agenda, that is item 2. At this time, I will pass the gavel to Chair Clendenin to take public comment for both Tampa City Council and the CRA. Public comment being taken will be reflected in the minutes of both meetings. At the end of public comment, Chair Clendenin will close public comment and pass the gavel back to me at which time the CRA will go into recess. I will then pass the gavel back to the City Council chair and the Tampa City Council will take up item 58 on its agenda. After action is taken on that item, City Council will go into recess and the Community Redevelopment Agency will reconvene. We will take up items 1 and 2 and complete our agenda. The CRA will then adjourn the special call meeting. I will pass the gavel back to the chair of City Council which will then reconvene to complete its day's agenda. For the purpose of taking public comment on the rays' MOU, I now pass the gavel to our City Council chair Alan Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

11:33:24AM Thank you, Chair Young. Very good. As stated, we are now going to begin public comment on Tampa City Council Agenda Item 58 that is the nonbinding MOU between the Rays' organization, Hillsborough County, the City Of Tampa, and the Tampa CRA. I'm going to call folks in the order that they signed in. Michael Maurino is first followed by Kurt Thoreson. We have 50 something speakers. Does council have an appetite for limiting public comment to two minutes?

Lynn Hurtak

11:34:04AM No.

Alan Clendenin

11:34:05AM I just wanted to make sure because I was asked about that. Michael, start with your name and you have three minutes. Michael Maurino, Westshore Alliance executive director. I'm joined here in the audience today by our board president, Ed Ellsasser. Our position has not changed since we last came and spoke to you on May 5. What has changed that we heard from Developers, Investors, local and national about their support and their interest in Westshore and the site because of what the rays have proposed. Thinking about that, the private development goes where there is public investment, where there are public plans and where those plans start. What we say in the Letter and continue to say what the rays propose as good as an ideal scenario you can get. Westshore is not CRA. The revenue generated in Westshore is distributed to the whole county and the whole city. Drew Park is underutilized CRA where there is a major need for investment. If you are going to have a goal of a return, this makes a good scenario for in terms of what the city is putting in and what they hope to get out in terms of private investment. The other thing that we talked about in our Letter and continue to talk about is the potential of the rays' site being a catalyst for regional transit. About now maybe two hours ago, two and a half hours ago, you got a presentation from airport CEO michael Stephens. In that presentation, he showed you something that probably has not been seen in public but a proposal for the sky link concept, which is redevelopment of the Westshore Intermodal Center at the Doubletree Site, a hotel demolished for the purpose of being a transit hub. If you watched that video, that transit hub had lines extending out of it. One Goes To St. Pete, one to downtown Tampa, one goes to this site, the rays' site. So, again, if you want to have real investment in transit, if you want to have a real maximization of this project, making sure you have the capability to establish those nodes, now not just a stadium site, this is a regional economic catalyst. This is a regional investment going forward. Especially as a node for that regional transit system that we need in the region. We hope you end up supporting the MOU today. Keep working to solidify the community benefits agreement. Your support, the county support yesterday has already LED to a potential of economic benefit like we've heard from Developers. We look forward to working with you. Get this project done. And i'll give you back 44 seconds of your time.

11:36:34AM Thank you, michael. We appreciate it. Again, when finished speaking, please leave chambers to make room for other folks. Kurt, followed by Ray Wong. Kurt Thoreson. As I said on May 5, I love Tampa. This is my home. I believe in Tampa and what separates us from other central Florida cities like sarasota or ocala is we have bold leaders willing to invest in our future and realize our potential as a big league city. There were skeptics and quite a few in the 1990s, the construction of what was then the Ice Palace and Raymond James Stadium. They host not only respective home teams and multiple time world champions but host countless concerts, ice shows, wwe events, monster truck rallies, super bowls, college national championships and other experiences that draw people from across the planet to invest in our local economy. These events put us on sam par with los angeles, new orleans, phoenix, las vegas, because of these regional assets. Recently Ford Magazine released a list of ten cities dying to get a new stadium or a new team when Mlb expands. Two cities lost the team within this generation and they are realizing that was a mistake because the economic input is now lacking from their communities. These cities are also hoping rather to avoid paying the $2.5 Billion expansion fee that they May try to poach what we already have. In fact, people just Up The Road starting to flirt with them and wanting to coax them over there. If you want a prime example of a wise investment by Tampa and hillsborough, look a few blocks behind me at the Water Street. This is a prime example of a public/private partnership where there's work, learn, live, play and has expanded the tax base. I remember when it was just dirt lots and abandoned buildings. Now it's $23 million in property tax a year plus $7 million in tourist tax on just 53 acres. Imagine what 130-acre mixed use development would actually produce. This will also invest with jobs, 20,000 construction jobs, 10,000 permanent jobs, including police and fire as well as apprenticeships and internships. All these planned projects for the next four years that the county and the city have planned will not be undercut. This Includes Road restoration, firehouse construction, they are not going to be jeopardize. This is a nonbinding MOU vote today. There's absolutely no down side to allow City Staff, County Staff and Tampa Bay Rays to continue to work out the remaining issues. This is a work in progress. I encourage council to allow the process to continue. Tampa Police, Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, Associated Builders and Contractors, Tampa firefighters, Hillsborough College, the Westshore Alliance, Hillsborough County Hotel and Lodging Association, the New York Yankees and Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners have all lobbied their support for continuing the nonbinding MOU to this point as well as the large block of the city and region is all looking at this moment that can be transformative and put Tampa on the next level of north american cities. Thank you.

11:39:47AM Thank you, sir. Ray. Didn't realize it was you. Sorry. Projects of this scale and significance deserve careful scrutiny, thoughtful debate and public transparency, and I appreciate the seriousness with which the council has approached this process. I also want to acknowledge something important. Many concerns raised by members of the community are real, understandable, and, frankly, they are valid. There are residents who are worried about traffic, affordability, neighborhood change, and whether promises made today will truly be fulfilled tomorrow. There are people who have seen transformational projects proposed for and walked away disappointed by outcomes that did not fully materialize. I can absolutely relate to that hesitation. I believe those concerns deserve to be heard and they deserve respect. But I also believe that there is another risk we have to consider very carefully. And that is the risk of doing nothing. Cities and regions either move forward intentionally or they slowly lose momentum, opportunity, talent, investment, and relevance. Tampa is no longer a small emerging city. We are becoming the nationally recognized economic center. And moments like this will help define what kind of future we are willing to invest in for the next generation. What stands out to me about this proposal is not simply a new baseball stadium. It is the scale of a long-term economic and community impact surrounding it. We're talking about achieving local hiring goals, workforce development opportunities, youth engagement programs, neighborhood investment initiatives, and the revitalization of one of Tampa's lowest performing CRA districts into a thriving economic engine. The success of this project will not be measured in baseball games won but in jobs created, careers launched, small businesses supported, property values strengthened, safer and more activated neighborhoods and opportunities that I frankly feel will otherwise not materialize. To me, this feels like one of those rare moments where community stands at a Cross Road between caution and possibility, and while no project is without risk, transformational progress never happens without courage which is why I respectfully ask this council to vote in support of the Memorandum of Understanding. Thank you.

11:42:36AM Thank you, ray. Next speaker is Vincent Dolan followed by Christine Turner. My name is Vinny Dolan. I'm the chair of the Ybor City Historical Society and the Tampa Baseball Museum. Like most people, i'm skeptical of public dollars being used to support private projects and private organizations, but this is bigger than a stadium. Briefly, Tampa itself grew because local leaders were willing to invest in infrastructure and incentives on a 40-acre parcel that brought vicente martinez ybor to Tampa. Before Ybor City, Tampa's population was 720 people. 20 years later it had grown to more than 15,000, driven by the emergence of Ybor City and perhaps mr. Plant. But transportation is another discussion. Without that public/private partnership, Tampa likely remains a small coastal time and most of us probably are not standing here today. Thank you.

11:43:40AM Thank you very much. Christine followed by Pam Cannella. Good morning. I'm Christine Turner. I grew up in Tampa Bay. I still remember working at the sports authority in the late 1990s when the Rays came to town, and we were trying to stock the shelves with the baseball caps quicker than the people could pull them off and purchase them. This was a town energized by major league baseball. This was a town excited about it. I remember that vividly. Since that time, I graduated from the University of South Florida and I now own a business here in Tampa that is a proud partner of the Tampa Bay Rays. I also serve and have been fortunate to serve on many community and business organizations and nonprofits. I can tell you that there is not a single one of those that isn't supported by the Tampa Bay Rays, whether that's through financing, resources, volunteerism and more. All this to say that the Tampa Bay Rays are more than just a vote here today for many of us. They are a fabric of our community. They are a part of who we are, and they have supported us like nobody else. So today's vote is about far more than baseball. It's about whether we continue to support an institution that has given so much to so many of us. A no vote today is more than about a stadium. It creates a ripple effect across businesses, nonprofits, and communities that rely on Tampa Bay Rays and businesses like mine. I respectfully ask that you continue to investigate this Agreement and let the -- and support the Rays. Thank you.

11:45:19AM Thank you, christine. Pamela Cannella followed by Ron Weaver. Good morning, pam. My name is Pam Cannella. I am not against the rays. I am opposed to the use of CRA, CIT, and any other tax money to fund the rays' Stadium. These funds are to be used for their legally authorized purpose. It's about ethics. In case you all forgot, you signed that. As Elected Officials, you are bound by Ethics and Appropriations Laws that prohibit the use of public taxpayer money for unauthorized purposes. This Stadium is not an approved project. Elected Officials are considered public servants. Elected by people to represent their interests, but I haven't seen much of that lately. We all know this is not in the best interest of the people. So what it comes down to are you, City Council Members, going to do the right thing? Will your decision be based on your oath as an elected public official? Thank you.

11:46:51AM Thank you, Pam. Ron Weaver followed by James Vanhaerents. Ron Weaver. I'm only here as a citizen. I couldn't help notice the legal question was decided in 1974 regarding public versus private money. The Miami Convention Center case, the public benefits were so obvious that the Supreme Court of Florida said that that derivation of public and private money could indeed go to public facilities like this. The county got an Independent Legal Opinion CIT included not only authorization for this baseball stadium but $547 million that had to go to such public facilities as these. Therefore, I respectfully submit to you that these are three brilliant income streams, no new taxes. The tourists pay the bed tax. These are sales tax instead of property tax that you were concerned about a few weeks ago. Sales tax, half cent CIT sales tax voted for for another 15 years by the voters, providing for this $547 million that has to go to such public facilities as these. The other projects are not going to be delayed. In 5, 10, 12 years, those other projects are going to get two or three or four times more money instead of less if we invest in this. The State Legislature is putting $150 million to work for this community as we unify that our community spirit, baseball is the pastime, but community is the lifeline of this community and the legislature is putting $250 million to work. 150 million for Hillsborough College, so don't have to pay $65 million to redo the old buildings. Elevators don't work. Hundred million dollars for the lithia-Pinecrest Road so we don't have to use CIT for that. We will not lose these other projects. We will multiply these other projects by two or three or four times over the next five, ten or fifteen years. Please give us a chance. 11,900 of us might be able get jobs that a.i. Will kill 15% of. $55 billion worth of economy which will pay billions of dollars worth of taxes. Lure people, not little v visitors, 10 million a year. Big v visitors. Robust, move their companies, thousands more jobs. They are going to teach, volunteer at the school, maybe donate hospitals and maybe donate additional schools. This is what this is all about. This is our moment. Our magic moment when the dreaming and the scheming and the streaming becomes one from -- no Shakespeare today, and don't forget journey, don't stop believing in Tampa and what it can be and what it must be. Please, don't stop believing.

11:49:29AM Thank you, ron. James Vanhaerents followed by Michelle Mastrototaro. I'm James Vanhaerents. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today. But I also want you to be aware there are two other rooms full of people right now who are also in support of this project. There's more than you see right here. I also wanted to come out and say that I come from pinellas county. I love the rays, to be honest, what charlie said before, Tampa Bay doesn't support the rays is not true. It's just in a horrible location. St. Pete, it's a lot of fixed income. Lot of old retirees and tourists. Tampa is the heart beat of Tampa Bay. Tampa is the heartbeat of this whole region. Obviously, everybody's points about we need to fix our potholes, we need to fix a lot of issues. Absolutely true. Also heard that we aren't paying firefighters enough. Absolutely true. But at the same time, we also hear that you guys don't have enough revenue. So we need another revenue source. This is that source. I don't live in Tampa. I live in pinellas county, but I will be coming to this. I will be coming to these restaurants, to these bars, to the games. I will be spending my money, my tax money will be going to your city, to the region to help you. I'm in support of the project because it helps everybody. At the same time, I talked about in the last meeting that i'm a person with a vision disability. That baseball is a big mental health help to me because it helps me escape. It's an educational tool because kids grow up having a hard time understanding math, but baseball can teach that. They learn statistics. They learn distance, miles per hour, direction of ball angles, huge educational help but as far as it also builds community. Memories with my dad going to baseball games. Still some of the strongest memories I have. I talk to my dad after it after the meeting. I love it, appreciate it. Dad, if you are watching, I love you. I thank the rays for giving me the opportunity to build that with my dad. Think of all the generations behind me that are going to have that relationship with their family to have those memories and such an important project. As far as dealing with transportation, transportation is a huge problem not just in Tampa but in Tampa Bay in general. This project is the opportunity to bring light rail, not just to Tampa but to connect the Howard Frankland Bridge which was built with light rail in mind to connect the airport to pinellas county, to sarasota, to pasco, that now we also have the Fast Way to get here. I urge you to please support this project. Thank you.

11:52:09AM Thank you very much. Michelle followed by David Phillipson and Stephanie Poynor. Michelle, start with your name, please. My name is Michelle Mastrototaro. I'm here today as a taxpayer, a resident, and someone who is tired of people like political that are taking our CIT money, our CRA money for private stadiums is wrong, morally, financially, legally questionable. The money should be going to where it's supposed to go. I live right there. You see where that arrow is? I don't got a chance. I already lost everything. I've been fighting since 2020 after those apartments were put up illegally on mangroves. When we talk about you're going to take our CIT money, our CRA money, which voters voted on that money, and that money goes to where it's supposed to go, not to a billionaire who babby tells me he can actually pay for it all on his own. So why do you want to take our money? Why do you want to take our CRA money? Why doesn't the lottery help pay? Hcc Schools. I mean, our areas have not been addressed. Our areas are suffering. I just can't even express to you what we're going through here. We really need the money to go back into the town, not into private entities that are not even -- that is who I fight for. That little boy right there, could you imagine eight feet come back into my home? That little boy, that just beat cancer. Think about when you say yes or no today, think about the people and how the people who remember you voted yes or no because they don't forget. They don't forget. Look at us. Everything on the front. We lost everything. Now you're telling me you're going to take that money away to help us to go into a Billion Dollar Corporation that's not going to benefit nobody. Who is it going to benefit? Nobody. The point of Westshore apartments benefit in my area? We didn't get no help in our area. That was a whole bunch of money. Look, that was my home. My home had seven feet of wastewater which, in fact, is still not funded. They have not done the Pump Station on west prescott. They are still waiting. There's a lot of stuff when you go into it all, people are suffering, not just my area, a lot of areas. But Port Tampa has been neglected. And I just want you all to vote correctly.

11:55:24AM Thank you. Thank you. [ sounding gavel ]

11:55:29AM Thank you. David Phillipson followed by Stephanie Poynor. David Phillipson, going once, twice. Stephanie Poynor. That's as nice as I could be. Bottom line is that -- sorry. Stephanie Poynor. $976 million divided by 1.4 Million citizens in this beautiful county we live in is $697.14 Per person, not per household, but per person. Every living person. That means for a family of 4 like mine, $2,788.57. I have a real issue. My mama always said, husband says you can't spend other people's money. If we are voting on this, and I understand the MOU and I understand how it works, but I also understand that you guys should not be making this decision. There are 1.4 Million people who live in this county, and the decision should be made by them. And as I said earlier today and say it again until i'm blue in the face, anybody who makes a vote on this particular project in Any Way, shape, or form will lose votes. You May lose your political career over this because everyone in this county is watching what you do. They watched what they did at the BOCC yesterday. Those seven people, I guarantee you, those seven people lost votes. Some because they voted for it and some because they voted against it. But why is it -- i'm sorry, mr. Babby, but honestly, you cannot put this on our elected officials. It'S Not Your Place to vote on it. It's not good for you. It's not good for our county. You know what? If the Citizens of Hillsborough County want it, then by God they'll vote for it. We can put it on the ballot. We've got until August to put it on the ballot. Let's go ahead and let everybody vote where their money goes. It's not dividing it up by seven people or eight people or 14 people if you add both councils. This needs to come before the citizens of the city and the citizens of the county. Not everybody pick and choose who is going to make the decision. There's no rush. They already have a field to play in. Nobody is going to get lost in between. Nobody is going to be homeless without doing it today, tomorrow, next week. I have a list of things, issues that I have with the MOU. I want you guys to remember that when the Community Benefits Agreement comes up, what kind of crap we got from the related group from rome yard. We need to make sure we're doing a better job. We needed to have learned from that crap. We need to have it in writing when these things will happen. What is the timeline for all these things? I'm not seeing it in the MOU. Maybe I haven't gotten there yet. $30 million from our CDBG funds on top of that for infrastructure? I'm like, um, I thought that was supposed to be for people's housing. I'm not seeing where we're getting all that. Please take this into consideration and don't vote yourselves out of office.

11:58:54AM Thank you, Ms. Poynor. Last call, James Adair. Hearing none. Alejandro Noriega followed by Joel Robinson. Alejandro Noriega. I'm one of the millions of Rays' fans here to support the project today. I will say I do agree with everybody's point of view, I really do. Not saying we are wrong, but i'll give you an example. The Kansas City Royals are looking for a new stadium in downtown Kansas city. The City Commission already rewarded them $6 million of county money and tax money from their taxpayers to keep their team. Why? Because they know if they lose that team their money goes down and their economic revenue goes down as well such as for prime example oakland. Oakland is a city that lost all three major franchises. Lost Golden State Warriors that went to san francisco finally as implied in their name. Lost the raiders to vegas. And they also lost the athletics to vegas. This is a city that lost their teams and are economically impacted negatively because of this. Again, I understand what people are saying. We should work on a deal, but this is a nonbinding MOU. This is to fix that deal and make sure that everyone wins at the end of the day because we want the Rays here. They belong here. Like I said the last time I was here, they were never supposed to Be In St. Pete. That was a ploy to bring other teams here such as the White Sox and Giants and it turned out that it was a bad location. But we really do need to look at the projections and we need to look at this deal as changing MOU and everything because it helps the city. Atlanta Braves are the prime example of this deal. They have been positive. They have made more economic developments on that deal and they made over $40 million every year because of the stadium since it opened in 2021, which if you also look at the correlation, the Rays and the Atlanta Braves are both the First Place teams in their respective leagues of major league baseball. Braves have the money to support their team. We need to help support the Rays with their development and their money because we have a team. They literally swept the baltimore orioles, literally good on the field. We need to help them off the field. Help them with the fact that yes the CIT Tax, people doesn't want to use it. CIT Tax built Raymond James Stadium. No matter how much you want to complain or argue it built Raymond James Stadium and we have benefited from Raymond James Stadium ever since then and we have had multiple events. We've had super bowls. Had concerts and that has brought a lot of revenue and money to this city. We wouldn't have half of the events if it wasn't for the CIT going to Raymond James Stadium. I want to say thank you guys for letting me speak. I really am passionate about this like the millions of fans down stairs. We have the opportunity to do a generational project just Like Water Street as everyone brought up. Didn't want to bring it up again, already talked about. It is true, we gave Jeff Vinik millions of dollars to Build Water Street and we have benefited from that project as well. Overall, I think this deal needs to happen and up to you guys to get the project done for generation as myself to enjoy for future generations to come. Thank you.

12:02:12PM Thank you. If you all would keep your voices down. The acoustics in this room are clear. When you are whispering back there, it bounces up here and difficult to hear the speakers. If you are down stairs, please come to Council Chambers. Karen Harty. Sandy Sanchez. Nick Stocco. Jp Peterson. Joey Schultz. Rob Ledford. Ergin Tek. Joel Robinson, are you in the room. Joel J-O-E-L. After that, Joe Greco. Do they want me in the room?

12:03:02PM Start with your name please. I always say i'm joe, but took the l. I'm here today not necessarily so much as a fan. I'm here as an advocate for the jobs that could be lost if we lose this baseball team. Told 2500 to maybe 1500 employees at Rays game every given day. Are we as a community really going to let these jobs go to orlando or even worse, nashville? We need to be aware of these things. This is a fight for the families. A fight for the individual people. People are struggling to find jobs left and right. And this New Stadium is an opportunity to not only create all these new jobs but as well the jobs we already have. 1500 to 2500 jobs, we could give these to those people. Some are here in this room. I've talked to them already today. They were telling me some of the stories, some of the experiences they've had working for the Rays and to take that away from them would be wrong. It's not even the jobs we could create, it's the jobs we already have. A shame to lose things like that. They are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters. If you have been to a Rays game or been around town, you've seen their smiles and you can't help but smile yourself. It's our turn now. We have the chance to welcome these hardworking employees to give them that first opportunity to have the new job at the New Stadium. This is where it belongs. Right here. Our turn to do these things, for these people. We can now return the favor they returned to us. Being so encouraging to us as baseball fans. We can do the same in Tampa Bay where the Stadium belongs. Thank you.

12:04:45PM Thank you, Joel. Joe Greco followed by Michelle Dyson. Council, we had a meeting of the Citizens Advisory Board and Finance Committee on May the 8th because some of the stuff i'll be reading you I believe addressed in the MOU. I won't allude to which those are. I don't have it and don't know if it's been -- read into the record some of the stuff Citizens Advisory Board came up. Hopefully if you are in the position of moving this MOU forward towards a contract, some of these things we would hope would be addressed in that MOU prior to going to contract. CIT funding component. Cost reimbursement over 15 year CIT revenue period. Remove interest burden -- remove the interest burden associated with the debt obligation. Doesn't utilize city bonding capacity. Elected Officials to remain true to previous commitment made to the voters, confirm voter intent by putting the decision on the 2026 ballot. The CRA funding component, cost reimbursement is a preferred structure. If cost reimbursement is not agreeable to the parties, listen, some of these have multiple things in it, and this committee is not suggesting that all of these conditions are met. They are explored, given an ample opportunity to be digested. If there is anything that can happen in there, we would like to see that. Specific commitment to affordable housing. The unit count, 20% of it recommended and then the average median income, 80% of it for the housing. The SIX cent we're asking that only 50% of it go towards the Rays' stadium. 50% of the one cent tax of the SIX cent, did I say that correctly? Time frame available to use would sunset at a specific date also. Revenue share requirement to the city, of course, that is quite a list of those. If we could just get a piece of it somewhere. I don't know what that is or what it looks like. I'm sure there are smarter people that can figure if there's anything we can get out of that, nice to get some revenue share. Ticket surcharge, even when you go to concerts, there's multiple surcharges on there. Stand-alone city surcharge, Rays share ticketed surcharge with the city not apply to lower price tickets. Wouldn't want to add anything to the tickets that they like to give away cheap. Infrastructure impact, big one for me, as you know, Fire Department and Police Department, I know that the Fire Union has talked to and Police Union has talked to and agreed to. And I believe they are fully committed to being good stewards of our Fire Service and Police Service and do what they can --

12:07:59PM Thank you, Sir. I believe each one of you have been given this.

12:08:05PM Thank you. Michelle Dyson followed by Karen Hardy, followed by Sandy Sanchez. I am a bartender at Tropicana Field, Raymond James Stadium and Steinbrenner Field. I'm here today wearing a shirt signed by many of my coworkers making sure we have a voice in this conversation. Today hear passionate pleas from people who agree and disagree with development and its financing. We all thank you for taking the time to listen respecting our views. Hospitality Industry is the heartbeat of Tampa Bay, when critics ask why should we invest public dollars into major sports development the answer is simple. We are investing in our local economy, our people, and the future. The stadium district is projected to generate billions in economic impact and support thousands of hospitality jobs. Let's be clear. A stadium and its surrounding buildings are steel and concrete until the people step inside. The soul of this new district of the Hospitality Workers, the ones who will turn this massive investment into an unforgettable experience, welcoming millions and getting them to come back. It starts at the top. A Ken Babby game is pure electric energy. He delivers unforgettable, affordable family fun. Under his leadership our return on investment will be more than monetary. As you prepare to vote today, please remember this, to the yes votes we say thank you. Your vote shows support for all, especially in hospitality. To the undecided, your caution is understandable. Remembering voting yes is not a final contract. It just keeps us at the table. To the no votes, while I respect your fight for fiscal responsibility, a no vote does not save us money. It completely forfeits our leverage. To the hardest no, I have just as much fight and passion for this city as you, Mr. Miranda, which is why I have a hard time understanding your hesitation. You continue to vote no yet your district benefits from sports and tourism more than anything other district up here. [ sounding gavel ]

12:10:06PM Please don't direct your comments to City Council Person. This nonbinding MOU isn't a handout. It is a leverage we need to secure thousands of hospitality jobs in your backyard. Bring the famous fight of yours to the negotiating table, protect the taxpayers but please don't lock us out. Workers deserve a yes. We have a historic opportunity, protect us, secure our jobs and give us the Tampa Bay rays a permanent home. Thank you.

12:10:34PM Thank you. Just a reminder to folks, please do not direct your comments to any single City Council. Talking to City Council as a whole, don't direct to individual people. Hardy, Sandy Sanchez, Nick Stocco. Good morning. Thank you for taking our comments. My name is Karen Hardy. I am a resident of the Tampa Bay area, and I reside in Hillsborough County. I made this area my home in 1985 when I was a young woman at the age of 21. My Husband Robert and I married and met -- sorry, met and later married in 1999. We have supported this area for all these years, and we were excited when we learned that Tampa Bay was finally granted its own expansion team in 1995. We got our team, the devil rays. Since that time, the Tampa Rays generated 4.6 Billion to 5 billion in total estimated gross revenues since beginning play in 1998, taking into account operating expenses and revenue sharing. The sun dome, the trop, and all the ensuing games since that time have been beneficial to this and surrounding areas. They have created jobs, brought substantial revenue to area businesses, not to mention community pride and camaraderie of all concerned. The team has also been active in contributing as they have been involved in various types of philanthropic activities benefiting untold numbers in this region. And beyond. Some of these are the Rays Baseball Foundation, benefiting Youth and Development Education and Wellness, also providing free jerseys to local t-ball leagues, Summer Reading Programs, and organizing dental clinics for underserved children. My Husband Robert was immensely influenced in so many positive ways when he was young being involved in Junior Leagues, Babe Ruth and playing in high school. I know what it meant to him all those years and when he became an adult involved in five years of semi-pro fast pitch softball. I've seen Youth Leagues and know what the sports mean to the kids and -- i'm sorry, and their parents. It benefits them in untold ways from physical fitness, community involvement, and camaraderie. It teaches them to function as team -- as a team toward a unified goal. It creates lifelong friendships. It allows them to dream and strive for goals instead of taking part in less beneficial or even harmful activities that because they feel bored or alone. Bottom line, the rays are here to stay. They are a team and we love the game. We are also Taxpayers. We have embraced them since their inception, and there will be a great loss in countless ways if we lose them because people are being penny-wise and pound-foolish. Sports lovers are passionate and our memories are long. Since I have lived here, we built our lives here, we have our children and grandchildren here and Taxpayers all along. [ sounding gavel ]

12:14:09PM Sandy Sanchez, Nick Stocco, Jp Peterson. Good morning, sandy. My name is Sandy Sanchez. As this moves forward, I ask that the County with the encouragement of the Tampa City Council allow the Tampa taxpayers to weigh in on this decision, to put this decision on the November ballot. At yesterday's county commissioners' meeting, all commissioners admitted that there had been many phone calls and e-mails for both sides. With that admission alone, you would think that the commission would agree to put this on the November ballot. There needs to Be An Avenue where the taxpayers of Tampa get to ask questions and/or submit questions to get the answers they are looking for. We don't need another cheerleader program put on by the Rays Stage Production Company but a Heart-To-Heart discussion with our elected leaders. There has to Be An Avenue to help the taxpayers understand, not just the funding issues but also the construction choreography. Rays Management is welcome to attend and listen. The architect for this for-profit projects needs to know what answers the taxpayers are looking for. Not just the information they choose to share. You can even set up neighborhood meetings to have the questions sent in ahead of time. Please help us to understand, you might even change some of our opinions. I encourage the public, whether you are for or against this project, to write the County commissioners to put this on the ballot. Hopefully when it comes time to vote in the next election, folks will remember those elected officials that disrespected the taxpayers of Tampa but not giving us an opportunity to understand and to weigh in on this huge financial commitment. The Mnu is a perfect example of what the public does not understand or know about. It is not published. We had to go through a lot of trouble to get a copy for us to review, all 35 pages of it. So we encourage the city and the County to have meetings with the public to make them understand all parts of the decision. Thank you.

12:16:30PM Thank you, Sandy. Nick Stocco followed by Jp Peterson and then Joey Schultz. Nick Stocco, president of the Tampa Firefighters Union. I want to thank you, chairman and council for giving us the time today. As a labor union, we understand negotiations and legislative approval processes. When the city in arguing to negotiate contracts, both sides work through difficult issues negotiating details and ultimately bringing forward a framework that both parties believe is appropriate to move forward for legislative consideration. But the people closest to the discussions are often the subject matter experts on the operational realities and impacts involved. From the firefighter's perspective, view the process the Same Way. Over the last several months, Tampa firefighters have met directly with the CEO of the Rays, their leadership, reviewed Documents, asked difficult questions, and pushed to ensure public safety was a part of discussions from the very beginning. As firefighters, public safety comes first. We have also been one of the loudest voices discussing response times, staffing challenges, station placements, and long-term infrastructure needs across Tampa. Those concerns are real, and those concerns exist. But this is exactly why we stayed engaged in the process. Tampa is growing regardless of whether this project moves forward or not. The question is whether public safety infrastructure goes with it or whether firefighters are left reacting afterwards after the strain already exists. Up to this point, the Rays organization has answered our calls, provided requested information, and demonstrated willingness to include dedicated fire and E.M.S. Infrastructure as part of the ongoing discussions as this becomes a development. Frankly, it's rare for firefighters to even be a thought in any development process. This council has approved various projects where the firefighters weren't even a thought. This is unique and rare, my first experience where a development has engaged the firefighters and wanted our input and expressed our input on paper as written in the MOU. Firefighters have been publicly advocating for those needs years before the project was ever a consideration. Today, we're asking council to continue to move forward with this MOU as the Definitive Agreements continue to develop while ensuring public safety remains a part of the conversation in every step of the way. The unity and amount of people that have come and spoken their advocacy, the smiles and each one striving their own opinions and whom they represent, we take away from this. This is an opportunity for all of us to unite, organize, and continue to move forward. Thank you.

12:19:10PM Thank you, Mr. President. Jp Peterson followed by Joey Schultz, followed by Rob Ledford. It's great to see you once again. I had to postpone my very popular show today to be here to talk to you. About anyone who would even think about saying no to a nonbinding MOU and ending this conversation and sending our beloved Rays Down The Road to orlando. We will never forget the no votes. Those names will come up time and time again, whatever you're going to run for, we'll be talking about it. This affects generations to come. Your grandchildren will be sitting on your LAP saying, wait a minute, you actually said no to a nonbinding MOU and ended the Rays -- yeah, they'll know that language. They'll never forget it. I was at Tropicana Field the other day. Electric. All races, creeds, colors, even teenagers were there, not doing teen take-overs. Tarp up, baby. Everybody doing. What an electricity this team is bringing. Best team in baseball. Shout-out Erik Neander, the gm right behind me. Martinez, that was awesome that get. Unbelievable team. The publicity this city is getting for the Rays, they lead sports center. You would pay billions for that. Police and Fire, if you are supporting Police and Fire, they are supporting this, you got to say yes or you're not supporting Police and Fire. All the jobs. I talked to so many people that said i'm not even a baseball fan. Jp, I work, you just heard the bartender here. These are important jobs, 12,000 jobs. 40,000 construction jobs that are going to be here, and that's just to start it. If you're talking about, say no because of Billionaires, guess what, still will be Billionaires. Go down to ten other cities that want this that know it will bring jobs and economic benefit. $55 billion in economic benefit. What do they know that you don't know if you're thinking about saying no to a nonbinding MOU and ending the conversation? How could you even think about it? Listen, generations -- bases are loaded. It's the bottom of the ninth, generations of tampanians are on base waiting for you to take a -- get in the batter's box, dig in, see the big fat White baseball coming down and to hit it and knock it out of the park. Are you really going to sit there with the bat on your shoulder, let this opportunity pass and just walk with your head to the dugout by saying no to a nonbinding MOU? Unthinkable. This vote will be remembered forever. If this team leaves and you say no, your name will be on it. Thank you.

12:21:50PM Thank you, jp. Joey Schultz followed by Rob Ledford and then Ergin Tek. Joey Schultz? Going once, going twice, gone. Rob Ledford. Rob Ledford. I have the honor and pleasure to serve as the chair of the Tampa Bay Chamber on behalf of our board of directors, more than 1400 member businesses that represent 15,000 employees in the Tampa Bay region, i'm here to speak in support of the Rays' stadium mixed use project. The framework outlined in the Nonbinding MOU reflects a bold vision for a modern, walkable district that integrates major league baseball along with housing, retail, hospitality, and excellent education partner in Hillsborough College. Workforce development, parks, Open Space, and sorely needed infrastructure improvements. Chamber is encouraged by the significant private sector commitment included in this proposal. The Rays organization will be responsible for any of the project costs going beyond the capped public obligation. That includes all the overruns. That includes all the costs. That includes long-term maintenance operations and long-term capital requirements. While the Chamber support is resounding, it is not unconditional. Any allocation of community investment tax dollars must be structured to protect the long-term financial capability of our region. Our needs beyond this project must be protected as well. More importantly, they cannot impact our existing assets in entertainment and sports for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the lightning, and George Steinbrenner Field. If structured with discipline and executed with excellence, which I believe it will be, this project will become a defining regional catalyst for generations. One that accelerates economic growth, strengthens competitiveness and elevates Tampa Bay stature on the global scale. Chairman and Council Members, thank you for negotiating well on a Nonbinding Resolution that covers this MOU. Appreciate your time. Thank you for your consideration. Have a great day.

12:24:13PM Thank you, rob. Ergin. Good afternoon.

12:24:36PM Start with your name, please. I'm here about Tampa Bay and the hardworking people who live here. First of all, we want Rays to stay here. We support the growth, the jobs and the developments. But the taxpayers also deserve the best possible deal. We have to ask ourselves, is this an investment or is it a giveaway? When we identify this, we all know the answer already. Since our families are struggling to pay with insurances, houses, inflation, and rising costs for them every single day. So this Tampa has a value -- give a value, people most value. We are not negotiating from weaknesses, so you know. If public money is involved, the public should receive a long-term value in return. Through protections, infrastructure improvements, community benefits and long-term public return on investment, I respectfully ask You Guys, ask Elected Officials and our leaders to stay strong, negotiate carefully, make sure this deal go through, but protect people of Tampa Bay at the same time. Because at the end of the day, we are hardworking people paying this bill. It's our tax dollars. In return for our tax dollars, we could offer some returns on our money. I put this here to see if we can read it. Can it be read? I was personally thinking we should propose permanent -- proportional to taxpayer investment. Revenue sharing back to the county, oversight and transparency in revenues. Public return on investment, overtime, the structural financing. It's all up to You Guys. I think we should let Rays stay here, but also we should think about our citizens and cover for everyone else who can't talk here. Thank you.

12:27:18PM Thank you very much. Per council motion, we are breaking at 12:30. We do not have time for another public comment. We have quite a few left. We'll be on break for lunch for one hour. We'll come back at 1:30. If I could get council in their seats at 1:30 so that we can start right back up with public comment. City Council and the CRA, we're at lunch for one hour. [Lunch recess]

1:33:55PM Call City Council to order. Roll call, please.

Charlie Miranda

1:33:58PM Here.

Guido Maniscalco

1:33:58PM Here.

Lynn Hurtak

1:33:59PM Here.

Naya Young

1:34:00PM Here. Carlson?

Bill Carlson

1:34:03PM Here.

Alan Clendenin

1:34:04PM Here.

The Clerk

1:34:05PM We have a quorum.

Alan Clendenin

1:34:06PM Thank you. Madam Chair.

Naya Young

1:34:13PM I would like to call the Community Redevelopment Agency to order. Roll call, please.

Charlie Miranda

1:34:17PM Here.

Guido Maniscalco

1:34:18PM Here.

Lynn Hurtak

1:34:19PM Here.

Alan Clendenin

1:34:20PM Here.

Bill Carlson

1:34:21PM Here. Young?

Naya Young

1:34:23PM Here.

The Clerk

1:34:25PM We have a physical quorum.

Alan Clendenin

1:34:26PM I'll take the gavel back. Thank you. We're going to resume public comment. If I call your name, please approach the podium. You'll have three minutes once the light comes on. And we're going to start with Arminda. Arminda, if you are downstairs, please come to Council Chambers and let your presence be known. Susan Minnich followed by Gerri. Gerri, if you want to stand to be ready after that. Followed by Jonathan Butler. Those downstairs, Mentesnot, Jared Willis, Joe Robinson, Elvis Piggot, Connie Burton, Pastor Williams, please come to Council Chambers. You have three minutes. I want to start out by saying there were a lot of statistics that were given both yesterday and in today's meeting. But the funny thing about statistics are, they can change based on what your opinion is. So if you are for this, you can find statistics that support your view. If you are against this, you can find statistics that also support your view. I happen to be for this, and I don't think that moving forward on a nonbinding, noncontractual MOU is going to hurt the taxpayers, the city, the county. All it's doing is giving us the opportunity to negotiate with the Rays in good faith and see if it is a good fit financially and otherwise to bring the Rays to Tampa. There was talk yesterday about the Atlanta Ballpark. Again, i'll go back to statistics. The people who love that all say, oh, well, it's generated lots of revenue. The people that don't like it say it doesn't. So where does that land us? It lands us that we know that the Rays are big contributors, not only to the bottom line of taxes, but the Rays and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Lightning and all the other sport venues that we have, have put this city on the map. Nobody knew what Tampa was. Nobody knew what Tampa Bay was until we brought sports here. It's important to this community. And the people that are passionate about this team are passionate because we love the Rays. We love the new Rays' ownership. We're excited to see them stay in this area. They are a good community partner. The things that they have done, they have done scholarships. They are involved. They do Feeding Tampa Bay. They do habitat for humanity. There are a lot of other things other than just being a sports team that this organization brings to us. And I think it's very important, and we're all passionate, that we don't lose that. This is an opportunity for us to move ahead, bring this team to Tampa which is where it should have been to begin with, and let's just make sure that we give them the opportunity to at least keep talking about this and move this forward. So name total favor, and I hope that all of you can vote yes just to move this process ahead one more step. Thank you.

1:38:06PM Thank you, susan. Gerri, followed by Jonathan Butler. I'm the other half of the Minnich Family.

1:38:18PM Start with your name, please. I'm sorry. We're longtime fans of the Rays, obviously. My wife and I have been season ticket holders since '08. We attended games in both the world series appearances and we Also Painfully Drive to st. Pete to see these games to see small crowds normally where we know if we have a closer team to the Tampa area, we would draw larger crowds and perhaps fill the stadium hopefully every day. It would also make us accessible to north, south, and east, All The Way to orlando, do unto sarasota, the whole area. It's a real pain in the butt to be honest to Get To St. Pete. Tampa has a long history in baseball. Tampa has produced over 90 m.l. Players, including the current manager, Kevin Cash. 48 players in the Tampa area have played for the Rays alone. Today is a once-in-a-lifetime generational opportunity. We cannot let it go. The opportunity is now, at least ten other cities are willing to pay more than $2.5 Billion just to have the chance to get a team that we have now. That's far less, and we can get this team for far less than that. The investment now will produce huge dividends Down The Road. Look at the Bucs and the lightning and the money they generate for Tampa, also imagine what can be done by combining the area of Bucs stadium with this proposed Rays stadium. The dividends will be exponential. We can share parking lots, look at the Taylor Swift concerts All The Way to super bowls that have been had there. Plus, we would be right next to the Airport. That is a wow factor. Transportation needs would be minimized. Add future hotels, restaurants, shops, and many jobs that will be included. We saw your enthusiasm this morning for the Airport expansion. Let's do the same for the Rays' move to Tampa. I can tell you that i've been hearing for weeks about how people in Tampa, majority, do not want the Rays to make this move and do not support it. Well, I don't think that's true. Based on what I see on the second floor today and the third floor today, that is not true. Thank you and appreciate your time, and let's all vote for the Rays.

1:40:49PM Thank you, Jerry. Jonathan Butler followed by Mentesnot. Jonathan Butler going once, going twice, gone. Mentesnot not present. Tabitha H. If you can hear me downstairs, if I called your name, please come to the third floor. Jared Willis. I'm Jared Willis, an attorney here in town, and relatively new transplant to Tampa. I've been watching the discussions on this project, and to me, as a new tampanian, I kind of see it as being a little bit bigger than baseball. You've had a lot of folks talk about baseball. I love a good rays game. To me, one of the speakers that spoke earlier framed it in a way I like. They talk about caution versus possibility. I moved here from tallahassee where I lived for 30 years, and I watched a community kind of succumb to the voices, ah, we don't really like that idea. It's too big. Too large for what we're trying to do here. I had the privilege of being able to do some work down here and travel down here and I had some buddies that live down here as well. I saw what was happening on Waters Street and the proposed developments for ybor. Tampa really struck me as a place for big ideas and possibilities and a place where the energy just -- there are things happening. So two years ago, I moved to Tampa and I really enjoyed it. But I see this vote in front of you all. I think there's been a lot of discussion around the economic development and all the great things. I think it's more than a stadium, right? There is a whole mixed use development planned around it, but I see this vote as a signal. Is Tampa going to continue to embrace big ideas and possibilities or is this going to go in favor of caution? I know there's some of you all on the dais that have higher ambitions. So I think the question is, does Tampa want a mayor that embraces big ideas and possibility and sends the signal that Tampa is a police where we can have cool things for people to do. And so all that being said, i'm not going to belabor the point, but I really urge you all to support a Tampa that embraces big ideas and embraces possibility. There's only 12 cities in america that have an Mlb and Nhl and Nfl team. Big names, big cities. It would be really cool if Tampa was one of those.

1:43:47PM Thank you, Jared. Christopher Palermo followed by Julie Magill. Julie Magill. You all know me from the last meeting. My name is Christopher Palermo. I am a fifth generation tampanian, practiced law in the city for 30 years. That was a beautiful comment. I want to tell you what, this is a litmus test for those of you who want to keep your job or maybe get a higher job. If this is just too dangerous for you, if you are just a little bit too weak in the knees, maybe you shouldn't run for office in Tampa. Maybe we don't need you. Okay? If you don't understand, catalysm development, which is state of the art in business craftship, in City Building, if you don't know that and you don't understand that and you are pandering to the "don't spend the money," you're not qualified to be mayor. You're not qualified to hold these jobs anymore. You're not good enough for this city. I promise you this, I will spend my dollars on ads. I will spend my time on organization, and I will make sure if you vote no on this, you never hold this position or any other position in this city again. I guarantee you that. So, let's talk about cataclysmic development. Do you understand? Take the rays off this picture. Just take the rays out of it. Let's just say that you have to invest $180 million and you're going to unleash $6.5 Billion, you're going to get matching funds from the state, more from the county, all to be spent in the City Of Tampa, and you say no. You're incompetent. You are not qualified to be mayor. You are not qualified to hold your position anymore and you must go, and you must go. If you cannot conceptually understand this, and you're going to pander to these people that you're studio represent, this is not greek democracy. What are you going to do put every vote to everybody? You are a representative. You are supposed to have the expertise to understand how to navigate these interests in the best interest of the people. If this is just too much for you, quit. Quit. You're not good enough for Tampa. You're not qualified for Tampa. You shouldn't hold this job again in Tampa. This is 10,000 jobs in the era of a.i. Displacement. You don't understand that? 10,000 brick and mortar jobs. You don't understand that? Are you incapable of understanding that? Step down. You vote no on this, you need to step down. You vote no on this, you don't need to have this job no more and I will fight with every bit of my body, every bit of my passion to make sure you don't have it.

1:46:57PM Thank you. [ sounding gavel ] thank you. Came back from lunch, make sure people -- Arminda Amata. Jonathan Butler. Mentesnot, Tabitha H. Any of those folks present? Then we're going to move on. Julie. Start with your name, please. Hard to follow that, but second time i've done this. I'm going to approach this from a different angle. We have a lot of people passionate about potholes, about their neighborhoods flooding. That's on one side. The other side, yes, we would love to have the rays. They belong in Tampa Bay. I agree. If we could meet in the middle somewhere because right now what i'm seeing is let's say I tell you, i'm going to build you a million-dollar building, but i'm not going to give you the Blueprints, Site Plans or anything else and give me all my money up front, that's kind of where this one side is seeing it. We're basically talking about a Stadium of that magnitude on the high end should be one billion. I find it kind of curious that's exactly what they are asking us to contribute. Why can't we flip that? If he has that money, let him build a Stadium, we'll worry about getting the Private Industry in and private infrastructure in. We'll market that for him. But I think we're never going to win this battle, and I think it is putting a whole lot on all of you, so maybe the thing would be to put it on the November ballot. The other thing is, if you do pass the MOU which I assume is going to pass, ask those questions. Where are the Blueprints? Where are the Site Plans? Where are the construction costs? Add it up. See if it comes to that much money. I'm a contractor. I don't see it. Also, i'm a Real Estate Broker, so i'm also wondering on a deal like this, why don't we ask for Proof of Funds? Can we see the financials on this? It's not a guaranteed thing if we're building the Stadium and relying on someone that's maybe getting loans to put the rest of the infrastructure in. That's just my thoughts. Hopefully it will go to the ballot and we can all vote on it. Thank you.

1:49:11PM Thank you very much. Joe Robinson is in the batting box. Joe Robinson is next followed by Ken Babby, Elvis Piggot -- Joe Robinson. The real Joe Robinson.

1:49:38PM Start with your name, please. Let me just say this, as being a Tampa Sports Authority board member and on the finance committee, I must ask this question for Team Tampa. I don't expect to get an answer right now. What funds are left for Raymond James Stadium if this MOU passes City Council today? That's a question. And it cannot be answered. You know why? We don't have four votes to go for an MOU that's nonbinding. Once you pass the nonbinding MOU, you can all these questions asked. You will make the final decision. You only determine can we get to Third Base, charlie. We're on second base. We have to get Third Base. After that, once we have four votes, then get it to Home Plate. This is to get a conversation continuing. It's nonbinding. Let's get back to business. I showed you an Opportunity Zone on this overlay. Those are billions of dollars used in atlanta battery. They did the same thing. Governor going to approve this list. He's going to give that CRA to Drew Park and all the surrounding areas includes the Tampa Bay Stadium. Even the bucs might want to use, rich folks that have to pay capital gains tax. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater today by voting no. Opportunity Zone is how you're going to get additional money. And for these people worried about minority business, those people worried about affordable housing. People worried about young people getting involved with jobs and educational opportunities, we have rome yard, Community Benefit Agreement to show that it can be done. We have Gas Works that shows we can get community benefits. That is where you put in what you want for young people, for minority business, affordable housing, is in that Community Benefit Agreement that they must have by the city dealing with Cras, you have to have a Community Benefit Agreement. I can say that because I sit on the Community Benefit Advisory Council. I'm trying to get reappointed again. I'm asking for that. I'll conclude that it will be real nice if the rays, charlie, can get us a real -- a real, real, real, real, real baseball museum on this site. And we need one with all the people we got around here. I'll leave it at that. I hope God be with you. But remember, this is nonbinding. It's just an opportunity to get to Third Base. You're not going to get home until you have the Community Benefit Agreement, Financial Agreement and all of those questions that you're asking that can only come after four votes today. Because you're not approving anything but an opportunity to have a continuing discussion. With that, i'll sit down because I missed my meeting the last time.

1:52:43PM Thank you, Mr. Robinson. Ken Babby followed by Elvis Piggot, Connie Burton, Pastor Williams, Andy Scaglione. Ken Babby, CEO Tampa Bay Rays, resident Tampa, Florida. There's been so much energy in this room and throughout our community over these recent months. What we saw just yesterday, council members, is that our sistering governing body weighed a tough decision, debate and made a decision to strongly move forward with a nonbinding MOU to continue the conversation. Making a decision to continue a conversation in a generational opportunity for our community. We saw bipartisan support from all sides of the issue, all walks of life saying, yes to this generational moment to move a conversation forward. Just three hours later, we saw a unanimous vote by the Hillsborough College Board of Directors, unanimously deciding to move an opportunity forward, not possible without an investment from the state, all caused by this opportunity. Tampa is a great american city. It's not that we're trying to become a great american city. We already are one. Great cities take bold actions and can invest in priorities and needs at the same time as taking on bold opportunities like we're talking about today. Our ownership group has said it, but I think it should be said again, we want to use baseball as a platform to make our community better, a work, live, learn, play development. In this room, what we're talking about today is an $80 million portion of an overall investment. An $80 million conversation with City Council. An $80 million Conversation To Drive $55 billion of economic impact and 11,900 jobs. We are on the cusp of making the largest community benefits agreement in the City Of Tampa's history, funds to invest in projects that we so desperately need throughout our community that would not be possible without this investment. Many people over recent days have asked me, what if City Council votes no to a nonbinding MOU. And I think there are many folks in the room that have the same curiosity to that question. I phoned commissioner Manfred last night, and I want to read to you what he said. This is from major league baseball commissioner Robert D. Manfred: we are in the late innings of a very long game with the future of baseball in Tampa Bay, hanging in the balance. We have faith in Tampa Bay as a major league city, and I hope that the City Council responds with a positive vote to this nonbinding MOU. I will close with this: I urge you on behalf of our fans, on behalf of our community, on behalf of our city and our ownership group to move the nonbinding MOU forward so we can simply continue a conversation. Thank you.

1:55:56PM Thank you again. I don't believe I see -- no, we don't applaud in City Council. We have Elvis, Connie and Pastor Williams. I did not see them. I understand that Tarah has gone home. Andy Scaglione, you are next. Followed by Bob Morrison, Alison Hewitt and Bishop Michelle B. Patty. Andy Joe Scaglione. This current deal that we have now is the largest, richest subsidy in the history of Major League Baseball. When you look at the land, over hundred acres of land at $10 per month, 99 years with four five -- four ten-year terms, it makes it one of the richest deals in the nfl -- excuse me, Major League Baseball. For the record, contrary to the Rays' PR and lobbyist machine, I would be against this, this current deal, the financial terms of it that was in Ybor City, channelside, Any Place, and actually with the real estate holdings I have in the Westshore and Drew Park area, you would think I would be for this, but I will never compromise my values. They never threaten to file a personal lawsuit. Wouldn't be surprised if one is filed because of the misrepresentations of the CIT and what it was supposed to be spent for. But personally have never threatened that. Put that on the record. I'll hit the three funding sources. CRA, extending it to 2000, from 2037 with hundred-year bond, the City of Tampa General Revenue will not receive anything for 30 years. That will not help to pay our firefighters and our policemen. For 30 years because they are going to bond the hundred million dollars. On number 2, affordable housing. I see nothing here on March 10, 2026, Mr. Babby said that there would be affordable housing. I have not seen no affordable housing. Rays were committing 1200 units across the bay, I don't see one unit being here. We need 30 to 80 percent AMI for the people that work there. We need the equivalent. They were going to get an African Museum for $50 million. I've seen nothing to that standards. That hits the CRA. The tourist tax, 303 million of that we have to also add another $300 million in interest. Now, what's that going to do? That's going to hurt that convention center. Real quick, hit CIT. CIT this is going to hurt the Bucs, Current Partners, Yankees, Lightning, which are great partners, transportation, roads, hurricane, Property Tax Reform coming and if we didn't give away this $80 million, we could build the nicest police and fire stations in the city. This is not a fair deal and this should have gone on the ballot. We still have time because August 10 is the deadline. Thank you very, very much.

1:59:30PM Bob Morrison followed by Alison Hewitt. Good morning, bob. Start with your name. My name is Bob Morrison. I am a resident of Tampa, and i'm before you today in two capacities. Number one, as the executive director of Hillsborough County's hotel and motel association, we represent our members, collect over 90% of all room revenue in Hillsborough County. I have tell you that our board clearly and without reservation endorsed you moving forward with this nonbinding MOU. Obviously, you might imagine we had some vested interests because the tourist tax is only paid by your hotel community. By hosting their out-of-town guests. No other taxpayers involved in that conversation, but yet we have been vigilant to make sure those dollars were spent where it could deliver a return on investment. I'm happy to stand before you today to tell you that we've done a preliminary evaluation. There is a gap in this community in terms of how we can maximize our capacity to tell our story. This stadium designed properly can deliver on that story. We believe that if done properly and again, with you having a capacity to talk and listen and negotiate, there can be a win-win for this community as a whole and as representing those hoteliers who have forgiven or walked away from profit to partner with you on upgrades at Raymond James, to partner with you on upgrades and maintenance at Amalie, now Benchmark Arena. We're here to stand before you today to say that we are prepared to stand with you and we're prepared to see a check written from funds that 40 years ago the Board of This Association came before this council, a mayor sitting next door and the county commission to say we're willing to put our checkbook, our profits because we believe in this community that much. Finally, I was Across The Street in 1983 or next door when the first CRA was created. I'll say to you today in an advisory capacity is that this the kind of project that was envisioned in 1983. This was the kind of negotiating opportunity we wanted to put the city in a position to undertake. Take the moment. We believe this is the moment. Thank you.

2:02:47PM Thank you, bob. Alison Hewitt followed by Bishop Michelle B. Patty. Thank you. Start with your name, please. Third generation resident of East Tampa and business owner. I will hit the highlights of my memo here for you because everyone understands i've been here before you talking about development and make sure it is equitably distributed. My last memo at the workshop says I am requesting that this public investment be structured as equity and not a subsidy. If you would like to know examples, i'll ask them to make sure they talk to you about the Green Bay Packers Stadium as well as the Denver Union Station significant amount of TIF dollars was used in the Denver Union Station build. Also want to make sure there is a strong anti-displacement protections because there is a perception that most of this is happening at hcc property, and those small businesses in Drew Park, they will potentially be taxed out of being there. There are small businesses that have been there. There is a car repair shop that's been there over 38 years that I know several seniors in my community go there because they work with them to be able to fix their cars. I want to make sure, too, that the infrastructure improvements go I don't know the stadium. Make sure those businesses finally get some sidewalks as well. So make sure that the actual investment goes out to the other folks. Independent oversight structure recommended as we have heard, Community Benefits Agreement. Sometimes are slow in moving and actually getting to the community. Number five, equity must be considered across the Tampa communities. Over the last couple of years, we have asked for an extension for the East Tampa CRA and the community has been told there's no appetite for that. That's not going to happen. But as I see in the MOU, there is a request for extension. If you extend Drew Park CRA, you also know what we're doing in East Tampa is moving to improve then East Tampa should be extended as well. I want to make sure that as we have as much passion for the rays and I support the rays, that we have the same amount of passion for the people who don't have billions of dollars. What's come before you and the people who are scared about their potholes and what's going to happen in the community is because we see this tsunami of energy to get things done and get things passed and get things moving with people who have money. The people who come here and speak to you week after week, we still are coming week after week. But because we don't have a whole lot of money behind us, we can't get a lot of folks to come and make sure we have affordable housing, that we actually are doing 30%, 50% AMI. So as you are doing this, if you can make sure that you remember that Drew Park and the businesses that are there needs to be protected as you move forward. Thank you.

2:05:56PM Thank you, allison. Bishop Michelle B. Patty Followed By Ct harris and then Ashley Morrow. My name is Bishop Michelle B. Patty. But I am standing in the gap for my deceased son Byron Patty senior who was an outstanding baseball player at robinson high school. He went on to brandon high school. When he left brandon, he had a scholarship. He went to north Florida one year and he played baseball. They gave him a scholarship because he was great outfielder and he was stealing bases. Also played for the American Legion. When he came back to Tampa, paid for Hillsborough Community College. He was waiting, he had received a letter to have a try-out with the Baltimore Orioles. But that didn't Take Place because he was murdered in 1993 at the age of 21 by a young man, his own age, who looked like him, who tried to rob him for a ring and $800 that I ended up with because byron had hid the money. Byron's son was 8 months old when This Took Place. Never got to meet or know his father. And when Byron Junior turned 17, he was murdered in East Tampa at the age of 17. So if Byron Senior was standing here, he would tell you to bring the rays on. He would tell you that it could make a difference in a child's life. He could -- he would tell you that it goes beyond being a baseball player. You become a coach. You could become a staff member. But most of all, you could be a productive citizen unlike the two young men that murdered them. My heart went out not just for us but those families tragically cut short because those two young men are doing Prison, life in Prison right now. This is a lot more to me and my family that we have opportunities for our young people. Last Friday, I was at the yet center filling in, trying to talk to the young people about the teenager take-over. I don't just talk the talk. I walk the walk. I was there trying to convince many of them that this is Not The Way to do things. We have to do things decent and in order. I hear a lot about jobs. I hear a lot about opportunity, but I want to make sure that if the rays come here, that every dime go down to those that cannot speak for themselves, those that are not sitting at the table. No organization should get one dime without integrity, transparency, and an audit. So if we gonna give money, let's make sure that it's given to those that look like the children that killed my son and grandson. Thank you.

2:09:08PM Thank you, Bishop. Ct harris followed by Ashley Morrow. Ct. Brian Nathan will be after that. Start with your name. Don't take my time now. All right. Okay. Good afternoon, Tampa City Council. My Name Is Ct harris. I brought my daughter up here with me today so she understands this and understands our civic duty. Today, I want to speak not just about baseball but about responsible growth, accountability and the future of Tampa. The data shows us something important. Baseball can absolutely work in the south but only when it's connected to intentional economic development, accessibility, entertainment, and community investment. We've seen that in atlanta when the braves moved from Turner Field, attendance increased because they built more than a stadium. Built an ecosystem, destination, a place where businesses grew, people gathered and economic activity expanded beyond game day. But we have also seen the opposite. The Tampa Bay Rays have historically struggled with attendance even while being one of the better teams in major league baseball. This council has a responsibility to ask the hard questions before committing nearly $180 million in public support but what makes this work for Tampa and, more importantly, who does it work for. Because, while this city discusses investing hundreds of millions into a stadium, budget season is approaching and the people of Tampa do not want to hear next year there's not enough money for fire stations, affordable housing, infrastructure, youth programming, flood mitigation, mental health resources and the community investments we desperately need. We cannot overcompensate for one project while neglecting the everyday needs of the people who keep the city running. Now, we also cannot ignore transportation. If this project moves forward beyond this MOU and I understand it is nonbinding, but Tampa will now have two major stadium destinations within close proximity in our city. What is the transportation plan? Because what good is a baseball, beautiful new stadium if tampanians are stuck sitting in traffic for hours trying to get there? I understand the state May contribute 150 million if this deal is approved locally and that's important but transportation remains one of the biggest challenges facing our city today. We cannot continue building for growth without building mobility, access, and infrastructure alongside it. I've attended the rays' games, the energy is truly electric. The community pride is real. The question is, how do we make the community itself stronger through this investment? The people of Tampa elected each of you fair and square to represent our best interests not to make decisions out of fear, pressure or desperation but with courage, strategy and accountability. This means if the nonbinding MOU goes through, we need to continue the conversations around the community benefits agreement and that means real set-asides for Black Contractors, Minority-Owned Businesses, lgbtq businesses and women-owned businesses and small local businesses that have historically been shut out of the major development. I'm not opposed to the MOU moving forward because I understand it is nonbinding but I know that we the people do have a say-so, but I know that you all will make the best decision for the people. I'm confident we elected you. You represent us. So do what you know is best for the entire city and for tampanians.

2:12:42PM Thank you, ct. Ashley Morrow, are you in the house? There you are. I was looking out there for you. Hello. My name is Ashley Morrow. I will be just sharing my stance on the MOU. I'm going to share something really quick. This is a statement by Elder Washington Thomas. In 1881. Before I came here, the impression made about This Place is quite different from what I find. The impression was That This Place was so bad, respectable colored person could not live here, fortunately to my gratification I find quite the reverse. I find the whites and coloreds to be quite hospitable people. Immigration of Northern People convinced me that Tampa is destined to be one of the first places in Florida. I interpreted that as they were looking at this city as a place -- a great destination. A space of growth. This MOU is nonbinding, and I can see that there would be or there is space for a lot of opportunity for local businesses, Black and brown communities can have funds for affordable housing. But we do need something in writing to make sure that it actually happens. I want you all to continue asking the good questions because a lot of questions still need to be asked and answered. But we can't have those questions answered if we don't move forward. I'm not really a sports -- i've never been to a game, honestly. But I am all about Tampa and i'm all about Black history, and I am all about preservation. If money can go towards historic preservation, that would be amazing. I think Aileen Henderson sent you guys an e-mail about that as well. So, yeah, that's my piece. I yield my time. Thank you.

2:14:42PM Thank you, ashley. It says Brian Nathan but something missing on the name. I don't know who this Brian Nathan is. Oh, you miswrote your name? Could you please say your full name, please. Brian Nathan.

2:15:01PM With your title.

2:15:06PM And? I actually am here today as the president of Ibw 915 and a representative of the Gulf Coast Building and Construction Trades. My members and I, we are in favor of this MOU, but we also did see what Happened In St. Petersburg. We were deeply involved with that process. To echo what many people have said here today, one, this is nonbinding. I won't belabor that process anymore. But the structure of it is such that the council has offerings. After this MOU gets signed hopefully, if you find something you don't like that doesn't serve the community, the funding doesn't make sense, you have opportunities to ask for more or eventually maybe even walk away if it comes to that. I personally hope it doesn't. But beyond today, you do have an opportunity to make a difference, to make those decisions, but after today, if you vote no, that decision is done. I know the President of the Rays spoke, but without a yes vote, I don't see and everybody else i've talked to doesn't see how this moves forward. Again, I would urge you to take the yes vote. Ask those hard questions. Ask for the community benefits agreement. As a Wiser Man Than Me said not too long ago, the cook is in the kitchen and the cake is being baked, now is the time to get your ingredients in the cake. I know everybody here will have asks for you. Ibw and Gulf Coast Building Trades Council will as well. You don't get to make those asks if you vote no today. I will leave it there. Thank you for your time.

2:16:54PM Thank you, senator, slash, union brother. Hoyt Prindle, are you back? I think he left. Had to go make a living. Susan Brown followed by Laura Lawson. Susan Brown or brawn. She left, okay. Laura Lawson. Laura? Laura, if you are downstairs, come up and make yourself known. Maritza Astorquiza. Good afternoon, Council Members. You all are under a lot of pressure for a nonbinding agreement. You notice that? That's what i'm noticing. It's not nonbinding if you're not willing to change your vote. I wanted to talk just for a minute about equity. Sales tax is the most regressive tax you have. It hits people who work paycheck to paycheck harder than anybody else. It hits people who work minimum wage harder than anybody else. We're doing 440 million of that for this deal. People wonder why i'm skeptical about desantis -- sorry, I just ran up the stairs. Here is a list. Nice list. Alligator Alcatraz, Miami-Dade College, New College, secretive state parks golf course deal. The painted over-street art in my neighborhood. So if we must build a Stadium, leaders must take steps to protect the public and our assets. Forget the rays' timeline. They have a Stadium In St. Petersburg to play ball. What i'm worried about is whether we're going to have a Community College campus where my daughter can attend school. No disruption. We need to protect the college. We need to protect the tax collector's assets and operations. No disruption of activities. No loss of classroom or lab space. No use of portables. Rebuild the college first. No loss of college programming. Nobody gets a brand-new Stadium until all affected have better facilities that truly serve them better as well. No students should be learning in portable trailers while Bigwigs are partying in Skyboxes. I know it's going to pass today. That's what I believe. I really hope some of you all will vote no, because I know they want it to be unanimous in the end, and that will give you the bargaining power to demand some of these things that i'm talking about. I wanted the Community Benefits Agreement to come first. It should have come first. Where is it? I haven't seen a Draft? Have any of you seen a Draft? Thank you.

2:20:07PM Thank you, Laura. Maritza. Followed by Carroll Ann Bennett. One point I'D like to make, some of these meetings are very last minute and during the day when a lot of people in Drew Park are running their businesses and can't make it here. I do want to say, nor Tallahassee, nor county commissioners, nor the City Of Tampa have come to meet with us. For that matter, neither have the rays. We are important. We should be at the table. But what I hear today and I hear in other meetings and I hear the city and the county and what have you saying, you know, our money is given away with no conversations with us. Our TIF money, before the CRA, it was 40 years before we had any capital improvements in Drew Park. We are spent out with all the projects we're doing and we need more money for the continuing projects that are going on. But I find it so condescending that so many people are willing to give our money away. It makes me think about there was a time in our country when people's sweat and services and whatever they produced was just taken away without their consideration. And that's what it seems like to me. There has not been a community meeting. Maybe the community is for or against it. Right now today, I can't say for or against it as the chair of the CAC. I had a lot of comments how easily and people talking about Drew Park and they have no idea what's going on in Drew Park, but they easily give away our money without talking to us. Property taxes May go up. Is the county going to put a stop so that anything beyond we don't pay, the moratorium on our taxes? I don't know. What about Eminent Domain? What is the protection for us not being displaced? I'm hearing communities will get this and get that and the hotels and the Museums, whatever it is, I haven't heard anything for Drew Park. But I fault our Elected Officials. I fault our Elected Officials because our Elected Officials are giving away our money with no protection for us. I can't say if for or against it because I really can't. But I do expect our Elected Officials to protect us. Sounds good, rays, rays, i'm glad, you know. Someone wants to build something. Good for them. We're capitalists.

2:23:16PM Thank you.

2:23:18PM Carroll Ann Bennett followed by Paige Niehaus and that is the last person I have on the Sign-In Sheet. Paige will be the last public speaker. If you know what someone is going to do, look at what they have done after just hearing the speaker before me. I think it's just Shameful The Way they have been treated. I think it tells all of us a lot. When you're making the decision on how to spend the CRA money, I think Channelside is the perfect cautionary tale. Yes, some of the Channelside money was used to benefit everyone. Once the slum and blight were eliminated, the CRA was used to pump money into the pockets of the wealthy by subsidizing Developers and Professional Sports Teams. When the increased population of Channelside made a new firehouse necessary, it wasn't the people who moved to Channelside who were asked to pay for it. It wasn't the Developers or Corporations that profited who were asked to pay for it. No, they wanted to raise property taxes so all of the people who do not live in a CRA would pay for it. They expected the people who live in Wellswood and Seminole Heights and university square and South Tampa to pay for it. I have no confidence that the increased money going into the Drew Park CRA will actually benefit the residents of Drew Park because I have seen the Channelside CRA money used to subsidize the wealthy and I just heard how they are being treated already. My Husband and I are huge sports fans. We used to take our kids to Rays' games every season, but we had to stop because we got priced out. For his 35th birthday we wanted to treat our son to a Rays' game. But when we went to buy tickets, we realized we couldn't justify spending that much money. We couldn't afford it because we are a part of the 98% and we, the 98% need to make this decision, not the seven of you. Not the seven county commissioners. The 98%. The Bucs Stadium was on the ballot, and the Rays' Stadium should also be on the ballot. We got shafted on the Bucs Stadium deal but it is a lot easier for people to swallow the bitter pill because the citizens -- I repeat -- the citizens made the decision. We accepted the will of the majority. That is what needs to happen here. The people are hesitant to believe promises made to them. Voters agreed to extend the CIT tax partly based on promises that are now being broken. We were told the CIT money wouldn't be used for a stadium and yet here we are. You can mince words and argue semantics all you want, but no matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney. So the Voters must have the opportunity to vote again this time knowing how the money will be spent. Thank you.

Lynn Hurtak

2:26:14PM Thank you. Paige Niehaus. Okay. I believe that is our last public speaker. Here he comes. I don't know what is next.

Alan Clendenin

2:26:35PM Benefit of the doubt, is there somebody in the audience that expected to be called because there name was on the list and maybe didn't. Hearing none that concludes City Council and CRA comments. At this time, I will now pass the gavel back to chair Naya Young.

Naya Young

2:26:57PM Thank you. At this time, the Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency will now go into recess.

Alan Clendenin

2:27:06PM Very good. We're now going to take up Item 58 on the agenda. I would like to recognize chief of staff John Bennett. John, do you want to pause for one moment while we let the Lawyers do whatever they are doing. So it's not a distraction.

John Bennett

2:27:31PM I'm actually waiting on the City Attorney and CFO to come back upstairs as well.

Alan Clendenin

2:27:38PM Okay. We'll tell by their breath whether they took the stairs. John, are you able to start with your presentation?

John Bennett

2:28:16PM I am.

Alan Clendenin

2:28:16PM Ready, set, go.

John Bennett

2:28:18PM Good afternoon. John Bennett, chief of staff to actually both chairs, Chairman Clendenin, chairwoman young for the CRA and, of course, our public that have been gathered here throughout the morning. A little preamble before I get into what I would call a short opening so we can get to the questions and answers from our council, you know, in seven years within the administration, i've been at this table three times with a commitment to work hard with our stakeholders to try and keep the rays in the region, in the Tampa Bay region. I've only had one thing that I started every conversation out with is, do you have a sense of community? I said the same exact thing when I met the new owners. I framed that a couple of weeks ago in our workshop and I want to thank council for hosting a workshop. Of course, I also want to give credit to our colleagues in the colleague and, of course, the Tampa Sports Authority for being at the table with us, with the rays. And those two guardrails that I brought up still hold true. The first one inside the sense of community is to ensure that we do no harm to our level of service to the citizens of Tampa. And the second guardrail is to be a good neighbor to all of our other key partners that especially use our public facilities. As a stadium commander for many years at Raymond James Stadium, I understand the operations and all the capital and maintenance that goes into that. But this afternoon, it really is about the Nonbinding Memorandum of Understanding, and at some point, i'm going to ask the City Attorney to read a specific section of that, that actually goes beyond the nonbinding element and makes it actually a stronger portion than just a Nonbinding MOU. I'll ask him to do that shortly. I want to make sure that the room knows that City Attorney Scott Steady is here alongside with me to answer questions and our Chief Financial Officer Dennis Rogero is here to help discuss some of the financial parameters in the proposed funding mix inside the Nonbinding MOU. Beyond the framework of do no harm and be a good neighbor, I also want to make sure that the two funding streams that have been discussed, community investment tax and the Drew Park CRA had been elements that were brought to us for discussion. These were not proposals that started from the city side. They were brought in and vetted for us for discussion. I also mentioned two weeks ago, I gave the analogy not only the guardrails, but that we were in really three lanes of traffic. The first one was discussed. The second one was feasibility. I would argue we are still in the two lanes that we have yet to negotiate an agreement at this point, although this is a step in that right direction. The relationship between the capital -- sorry, the city's capital improvement program and the community investment tax for a little bit broader context, I want to point out that as we've seen in each budget year, the five-year CIP is a nonlinear event, meaning that it's weighted differently and usually these project life cycles are somewhere between four and seven years. So that gives us some elasticity in the process as we're vetting out the CIT as it relates to the capital improvement projects for the city. We have talked extensively about safeguarding that level of service, public safety, public works, Parks and Recreation and we wanted to ensure that we brought something forward, at least in This Frameable Way at this point, at this juncture that we can continue to negotiate with all of our stakeholders to make sure that this would be a win-win, equitable outcome for everybody if it's meant to Be That Way. So the final part, and I want to give credit to the rays for agreeing to, one, the nonbinding aspect of the MOU so we could keep working. I also want to give credit that we were able to get into a nonbonding environment through this process, at least inside the MOU. So I thought those two things were critical. I want to close this short opening with the fact about the CRA. The CRA came to us as a proposal financially and what we did and I want to credit our City Attorney Scott Steady for bringing in the CRA Attorney at the right juncture to discuss just the feasibility aspects. And I enjoy sitting in this room every council meeting, not just this one, to hear everybody's voice because everybody's voice in this room, whether you are pro, con, asking for accountability, makes it to the table with me through my copious note-taking. That said, I hear about the CRA. I hear about the things that need to be done in there. I also know that that advocacy and accountability has to come from a different level. The CRA Attorney and then an advocate for the CRA to negotiate that element. And Cedric McCray is here as well to make sure those questions could be answered. With that, again, to council and to the public, we have our Chief Financial Officer and our City Attorney here, and we want to be brief so we can open it up for questions.

Alan Clendenin

2:33:27PM Pause for one second. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

2:33:29PM I have a procedural question. This is going to be about the 80 million for the CIT, correct? We're going to discuss the CRA hundred million under that. That was my understanding.

Alan Clendenin

2:33:44PM I think this is about the rays' MOU. Everything is the MOU. Everything in the MOU can be discussed during the session. The action taken will be taken solely as City Council and then after City Council dispenses of this, if it is passed by council, we will then reconvene CRA for it to be dispensed through CRA. The way it was issued is Item 58, Administrative Update is the whole MOU is on the table. Again, this is nonbinding, pending. Nothing finalized.

Lynn Hurtak

2:34:21PM I asked Councilwoman Young's office yesterday and she said we would do the exact same five minute, three minute in the CRA. Portion of this meeting as well.

Alan Clendenin

2:34:30PM I will leave that up to Councilwoman Young. Again, right now, we're only -- CRA is recessed. The only meeting happening right now is Tampa City Council. Tampa City Council, we will go through our procedures of the five minutes one round, three minutes the next round. Once that is done, once everybody is finished and satisfied, have the answers, City Council will take a vote. If it prevails, if it receives four votes and prevails, then we will reconvene CRA to also go through the same type of process. We'll have two separate meetings.

Lynn Hurtak

2:35:09PM That's what I thought. It didn't Sound That Way and I wanted to be sure. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

2:35:14PM Councilman miranda.

Charlie Miranda

2:35:16PM I'm not saying anything is wrong but I remember speaking to the Administration Way back when they were going to build on Channelside, am I correct? Build on Channelside or wanted to look at on Channelside. All we talked about was infrastructure for $50 million. I said i'm fine with that. All of a sudden now it is a billion dollars.

Alan Clendenin

2:35:39PM Councilman miranda.

Charlie Miranda

2:35:40PM I don't want to confuse the public.

Alan Clendenin

2:35:43PM We're not there yet.

Charlie Miranda

2:35:45PM Well, I am.

John Bennett

2:35:50PM Again, I understand the question and answer period.

Alan Clendenin

2:35:52PM We're not there yet either.

John Bennett

2:35:56PM I wanted the City Attorney to mention the part about the nonbinding and the specificity on that.

Alan Clendenin

2:36:00PM If we withhold questions and answers until they finish their presentation.

Bill Carlson

2:36:06PM Process question. We have an MOU here in front of us and supposed to react to the Document. My question is, what was the role of City Council? I'm not allowed to talk to my colleagues outside of this meeting. But at the county, I had extensive conversations with several of the county commissioners and also the County Attorney. At the county, each of the county commissioners had a meeting, some of them months ago. They were consulted multiple times and they provided input into the MOU.

Alan Clendenin

2:36:37PM Councilman Carlson, can you hold off on that until we finish this portion.

Bill Carlson

2:36:41PM I think it's material to the whole thing. I was not contacted until the MOU was presented on Friday. And I was out of town. I presume I was going to be sold on the idea. The question I have, was City Council involved at all? And then i'll ask the same question of the CRA because the CRA is a separate legal entity. The staff of the CRA was not involved at all. And to my knowledge, the CRA Board was not involved at all in the MOU. My question is, is this only a product of the administration or was City Council or the CRA Board at all involved in it?

Scott Steady

2:37:18PM Would you like me to answer that? I think it reflects the difference in the nature of the county commission and how the county commission is run and the city. The answer to your question, the administration has been negotiating it. The attorney for the CRA was brought in, but neither the City Council nor the CRA Board was involved in the negotiations.

Bill Carlson

2:37:45PM You agree that the CRA is a separate organization.

Scott Steady

2:37:49PM Yes.

Bill Carlson

2:37:50PM Similar to the county, the CRA Board, which has its own Executive Director, we happen to outsource staff to the city, but the CRA as one of the three signers of this should have been the CRA Board, the governing body of the board. The mayor is not involved in the CRA at all. The CRA is providing more money in the MOU than the city is but the CRA Board was not consulted.

Alan Clendenin

2:38:12PM Let's pause for a moment. What's happening, the way the procedure is supposed to work out, we would go into council question and answers. Each one five minutes.

Bill Carlson

2:38:22PM I'm trying to determine if City Council was involved and I wasn't invited. But if nobody else was involved either. Even though the city is not like the county, Collaborative Administration would have called all of us and got us to buy into it in advance. Instead we found out about it on Friday. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

2:38:40PM Would you like to continue?

Scott Steady

2:38:42PM If I May. John asked me to read this. This is at the end of the preamble. Notwithstanding this MOU is nonbinding and shall be subject to the approval of the Project Agreements by the parties and their sole and absolutely discretion. It's not just nonbinding. We have your sole and absolute discretion to approve, if you approve the final documents, if you approve this MOU. Just want to make that clear.

Alan Clendenin

2:39:08PM Does that complete the presentation?

Scott Steady

2:39:11PM At this point, yes.

Alan Clendenin

2:39:12PM Per our agreement on the procedures, council will go into a q & a period of time. Each Councilperson on the first round is afforded five minutes. The timer will start when you begin to talk. It includes questions and answers for five minutes. If we go into round two, you'll get three minutes and then we'll have another discussion whether we'll have round three.

Luis Viera

2:39:38PM Staff is probably sick of me. Just thoughts. Does that include statements as well I would assume?

Alan Clendenin

2:39:51PM Yes. You May use your five minutes as you see fit. Use it as statements or Questions and Answers. You are entitled to five minutes and five minutes only on the first round. Does anybody have any Questions and Answers? Councilman Carlson.

Bill Carlson

2:40:05PM Going back to my question, again, if you're trying to get the community and governing bodies to buy in, the Collaborative Way to do it like the county did is to get the body involved in the discussion. I had very good conversations with the Rays also. Somebody, either the city or county shut down some of the ideas. Didn't present all my ideas to them but the ideas I put in there to try to protect the public. The Rays were okay with it but somebody at the city or county said no. Why was City Council and especially the CRA Board not involved at all? Why did we just find out on Friday? It almost looks like a political setup that we find out at the last minute and then you guys put us on the spot to say yes or no. I'm not talking to you, Mr. Steady, but the administration, tends to put City Council in this situation. CRA is a separate legal entity altogether. CRA Board is being asked to provide more money than the city. CRA Board should have been deeply involved in it. There are a lot of protections for the public that would benefit the Rays and the public that could have been put in. I guess the administration didn't want to listen to them.

Scott Steady

2:41:11PM I guess i'll acknowledge your comment. We tried the best we could to negotiate the MOU. I brought CRA counsel in as mentioned, a couple of weeks ago. I basically acknowledged how the CRA is structured. How this unfolded, we tried to best protect the city and the CRA as we could. I will mention that the CRA is unique within the project in that there are numerous conditions before any hundred million dollar bond could possibly be issued. Not only is it nonbinding as to the city and the CRA, working with your council, the CRA's council, there's just numerous caveats and conditions that have to be addressed. It suggests that there's a hundred million dollars, but there is a Long Way to go before that could ever be realized.

Bill Carlson

2:42:03PM Before I run out of time, year or two ago, we as CRA Board tried to open the discussion with the county on the Interlocal Agreement so we could add again more protections for the public across the board on the Cras. Administration said no, absolutely not, even though CRA is a separate board, they would not let us open up the conversation. Yet in this agreement, it opens up the conversation again and says we want to renegotiate the Interlocal Agreement. Why has the administration changed its point of view on that?

Scott Steady

2:42:32PM Actually, I don't have the historical knowledge on that. I just know that's part of the discussions to effectuate this deal if it's possible. I'll comment, just being involved in this, who also transpired that's unique, if move forward with CRA funding, county said they would contribute their 20%. Things evolved as we discussed.

Bill Carlson

2:42:53PM If we open up the Interlocal Agreement which the administration was against just a couple of years ago, all kinds of safeguards we could put in for the public across the board that don't exist right now. But they seem to be only focused on this one instead of protecting all the other areas of the city that also have cras.

Scott Steady

2:43:09PM I will comment there's been discussion about East Tampa as well if we look into moving forward with Drew Park CRA. But there is a lot of work to be done.

Alan Clendenin

2:43:22PM Councilwoman young.

Naya Young

2:43:25PM I don't really have questions, more just statement. I purposely wanted to write this down because I wanted to be sure that I was very clear and concise and thorough with my thoughts. So I want to articulate a few matters of great importance to me, to District 5 and to I believe this council generally. First, I want to be clear on what this vote and what it is not. What we have in front of us is a Nonbinding Memorandum of Understanding. With that being said, for me, this is not simply about baseball. This is about community impact and an opportunity to meet some of the real long-standing needs of communities in District Five. This is not a vote for a Stadium for me. This is a vote to engage in an intentional transparent discussion about a potential opportunity. Now, while this proposal May be nonbinding, I want to be very clear that my expectations moving forward are not. First, in addition to the community benefits that have been discussed during the community meetings, there are some outcomes i'm looking for to benefit the district but also city residents. Truly affordable and attainable housing, clear definitions of those AMI levels and housing for students and constituents 80% and below. Housing that allows people to genuinely live, work, and play in the community. Quality jobs, equitable and sustainable employment opportunities that provide a living wage for residents and our youth and Returning Citizens. Equitable investment, as we discussed, the possibility of CRA extensions, I would ask that you consider the East Tampa CRA in those discussions as well. Opportunities for our small local and minority businesses. Expansion of our youth sports infrastructure, including, but not limited to, Little League Fields and Programs, softball opportunities for our young women, mentoring opportunities, and apprenticeships opportunities. Also, accessibility because everyone should have the opportunity to attend a baseball game. Secondly, in terms of our commitment to transparency and communities having voice in these processes, I believe that conversation matters and i'm willing to explore whether this opportunity can work, but only with absolute clarity, transparency, and accountability. To my constituents, both for and against, please note that I hear you. I have heard directly from the community on all sides. I'm listening closely to all of your concerns and feedback, and I have shared them with the potential partners. To all involved in this, these voices must not be lost or ignored. I also want to emphasize that shutting down discussion without engagement is just as harmful as moving forward without any safeguards. Next, before anything moves forward, I believe there are some key questions and concerns that must be answered for this council and the public. What impact will the exemption of property taxes have on this project? The major capital improvement needs cannot be offset or sacrificed. Promises to upgrade parks, housing and community investment must be backed by enforceable commitments and timelines. Genuine accountability and strong protections must be built in. Just saying we'll take care of it is not good enough. We need concrete commitments, anti-displacement strategies must be a part of this discussion. To be clear, I am not saying I am voting in favor of a Baseball Stadium. What I am saying is that I am willing to continue the conversation and fully unpack the possibilities. I am voting for what this opportunity could mean for my district, the city, and for our young people present and future. In closing, I believe there is a message for us and for the City Of Tampa in all of this. Let this moment serve as a reminder that years of deferred maintenance and capital improvements that is citywide for all and a history of unfulfilled promises to communities have left us with limited options, lowered public confidence and our will to do good and increase pressure when opportunities such as this arrive. We can and must do better. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

2:48:37PM Thank you. Councilman Viera.

Luis Viera

2:48:38PM Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for the remarks, Councilwoman Young. I'm very sympathetic to them. I got a lot of thoughts. I wish we had more time than five minutes, but that is the nature of the game, right? I've said this before up here. Say it all the time at mediations which is there are things in life that are Black and White, right and wrong, and then there is gray where you have to judge whether or not the good outweighs the bad. This to me is one of the instances where there is gray. There are legitimate concerns on the part of people who oppose this, whether philosophically or in terms of the substantive proposal before us and how it will move forward and all that kind of good stuff. I think that anybody who says folks that oppose this, whether stopping right now or eventually based on philosophical issues that they have no reasons whatsoever to do that are entirely wrong. They are against some legitimate concerns. There are legitimate concerns that I obviously acknowledge, but to me, the good far outweighs the bad in terms of moving forward at this time. It clearly does to me. Yet there is a level by which you have to take a look at our vote today. The analysis, the level of scrutiny, et cetera. One word is reasonableness. Is it reasonable to stop right now and say, to quote Willie Nelson, turn out the lights, the party is over. We're not going to be talking anymore. We're walking away. We're gonna burn the bridge. We don't want to talk about it anymore. Why would we do that? Why would we do that? Is it reasonable to do it now? To me that is the issue. If you have a philosophical issue at hand and that is a dispositive issue which ends it right now, I don't. For me, reasonableness mandates that we continue to go forward. I want to emphasize this is not permanent. Mind you, people who go, this is not a big deal. This is a very big deal. Very, very big step, right? But it's not permanent, like i've said before, ten suggestions, not ten commandments. We're not getting married. We're dating. Maybe we'll move in. I guess we're moving in to see how we live together but we're not getting married. This is a very big step, so to speak. My message to folks is to have courage. You can have courage and vote yes. You can have courage and vote no today. But whatever you do today, make it courageous. Make it something that you're doing based upon what is right. I think it is ms. Poynor said something, which is that people who vote for this are going to lose votes. I believe that. Maybe i'm wrong. I believe that. I'm willing to take that chance because I think it is the right thing to do. You can have courage and say i'm going to vote no and stand up to all the folks that came here and people who say that i'm coming after you or whatever said. That takes courage. I acknowledge that. Whatever you do, make it from your heart. I always say this about being in public office. There are a lot of votes that you're going to catch hell on. You'll get into a lot of trouble with people, to make it for what you believe in your heart because when you start getting those e-mails, start getting the text messages and getting the phone calls, you get some of those tags on Facebook and I saw some very obnoxious ones that took deeply personal hits against county commissioners yesterday that were very personal, make it for what you believe in. Because if you vote for something, based upon pressure, when you take the hits, then you're going to feel this big. Do it for what you think is right. Take a look at other big steps in our community. Things like the Bucs, Lightning, aquarium, Channelside, things like generation after generation not giving up on Ybor City. Things like Councilman Miranda who I have a philosophical disagreement with and respect the heck out of him. Such a pleasure to serve in a time with him where he dresses all in Black because of the legend of it. He talked about the straz, the Tampa Theatre, again, all big votes, but where people decided to not walk away, and it would be so unreasonable right now to walk away. This is a very, very big vision that we're talking about now. The issue is, is it reasonable to walk away from any further discussions on that large vision? We talked a lot about public safety. When I began with the rays, I told them, Everyday Firefighters and Everyday Cops oppose this, you're going to have a hard time getting me because public safety is issue number one. Not just are they not neutral, but they are actually supporting this. That's certainly something I think goes a Very Long Way. There are a lot of concerns I want to talk about, public safety, turning that from a promise into something binding. Hcc, make sure we get there. Affordable Housing. Councilwoman Young did a great job on that. Greco, ticket surcharge, revenue sharing, cost of living, middle-class priced out of Tampa and Community Benefits Agreement, talking about apprenticeships and local hiring, we got to get involved in that. That's it. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

2:53:40PM Thank you, Councilman Viera. Councilman Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

2:53:48PM Thank you very much. You know, i'm a little different, if I got to say something, I say right up front. I don't waste time. I don't care about the MOU. I don't care where it is going. I say it up front, and I told the Rays up front where I was at and told them why. However, let me look at Page 10 here on number one, public funding for new ballpark budget, the public contribution amount shall not exceed the public cap. It is intended that the parties of the public contribution amount will not be decreased, period. That means if you don't have the money, you still have to pay for it. That's us, the city. That's you, the Taxpayers. Then you look at it, 360 million in community investment tax, CIT, which should never have been used for anything because it wasn't passed for that. However, this, and then it says four annual installments in amount to be agreed between the county and Owners of Developing Fund, which is them and the CIT is us. Money is us. County and the rest. So that's 90 million a year times four, 360 million whether you have it or not, because it says here no decrease. When you go under and you see the city $80 million or $20 million a year, same damn thing. Either I have the money or don't have the money. Still got to find it. The Pipes Program in the city went down. You know why? Because we're paying a million and a half dollars for a mile to put it up to make sure that the pipes for the next hundred years would be there. Guess what, now it's four and a half million a mile and we had to stop it. Distribution of something and get to something else because I have so many things to talk about. This here is a.i. On what we have here on my right. A.i. Is the thing that everybody is looking at. I do not do computers. I had a Friend of Mine do it because everything I have in my mind is memorized. You May not believe it but that's how it works. Go to the office, have a computer, got stickies on it so I don't have to look at it. What i'm saying this, this is what a.i., Large public subsidies, opportunity, city contribute up to 80 million in CIT revenue. Total contribution May reach hundreds of millions with county CRA, TDT and bond components included. This money is then Unavailable For Road, drainage, housing, Public Parks, special projects and capital needs. That's wonderful. Second, Taxpayers repayment risk. The Agreement anticipates public bonding, including TDT and CRA bonds. Even if described as nonrecourse, Taxpayers still face practical risk if projected revenues underperform, bonds become unmarketable or the project needs replacement funding. CRA and tax -- this is a.i., Not I. Increment diversion. CRA tax increment revenue could otherwise support broader Drew Park redevelopment May be pledged to ballpark related improvements narrowing future flexibility. That's wonderful for the Taxpayers. Long-term control and use constraints. The county would own the ballpark, but the Rays would receive a Long-Term Agreement 35 years plus five-year extensions. That limits public control over a publicly funded asset. Wonderful for the public. This is a.i., Not I. Cost overrun and enforcement risk. The Agreement says Rays Stadium Entity is responsible for cost overruns but Public Entities still face schedule, litigation, financing and too big to fail pressure if the projects stalls. The Agreement complicates tax exempt and taxable bond increment financing, TDT tourist tax revenue, CIT sales tax revenue, possibly property tax treatment and issues, and potential relocation of leasehold rights to preserve tax increment. -- use areas are expressly subject to ad valorem taxation but public use/private use classifications can create disputes. Whole world talking about how a.i. Is great. Put the unit in. This came out. I didn't do it. Somebody did it for me. I keep looking at it, and I keep looking at what the results are and I look at the numbers on it, look at the numbers on revenue, either have a lot of money stashed away or no money at all. I have no disagreement other than that. That's why I told Mr. Babby Way ahead, I would not support this. By the way, I have never supported any other tax at Ray-Jay or at Amalie Arena.

Alan Clendenin

2:58:36PM Thank you. Flip a coin, who wants to go?

Guido Maniscalco

2:58:39PM Thank you very much. So I appreciate the Rays and everything. They are a wonderful organization. The best part of the Rays are the fans. We'll just agree on that. This MOU is historical. I've been here -- I was born and raised here. I've seen Tampa change. I remember the old Tampa Stadium as a kid or a teenager reading the discussion on the original CIT going for Raymond James and the whole discussion of the Bucs leaving or the Bucs staying and all that debacle. 30 years later, here we are again. In 2024, the CIT came up for renewal, and there was a discussion at the county commission about how that money would be used. And I was one of the supporters of it, telling people just renew it. It's business as usual. Your taxes aren't going to go up. The percentage is going to stay the same and that's where we are. Looking at this MOU, the one piece of heartburn that I get from it is, is the $80 million in CIT financing or CIT contribution by the City Of Tampa Shall Not Exceed $80 million of CIT. Although this is a nonbinding MOU and everybody says nonbinding, we can walk away at any time. If we approve this, it's like giving somebody an engagement ring. You give somebody an engagement ring, you plan on marrying that person. You made some reference. We're dating now. When you give an engagement ring, you're committed. When I proposed to my wife, I was committed and i'm married now. So my biggest thing is, why do we need to contribute the $80 million in CIT? Yes, it goes to -- not to the Stadium, not a Ballpark -- the infrastructure, but it is a County Facility. Yes, we are the county seat. Tampa is central. That is what bothers me is the $80 million because when it was proposed to the people for renewal, we were very specific in saying it's not going to go to a Stadium. No, no. Then they changed it to Public Facility. Then they had to get a Legal Opinion of what Public Facility could be. To me, Public Facility is the riverwalk or one of our community centers. But this is a Stadium that you have to pay to get into. We can't walk into Raymond James and have a picnic on the field or sit in the sands and take photos. The CIT, what concerns me is, and why it's just $80 million in the grand scheme of $2.3 Billion, they are talking about Property Tax Reform. They are talking about the sales tax not being collected on commercial leases. We've taken a hit on that. We don't know what kind of hit we're going to take on the Property Tax Reform. Going to be another Homestead Exemption, an exemption for seniors that are homesteaded, I don't know. But whatever it is, should it pass and should it come down to us, we are going to lose money. And when we have budget discussions up here and we talk about, well, we need to move money around and we need a hundred thousand here, where are you going to get the money from? On small amounts and small increments, that's why I go back to why the CIT is so precious and why I told people, it's business as usual should you go to renew this because it's a lifeline. The CIT is so broad, that it goes to public safety. You can build a Fire Station. You can buy police cars. You can pave roads. So in my time on City Council, the complaints or the requests that I get of constituents are, when are we going to get our roads paved? When am I going to get a sidewalk? Hey, we need more of a police -- new police cars or more of a fire presence. Whatever it is, those are the complaints I get. Or even as simple as can I get a speed bump on My Street? And my response for years was, we don't have the money for it. We don't have the money for a speed bump but it's 80 million very precious and very important dollars. That's the speed bump in the road for me. It says Shall Not Exceed, why can't this agreement be amended or a commitment saying, you know what, we'll leave the CIT. We'll go to the state for more money, we'll put it in more private dollars. When we had the workshop, Mr. Babby, who is wonderful, said the Ballpark is going to be 2.2, $2.3 Billion. The Rays will cover the overage, if it is 2.6 Billion I believe was the number, the Rays will cover the overage. What is $80 million? At the end of the day, I need to face my constituents and the taxpayers, when they go, guido, i've been waiting years to Get My Road paved or i've been waiting years for this, well, you'll have to wait a little bit longer. But then they'll ask me, but you weren't hesitant in giving $80 million paid over four years at $20 million to a Private Organization. Yes. Will it bring benefits to the city? Fine. I'll wrap up with this. Why can't it be reimbursable? Reimbursable over a period of time and that's it. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

3:03:51PM Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

3:03:56PM Okay, this is the MOU or the Memorandum that was sent out on June 4, 2024, investment tax renewal. At the bottom, it clearly says the funds projected proposed for Raymond James Stadium and Amalie Arena at the time May only be spent on capital maintenance and repair and not on new structures or facilities. Very clear. Next. So, no, I don't want that one. I did the work for you all. I got the list of the projected projects. It's right here. Guess what we're supposed to do this year. Yellow Jackets improvements. Borrell park renovation, Gadsden Park improvements, a new macdill air force access improvements on Interbay. These are the brand-new things. And then we have the usual stuff, Police and Fire boats, and then so you go down at the very bottom, yesterday from the CFO, I got the projected CIT revenue. I have copies for all you all. 35 million next year. 20 million for the rays gives us 15 million. And since there's $28,800,000 worth of projects we'll have to defer all that. All that stuff we promised. Ms. Scharf, if you could put the picture on. We have fought to get the Yellow Jackets what we didn't get them in the West Tampa project. We fought for this. So what you're telling them is we're going to have to choose between Police and Fire and them. Thank you. Next. So I also did some research. There is an Economist, an Economics Professor at kennesaw state university, JC Bradbury. He is writing a book that comes out this summer called "this one will be different: false promises and fiscal realities of publicly funded stadiums." He is a huge baseball fan up in atlanta. Dekalb County gave 300 million to build Truist Park in Georgia. Funded by a combination of property, hotel and rental car taxes. Unfortunately, it hasn't been a boon for taxpayers. The gains have been far too small to cover the county's debt service and other funding obligations generating an annual loss of around $15 million. And what spending May be imported into dekalb happens only during the baseball season. They have not seen a year-round attraction. Purchases within the surrounding district largely come at the expense of other off-campus area businesses. And that is exactly what I heard when going to the meetings. Our local businesses said we don't want our business to be taken away by the rays. We want it to augment, and that is not what we're seeing. The fundamental principle that guides my vote here today is being straight with the Citizens of Tampa. When the citizens of this city voted to approve the CIT, they were told why the tax was needed, what their tax dollars would be used for and to gain their vote they were told that the money would not be used on a new stadium. If CIT funds are to be used on a new stadium, that should be put to a vote by the Citizens of Tampa. And if and when that referendum is on the ballot, we owe it to the citizens to make sure that the deal they are voting on is the best deal that can be made for our city, not a rushed deal. Major League Baseball is big business with a lot of bargaining power, but the city has a lot of bargaining power, too, and the city should use that power and should not be afraid to slow things down to negotiate and bring the best deal possible to the people. I'm going to go back to Councilman Carlson's point, council had no say in these negotiations at all. We've had no say about this $80 million. We've had no say about the city's use of a hundred million or the CRA's use. There is no EBO office anymore, y'all. We took that out two weeks ago. We will not be able to mandate women-owned, minority business be used at all. We can't require Unions to be used at all. The state has preempted us from all of these things. We have no options. To request those items that they say are going to be a part of this. I'll save more for later.

Alan Clendenin

3:08:43PM My turn. One, I did not have Charlie Miranda using a.i. On my bingo card today. [ laughter ] that was a surprise. A couple of things. One, i've been quoted as saying this is not about stadium construction, it's about city building. You have an area of the City Of Tampa that has long been neglected. Anybody even from the highest profile area of driving up a major roadway, Dale Mabry Highway, when you look, you see a sea of grass-ridden parking lots and further north, you see abandoned buildings and businesses that once thrived that are no longer thriving. Any of you that are brave enough to venture into Drew Park, you see some very interesting types of businesses mixed into that group of adult-type of establishments, not family oriented, whatnot. What about the CIT. Why doesn't Drew Park deserve infrastructure? Why doesn't Drew Park deserve an investment from the City Of Tampa that other areas of the City Of Tampa has? Drew Park deserves it just like downtown, channelside, Ybor City, East Tampa, any of our other cras. So i'm kind of -- I know it's not heavily populated but there are citizens and people that live there. Business owners that live up there that deserve better than what they are currently getting from the City Of Tampa. And as we heard from member in public comment today, this is precisely the type of construction project that brings that to this area that has long been neglected. I think if we were talking about dropping this somewhere in East Tampa, people would be cheering this, because how many times has valerie come up and connie and talk about, let's bring jobs to our youth. Let's create job generation. Let's give people opportunity. This is exactly what this is doing. It is job creation. It's providing opportunities for people. If we are not a catalyst for this type of industry, we just flat line. We're never going to get any better than we are today. And that's just a fact. Density equals opportunity. One thing i'll tell you that I don't care for urban sprawl. We have the expansion of urban service area into the county time and time again. We're losing agricultural land, losing environmental sensitive land. We have to be able to create density to be able to salvage lands, critical water supply, reducing the amount of car time, people are in cars, that's why we have to find places in the city. Well, South Tampa is full. We're not building density there, right? So we have to find places in the city where we can build density. If not here, where? This is a Great Place for density, to be able to build things out. Again, the stadium is going to be only a small portion of 120 acres. It's not just the 120 acres. This type of project is going to percolate into that Drew Park CRA. It's right for this happening. We could have a thriving community in Drew Park which doesn't now exist. This is city building. City building at its finest example, and it is the right project in the Right Place. We know how to move people in and out. You heard from the Airport Director. His goal, which I share, and I know Members of Council up here share, about facilitating transportation. We build this density, we create a sports stadium district, we're not just talking about the handful of games that Raymond James Stadium operates, even the most successful stadium in the world, it sits mostly as a big empty concrete structure most of the year. You tie that with spring training and the steinbrenner field, you tie it with the amount of activation of what the proposal, how many baseball games there are a year, concerts, inside venue, you're talking about a yearlong activation in one area, that's going to support transportation. It's going to support year-round jobs. It's going to support a community and it is going to be a focal point that people will look back and say, damn, what did we do? This is a fantastic project. It is going to be a world-class facility. It's going to be a world-class destination. We are going to use some CIT money, by the way, to improve Raymond James Stadium. And that is what's intended right from the beginning. Saying CIT was not for stadiums, that's absolutely incorrect. It was intended from day one and in there that we use it for infrastructure, improvements and maintenance on those facilities. There we go. I don't believe it is the city's intention to use the CIT for new construction and maintenance but we'll use it for infrastructure. They deserve Drew Park, Sidewalks, bike lanes, all the things that come with this. Good water supply, good sewage and flood control in Drew Park. Thank you. Round three. Who wants to -- sorry, round two.

Charlie Miranda

3:13:52PM I'll talk about Drew Park also. Drew Park is very involved in what the City Of Tampa needs. We've lost all our industrial area where people can work, play, and live. Drew Park is just that. It gives the people a chance to have a business. It is the only industrial area left in the city. You don't believe me, go see the Planning Commission. Ask them. Create more jobs there, square Mile Any Place in the City Of Tampa. It's industry that people need, manufacturing, can companies. People that make different types of flavor for your food. They have automobile repairs. They have a Junkyard there even where people take their cars. People that make a living that we have lost in the City Of Tampa. Not everybody can be a Lawyer. Not everybody can be a doctor. Not everybody can be a ballplayer, Elected Politician, whatever you want to call us. Drew Park is something very unique for the city. Used to be an Air Base Way back in the '40s, during the Second World War, and it is a place where needs to maintain itself what it is as long as it can because creating more jobs per square mile in Any Place in the City Of Tampa with that type of business. Thank you very much.

Guido Maniscalco

3:15:14PM Thank you very much. Going back to the CIT, yes, this is a nonbinding MOU, but it says the city agrees to contribute an amount not to exceed $80 million of CIT. My concern is that we approve this today, and then it comes back for a vote, because this came very quickly. This came on a Thursday afternoon at lunchtime that something was coming. I spent every day since looking at this. What concerns me is we approve this today and then there's some agreement -- first, I heard it was going to be 60, 90 days away. I said we're not going to hear this until July or August. And then here it is, but that we get some kind of agreement that says, well, we need to approve the $80 million in CIT, not to the not to exceed. We'll work on that, negotiate. You showed your cards and city said 80 million, we'll go for the 80 million. That's what concerns me. If it is a yes vote today, how do you then change your vote later and say, you know what, I disagree with this part and that part. This was negotiated within the parties without City Council. I wasn't approached and asked, well, what do you think? What's going to get you to yes? I saw on the county commission with Lithia-Pinecrest, hundred million dollars from the state. Which is wonderful, great. But on this end, if I would have been asked or City Council Members would have been a part of this, what's going to get you to yes, what do you need to do? How do I face the taxpayers and the voters and I tell them, well, we'll have to defer, cut, delay, because we promised this $20 million a year over four years. And we have to put these other projects that you've been waiting for on the back burner.

Alan Clendenin

3:17:02PM Thank you. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

3:17:08PM I'm going to feed off of what council member maniscalco said again. If the administration or the Rays had come to us and asked us about the hundred million for the CRA or the 80 million from the CIT, they would have heard our concerns and brought us a deal we could approve. When I first sat down with the Rays, I expressed immediately -- in fact, pretty sure it was the first thing I said, I would rather see it as TIF District or Cdd instead of using CRA funds. I think that is hundred Percent The Way to go. Carve out this entire 130 acres. They could get more than a hundred million. Whatever they needed to bond to do that themselves. And then that could be done by the county. Because the CRA -- and I have a lot of things to talk about with the CRA -- and the Rays now know that it's going to take a really long time to get the money because it takes the CRP Rewrite which takes two to three years. It takes our credit rating. We don't have any, we don't bond. All sorts of issues with the CRA. But I will say that this MOU is like walking into the Hillsborough River. Our feet go into the water with the MOU, kind of like what you said, but by the time it comes back to us for a vote, obviously we won't be asked about it in the future, clearly, the water will be up to our noses and it will be hard to get out of the current. Like the best analogy I could come up with.

Alan Clendenin

3:18:37PM Councilwoman Young. Councilwoman Viera?

Luis Viera

3:18:50PM Thank you. I do want to say something. I wanted to say this, with regards to speaking on the MOU, I actually did speak to the parties on it because I insisted on some provisions with regards to public safety dollars. And that's something that I inserted myself into for that because that, again, for me, that's one of many non-negotiables. If this passes, there will be more non-negotiables there. I did insert myself in this. Again, Folks, a couple of things, which is people are going to vote how they are going to vote. But to walk away from it at this time I think, I suggest for me in my house, so to speak, is very, very unreasonable right now. Again, unless if there's some large dispositive, philosophical disagreement I can obviously sympathize with that. There are other perspectives, too, such as we're getting $750 million of county money put into the City Of Tampa in exchange for two hundred something million dollars from us. Anybody thought about that? If taxpayers come to us and say, what happened to that $20 million, to the extent that's going to happen, can't we respond, well, for every dollar we put in, we got $3 from Hillsborough County put right in our City Of Tampa. Folks, where I come from, New Tampa, that's a pretty damn good deal. Something to think about when we talk about taxpayer money. Again, reasonableness. We're going to be walking away from this. Some of the concerns that have been cited on things like Police and Fire, the organizations that support Police and Fire support this. Something else to think about, again, reasonableness. Do we walk away? By the way, I hope i'm wrong. I do. This isn't something, again, there's gray, the good to me outweighs the bad. Some people are talking about the bad. I respect that. Everybody that's up here has spoken from the heart with great sincerity. I'm not talking down on anybody or anything of that nature. I'm saying what I think. That's it. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

3:20:54PM Councilman Carlson.

Bill Carlson

3:20:56PM Few random notes listening to you all, and for the public we're not allowed to talk to each other outside the meetings so we have to have these conversations back and forth with each other here because of Sunshine Law, which I think is a good thing. In regard to Drew Park, we saw representative of Drew Park present that they hadn't been approached. If the mayor's office had had a collaborative approach like the county, Drew Park would have been approached. They would have had discussions. We talked to several, we heard from several neighborhoods in West Tampa, even farther away, that are concerned about this. Some of them I think the Rays reached out to, but i'm not aware that the city reached out to any of them. We still hear concerns. All of that, this has been going on for months and there should have been a negotiations behind the scenes with the community as well as City Council and the CRA Board. It's shocking that I thought I was the only one that wasn't approached. Turns out none of us were approached it sounds like. The mayor's office should have had conversations with us not in just the last few days and sell this to us but to get us, to help us buy into it. Should have been a collaborative approach. The CAC, when we get to the CRA, CAC should have weighed in. Talking about the economics of it, I studied economics at three different respected universities, and I don't believe in economic impact studies at all. I studied under some of the best economists in the world so that I could shoot holes in economic impact studies and whether it's something I like or something I don't like, I don't believe that all the numbers are bs. There are direct impacts. But what you have to look at is the opportunity cost, substitution cost of what you could spend the money on. If the county and city came together and spent a billion dollars on something else, what would the impact of that be versus what this is? So, although I think that the Rays do have a benefit in the community, and one of them is the PR value, assuming they continue winning, then there are kind of intangible values to it that we need to put on the table and look at. I have concerns about the CIT being used partly because of the legal concerns, and although the County Attorney said okay, there will be likely lawsuits and that will gum up this thing for a long time. I wish there was another alternative besides that. Another thing that's sad in this process is that -- well, let me go back, the money, the opportunity costs for the money also, think about just Down The Street, there is a development called midtown which is a multibillion dollar investment. There's one development in downtown that got a hundred million dollars from the last administration. This one would get subsidies. Midtown got zero. And there are other developments that get zero. Is it fair to everybody? Last thing i'll say, the Rays I think have been working in good faith. They put in a lot of concessions to the administration. Unfortunately City Council was not involved. The public was not involved from the city's point of view, and so they are not getting credit for all the things they have given up so far. I just want to put on the end, besides the county money, also looking for state money that is a factor. Lastly, the Rays' fans, I understand your concerns. My mom and kids are watching and they are huge Rays' fans as well. However I vote it will be difficult.

Alan Clendenin

3:24:03PM Councilwoman young.

Naya Young

3:24:05PM Just in addition to the comments I made earlier, to my fellow council member maniscalco and others, in regards to CIT, I did, although it was -- wasn't during the process, but when I did speak with the mayor, our CFO and our attorney, and expressed to them, one of the things, i'm always out in the community all the time. So I see a lot of these improvements and things that need to be made. And also expressed this when I met with the Rays that as a representative of this district, I have to be able to explain to my constituents why or why not something is not happening. I just wanted to put that out there, on my end, it has been expressed to both parties that it is very important that projects that we have already allocated funds to cannot be sacrificed. I did say earlier. I just wanted to add that to the conversation.

Alan Clendenin

3:25:15PM I'll add on to that. It's my understanding that do no harm, that on the CIT revenue, the projects that have been budgeted will be able to accomplish on schedule. If that is not true, dennis or john, please jump up and correct me. I wasn't going to speak this time but i'll say, Councilman Maniscalco, my friend, you say if we don't approve this -- sorry, if we approve it, if we approve this, what happens? My question is, if we don't approve it. If we don't approve it. Again, this is a nonbinding MOU. If we don't approve it, this stops the conversation. It ain't happening. It's dead. You kill it today. If we move forward with a nonbinding MOU, all these concerns that have been brought up tonight -- or today we can continue to have that conversation. On economic impact, $80 million of CIT, let's say the CIT doesn't happen, whatever we come up with another source of the $80 million revenue, it's $80 million that is going to be going towards a $2.3 Billion cash dump into the City Of Tampa just for the Stadium. $80 million to get $2.3 Billion spent inside the city limits of the City Of Tampa, that's just the Stadium. You expand that to the 120 acres and Hillsborough College and all of the other Reconstruction and the hotels and all the other things to be constructed, 6 to $8 billion of economic activity for $80 million. Again, I know i've overused this, show me the table in vegas and i'm flying out tomorrow. If I can throw down 80 to get 2.3 Billion or 6 to $8 billion in economic activity. Any city in the world would take that bet today. Absolutely take that bet today. And i'll just leave this with, it's a nonbinding MOU. It's the right for us to continue the conversation. We either have the right to continue the conversation or give it the middle finger and say we're not going to have baseball and not have 6 to 8 billion dollars of economic activity, 10,000 new jobs, and countless opportunities for our youth. Dennis.

Dennis Rogero

3:27:53PM Good afternoon, council. Dennis Rogero, chief financial officer. I thought it would be a good time now, Mr. Chair, based on your comments about what will still be able to be done and potential deferral of projects. You had asked yesterday that we prepare a Sample Slide showing the availability of funding for the first four plus the last year, if I May put it up now.

Alan Clendenin

3:28:13PM Is that okay with council? Yes, go ahead.

Dennis Rogero

3:28:18PM Thank you. Let me know when you can see it, council. Is it large enough?

Alan Clendenin

3:28:24PM Zoom in.

Dennis Rogero

3:28:27PM Again, I stress this is an example, but to get across the point of the cash flow, when we anticipate and how much we anticipate receiving every year. You see along the top there, presuming no fund balance either continuing from this revenue source or from the existing CIT. Again, halfway through the year. We don't know how this year will end up. In the first year, little under $35 million. And then you see portion a, what we're calling it, are those identified categories within the campaign, when the CIT went for renewal. We anticipate, again, on portion b with a 20 million each year for four years, 80 million that we've been discussing in that first year, there will be 14.7 Million for any or all of those particular priorities based on the mayor and City Council's prioritization. You see it continue as we anticipate receiving more revenue, especially in 2028, when that will be the first full year's collection. Again, remind you, fiscal year 27 is for ten months. Once you reach the end of that four-year period, what you arrive at is an approximate 50-50 split between what's available for portion a and what available for portion b, the Tampa Bay Rays. Before falling off, the rays fall off in the final year and then all of the revenue becomes available for those categories. So the takeaway I think further to the point you were making, Mr. Chair, is that over those four years, you have about a 50-50 split between what the mayor and City Council can do and what this MOU represents giving to the rays.

Alan Clendenin

3:30:19PM Thank you. Anybody have questions?

Charlie Miranda

3:30:23PM I just had a question, if I May. Mr. Rogero, i'm not questioning the facts or responsibility that you have with the numbers, but you nor I nor anyone else can control inflation. We're not considering what I just mentioned the Pipes Program went from one and a half million dollars a mile to four and a half million dollars a mile. Anything could happen to us tomorrow and we still would be responsible for what we created. And if we create this, who is going to pay for it? Ain't going to be them?

Dennis Rogero

3:30:59PM I would like to address it broadly first by referring to the existing CIT. Of course, as i've said before, I want council's eyes wide open on everything I ask or we ask you to make a decision on. But I will say, the existing CIT, of course, sunsets this year, and it's been 30 years. And in those 30 years, the US. Has seen three recessions, nationwide recessions spanning five fiscal years. There has been a softening economy and in the subsequent recovery. If i'm a betting man, there's going to be another softening of the economy over the next 15 years. It's not if in my opinion, it's when. But based on the past experience of this CIT we still, as you know, averaged an annual increase in revenue of almost 4.5 Percent. Will there be headwinds? There absolutely will be. Will we have to address those? Yes, we will. I can give you no assurances, but got really good minds looking at what we can do ahead and how to parse the funding in the campaign.

Alan Clendenin

3:32:11PM Thank you. Councilman Carlson.

Bill Carlson

3:32:17PM Again, when you're looking at spending money you have to look at the opportunity cost of what you could have spent it on instead. Could you tell us and the public what are the categories of things that that $80 million could be spent on if it was not spent on this?

Dennis Rogero

3:32:29PM Well, to begin with, portion a, of course, which was the original Campaign, capital -- it is designed to be an improvement tax. An improvement taxation for big projects. And when the Campaign -- and you see those there, the Campaign went into a little more detail on mobility, for example, but those major categories this funding could continue to be spent on those major categories. Does that answer your question?

Bill Carlson

3:33:02PM It could be used on public safety.

Dennis Rogero

3:33:04PM Yes.

Bill Carlson

3:33:05PM Vehicles, Public Safety Facilities, public facility -- and mobility. The issue that we're facing in the city and Council Member Viera talked about the billion dollars the city and the county is that we have, talk about economic impact, we had a lot of high net-worth people with Businesses move here during Covid. And anecdotally some of them are leaving because the parks are falling apart. There aren't safe playgrounds because we haven't maintained them and if we need to replace something, the roads are falling apart, the streets are flooding. We have a shortage of police officers. I mean, there's all kinds of things wrong that are happening in the city that we need to fix. There are a lot of things that are right also. And there are a lot of positive things that are happening. But we have an obligation to the public to make sure we cover the basics of what is happening in the community. And I think we just need to be honest as much as we like one option, there are lots of great options on the table. If we don't spend the $80 million on basic infrastructure, then we've got to figure out Some Other Way to do it. We also know there's no appetite in the public to raise taxes again. There was barely enough, I think the New CIT only passed by 52%. Barely passed. 51. And all for transportation failed five times. Or its predecessors total failed. We need to make sure we use whatever limited money in the Best Way possible.

Alan Clendenin

3:34:31PM Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

3:34:33PM Just to piggyback on that, I really believe that if the Voters of Tampa aren't allowed to have a say on this deal, which we allocate CIT funds, I really believe that we're going to hear from them loud and clear during the March elections and the next time we need to ask Voters to renew the CIT to pay for Public Safety Parks and Roads. I don't think we'll get it again.

Alan Clendenin

3:34:58PM Councilman Viera.

Luis Viera

3:34:59PM You can time me at one minute. No problem. Quick points I want to make. Funds we're voting on today, nothing goes to the Stadium. Like Councilman Maniscalco said, it's all Stadium surrounding infrastructure. Number two, I said we get 750 million for our 250 million. 900 million. $150 million from the State of Florida contingent on this. So I was wrong. I would dare to say that Hillsborough County Commission kind of did the heavy lifting yesterday and we have an easier vote because of the heavy lifting. We do. The numbers they put forward, I won't comment on it, but they do. And lastly, if I May, which is by turning this away at this point, saying we're not going to improve, not negotiate, we're saying what that we have before us, the very idea is so rotten to the core that we've got to send it away.

Alan Clendenin

3:35:49PM Councilman miranda.

Charlie Miranda

3:35:51PM If this does not pass today, it doesn't mean it is the end. Let's go back to the drawing board and do it the Right Way. Shaking your head, then leave. If this is your final offer, i'm looking right at you, if this is your final offer, it's a bad one. A terrible one for the Taxpayers. Not because i'm saying it. I hear now, it's not looking so good. You can't do any better, can't sharpen your pencil any better, we've got a problem. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

3:36:23PM I think what i'm hearing also neglects to consider the fact -- this huge investment of money, starting at 2.3 Billion for a Stadium is money that is not just disappearing behind a door. That is money that is generating money because it's employing people who are going to be spending money on the economy. Generating sales taxes. It's money that is going to be paying for goods and services by our business community. You heard from our Union Workers, our Ironworkers here, they want this project because guess what, it's going to be paying for union jobs and union salaries, feeding union families. You've heard from our First Responders, why? Because it's good for our First Responders, good for our police, good for our fire. You heard from our county yesterday. I don't think anybody up here doesn't love some of our members on the county commission. They put their necks out yesterday. They know that this is good for Hillsborough County, and I know this is good for the City Of Tampa. If our county commission is willing to put their necks out for this, vote of confidence to say, let's move this forward from today for further discussion, this is not the day to kill this, don't -- I mean, I don't know how you go up to Commissioner Cohen or Commissioner Gwen Myers or anybody and say, you know, we don't care what you thought and what a risk you took yesterday, but City Of Tampa is going to give you the middle finger. That is a tough one. There we go. Anybody else? This is going to be the end of the discussion.

Guido Maniscalco

3:38:10PM Is there anything we can do regarding the CIT? Question. Ken Babby, Tampa Bay Rays. Throughout these discussions, I think it's worthy of noting that the Rays actually agreed to a few things related to the CIT which should be brought into the room. I actually appreciate the conversation about the council involvement. I think it is a lesson for all of us moving forward to make sure that we're even more engaged. I talked with the head of the Drew Park CRA at the last intermission. We need to be more engaged in those discussions to keep this discussion moving forward. I just want to say that before I answer your question. Councilman, one thing the Rays agreed to do with $80 million is, of course, to commit for it to go hundred percent into infrastructure as represented in the MOU. Two, much against our desires, where we initially intended to bond against the CIT, both at the city level and the county level, reluctantly we agreed to move to a pay-go model where it is paid over several years. I think that's worthy of noting. That was an enormous concession. And then finally, after that, it was requested that specifically only to the city, not to the county, that a backstop be provided for that CIT, and we agreed to do that, too. As represented in the MOU. So time and time again, questions, good questions like you're asking have come up and have been asked about the CIT, and we have given and we have given and we have given. We still have work to do to reach Definitive Agreements which will involve additional compromise on both sides. I urge you to let us continue the conversations. Don't send the Rays out of Tampa. Thank you.

3:40:04PM Yes, sir. One question. The Citizens Budget Advisory Board or somebody from there gave a Sheet of Paper. I don't know if it was voted by from the board itself, but this was voted? Okay. So the cost reimbursement for the CIT money, is that something that the rays would be open to? You get the $80 million, but then we get it paid back to the city. And the reason I ask, you heard all about the CIT, but the CIT is so important and the renewal barely passed at 51%. Passed at 53% in 1996 with the Stadium in there, Community Stadium, however it was worded. I fear that should this come up again in what is it 13 years for renewal, the CIT, that the Voters will never have faith in reapproving it to extend it because they are going to say, you did respectfully a bait and switch, oh, yeah, and I understand this opportunity, but we will lose that in the future. The Voters are going to go, you tricked us last time. Us meaning the elected officials. Would you be open to a reimbursement model? It's only $80 million. But the people voted for something very specific.

3:41:28PM I'm not talking over four years, ten years, over five years, very flexible terms but you know, you tell me. Forward with the strong message that you just gave. We heard it, I think the staff heard it. I think the county is all watching. They heard it. I'm sure the whole city has heard it. If there are elements of the MOU that you don't find acceptable, I think on message, put us all on notice that you are not comfortable with it and move forward and allow us to continue in Definitive Documents, we'll be back for another vote, and if it is not acceptable to you at that time for the same reasons that you give today you'll certainly, and your colleagues, of course, deserve another opportunity to evaluate it. I would urge you not on this point to give us the thumbs down and reject it. I think your point is clear and heard and understandable. I would urge you to move this forward to give us a chance in Definitive Documents to continue to appease concerns that you have.

3:42:30PM Thank you very much. My concern there is every vote that would come before us should we disagree or I disagree, you're going to kill it if this doesn't happen. You'll kill it if this doesn't happen. I would like a guarantee today, an Amendment. It's very simple. It's a lot of money but it's not a lot of money. But it's out of respect to the taxpayers. That's it. What I can guarantee you is we'll be back in this room with a Definitive Agreement that you'll have an opportunity to review and that we will spend hours and hours and hours working to make sure that the needs -- not just of the county, not just of the city, but this council and ultimately the CRA are comfortable with it. Today's decision is about saying, continue to move forward negotiating. And I think what everybody in this room has heard is your concern on the CIT, which is understood and fair, I think heard. We have work to do. We recognize that we have work to do, but allow us to continue to move forward and do that work. On behalf of the rays I think that's what we're kindly asking for. I hear you. I understand your concern. It's reasonable. We talked about reasonable today. Let us go back to the bargaining table and find a deal that works by moving this MOU forward that we have here today. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

3:43:55PM Councilman Carlson and then Councilman Miranda.

Bill Carlson

3:43:58PM Mr. Babby, could I ask you a couple of quick questions?

3:44:06PM Two quick questions, Chair Clendenin talked about the economic impact of building. There is another project that got a huge subsidy from the Last Administration and then they hired a Contracting Company out of palm beach. First question, is it likely that you'll hire local contractors to try to keep the money local? Number two, I mentioned a minute ago, you all have negotiated with the city, but because we weren't involved in it, we in the public don't know what you conceded. If I recall, the number you originally asked for was much higher.

3:44:45PM Can you tell us the difference in the number? How much did you give up in the negotiation that we don't know about?

Ken Babby

3:44:52PM Councilman, thank you. Councilman Carlson, to answer your question, I Guess The Way I would answer your question is to say what occurred time and time again is the Rays increased our investment in the project because we believe in Tampa. What started initially as a project where we said we'd invest 50% of the cost to the Ballpark is now much higher at 55%. And as that number continued to grow, what we had to consternate with ourselves, do we want to continue to give and give? As city and county numbers adjusted, ourselves we had to say does this money make sense? The staff that worked with us, City Council and county commission, that we're not all in the room, certainly would be atypical for all of the council members and the commissioners to be in that room, the role, of course, is to bring an agreement, Framework, if you will, that we can ultimately all move forward on. The Rays continue to invest to your point. We continue to increase our number. The Rays will invest more than $1.2 Billion privately into the cost of the Ballpark. $1.2 Billion. The Rays will take on 100% of the cost of the development. The state is committed and watching what we're doing as it relates to Hillsborough College, and you heard wonderful comments on that today and traffic projects.

Bill Carlson

3:46:17PM But the amount, the 80 million just to talk --

Ken Babby

3:46:21PM Decreased and decreased and decreased. I saw drafts of this MOU that had the city's contribution, specifically the CIT, closer to $200 million. That number is 80. And it's not being bonded.

Bill Carlson

3:46:36PM You already -- you started at 200 and now down to 80.

Ken Babby

3:46:42PM And converted to pay go and converted to back stop.

Bill Carlson

3:46:45PM Other question, how likely you'll hire Local Contractors? In the other case, the city subsidize, all the money went to palm beach?

Ken Babby

3:46:54PM One, we will, of course, go through proper procurement channels. I think that needs to be said and should be said fairly on the record. It is true and we will always follow the law and that's represented in the Document. Everything this organization has done from the moment that we took ownership was to promote local first. You can see it in the work that we're doing at Tropicana Field and the renovations that were done there this year, and you can see it in our work in the community. We use baseball as a platform to lift up Tampa Bay. And we will do exactly that in building this community ballpark together.

Alan Clendenin

3:47:28PM Councilman Miranda followed by Councilwoman Hurtak.

Charlie Miranda

3:47:30PM All i'm going to say, if this does not pass today, you are entitled to bring another one over with all the changes. There's no difference in time, waste of money or anything else. I don't understand what you're saying as far as I want it now or never. That's what you're telling us. Indirectly from what I heard. Maybe i'm wrong, but if i'm wrong, tell me i'm wrong. You can have another one done with all the changes in it, but it's not here. If this passes today, then it gets harder and harder and harder for anyone, Elected Official to say, oh, too late now. Oh, whoa, you passed it three times. I've been there before. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

3:48:05PM Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

3:48:07PM So then my question goes to Mr. Babby. Why aren't you using a TIF or Cdd which would be so much simpler? We could put the 180 into that and then, quite frankly, you know, our questions are answered. Our problems, our concerned are answered. Yes, you can respond.

Ken Babby

3:48:27PM Thank you, Councilwoman Hurtak. Through the chair to Councilwoman Hurtak, I would just respond to your good question by referring to the MOU, which gives us exactly the option to create a Cdd or a TIF, both of which will be explored. We look forward to sitting down and exploring that further. But if you refer to the MOU, it specifically says -- and i'll let the city attorney comment on this as well -- that we have the option, of course, mutually to be able to do that. It's a good question, a good thought. Other council members have asked it as well. And we will explore that further, Councilwoman.

Lynn Hurtak

3:49:04PM In my reading of it, my question, was in addition. I'm talking about being able to fund the city's portion of it $180 million through a TIF or a Cdd.

Ken Babby

3:49:16PM So the rays' portion of the project, as i've stated is over $1.2 Billion. If you're asking the rays to take on even more than that as we've invested and taken on more and more and more to reimburse beyond that through those other methods, you can't build a Ballpark based on ious. It doesn't work. It's not working in las vegas. It won't work in Kansas city, mentioned earlier. City Council in Kansas city committed $600 million towards a Ballpark. 600 million in a City Council chambers just like this. We're having a conversation about 80 million, which we've agreed to pay-go and a portion of which to backstop. Thank you, Councilwoman.

Lynn Hurtak

3:49:57PM Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

3:50:00PM I think we're getting to the point now that we've exhausted the question. I would entertain -- Everybody by consensus ready to vote?

Bill Carlson

3:50:12PM Are we going to make final comments as we vote?

Alan Clendenin

3:50:16PM If that is council's will, we can do that --

Martin Shelby

3:50:21PM If there is a motion on the floor and it's seconded, you can't have discussion prior to the vote.

Alan Clendenin

3:50:28PM We went that direction. Does anybody -- does anybody object going directly to a vote? It is almost 4:00 and we still have a lot of City Council business as well as CRA business. Anybody else have anything else they want to say? I'm going to call the question.

Martin Shelby

3:50:49PM Sir, if you call the question --

Luis Viera

3:50:51PM If I May, Mr. Chair. I move the Resolution, but, obviously, this wouldn't preclude Councilman Carlson from speaking. I move it with that, because obviously --

Alan Clendenin

3:51:03PM I have a motion to move Item Number 58. A second from -- i'll second it.

Lynn Hurtak

3:51:14PM Can chair second?

Alan Clendenin

3:51:15PM Yes. All those -- actually -- we have a motion and we have a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call --

Bill Carlson

3:51:27PM Yeah. I want to say, first of all, I had similar ideas to what Council Member Hurtak mentioned. They did put the Cdd in. My understanding was that it's included, not that it's optional. Maybe I need to read it again. One of my ideas was similar, I talked about a TIF. I talked about shrinking the CRA because the impact on the rest of Drew Park. We could take this area out of it and form a TIF. We could just shrink it down so it only includes that, That Way Drew Park could have a separate kind of virtual CRA. All kind of options that could be discussed. Unfortunately, the administration did not include us. I did talk to the Rays about those ideas, but somebody told them no. My bottom line on this is that I don't believe in private sector subsidies. I don't think it is a good idea for the government to subsidize one versus the other. I mentioned in real estate, why is it fair that one or two developments gets subsidies and all the rest of the developments don't get subsidies? And, yes, they mostly go to infrastructure. But when people in midtown are paying hundred percent of everything, it's not fair to everybody else. And there are lots of developments that get nothing. There are lots of projects that I would like to see that are going to get nothing. So my point is that when this comes back to us, i'm like 99.9% Sure that i'm going to vote no. Like charlie, I want to let everybody know that in advance. I'm very against any kind of subsidy like that. In the conversations i've had with the Rays, one of the things they said is they really want the opportunity for Hcc to be able to get in this additional money from the state, and i'm sympathetic to trying to get state money. Locally we can work with the county and spend county money in different ways that could be very beneficial and folks suffering in many ways in our community and we need to look at those other ways. That's why ultimately i'm going to vote no. Today, because the Rays asked only in regard to their ability to get state funding, i'm going to reluctantly vote yes, only for that possibility, but just as a warning, I am going to be voting no when it comes back. Out of respect of them and their ability to get state funding, I would vote yes today.

Alan Clendenin

3:53:48PM Roll call, please.

Charlie Miranda

3:53:51PM No.

Guido Maniscalco

3:53:53PM No.

Lynn Hurtak

3:53:54PM No.

Naya Young

3:53:56PM Yes.

Luis Viera

3:53:57PM Yes.

Bill Carlson

3:53:58PM Yes.

Alan Clendenin

3:53:59PM Yes.

The Clerk

3:54:01PM Motion carries with miranda, maniscalco, Hurtak voting no.

Alan Clendenin

3:54:08PM We're going to take a five-minute break. Let's make it ten --

Martin Shelby

3:54:14PM Council, before you do that. Martin Shelby, City Council attorney.

Alan Clendenin

3:54:24PM Shhh.

Martin Shelby

3:54:26PM After the action having been taken, I ask that the City Council go into recess at this point and reconvene at the --

Alan Clendenin

3:54:34PM We'll do that after break. We'll be back at 4:05, please. 4:05. We are on break. [ sounding gavel ] [recess]

4:11:07PM Back to order. Roll call, please.

Charlie Miranda

4:11:11PM Here.

Guido Maniscalco

4:11:12PM Here.

Lynn Hurtak

4:11:13PM Here. Viera?

Luis Viera

4:11:16PM Here.

Bill Carlson

4:11:17PM Here.

Alan Clendenin

4:11:19PM I have a request for Tampa City Council to continue Item 54, VAC 26-08 to July 30th. We have a motion from Councilman Miranda and a second from Councilman Maniscalco. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. Clerk, would you read that date, Time and Place -- would you read that date, Time and Place?

The Clerk

4:11:52PM July --

Alan Clendenin

4:11:58PM I'm sorry. It was July 30th.

The Clerk

4:12:01PM July 30, 2026 -- that would be at 1:30.

Alan Clendenin

4:12:26PM Yes.

The Clerk

4:12:27PM 1:30 p.m. In City Council Chambers, 315 East Kennedy Boulevard, third floor, Tampa, Florida, 33602.

Alan Clendenin

4:12:37PM Mr. Shelby.

Martin Shelby

4:12:38PM It was set for 10:30 a.m.

Alan Clendenin

4:12:43PM Okay.

Martin Shelby

4:12:45PM It is a Petition to Vacate.

Alan Clendenin

4:12:47PM You're right. 10:30. Restate it please from the top.

The Clerk

4:12:50PM Yes, sir. July 30th at 10:30 a.m. In the City Council chambers, 315 East Kennedy Boulevard, third floor, Tampa, Florida, 33602.

Alan Clendenin

4:13:00PM Thank you so much, q. Appreciate that. Is there anything left on the agenda that we can continue or just go through and do the business?

Luis Viera

4:13:12PM For the Tampa fire item, we have Chief Tripp here. I don't like to make her wait too long. That one should be shorter compared to later.

Alan Clendenin

4:13:25PM What i'm going to do now is I am going to call Tampa City Council in recess. I will hand the gavel to Chair Young to conduct the CRA meeting. Councilwoman Young, Tampa City Council is in recess. [ sounding gavel ]

Naya Young

4:13:49PM All righty. Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency meeting is called to order. Roll call, please?

Charlie Miranda

4:13:58PM Here.

Guido Maniscalco

4:13:58PM Here.

Lynn Hurtak

4:14:00PM Here.

Alan Clendenin

4:14:00PM Here.

Bill Carlson

4:14:02PM Here.

Luis Viera

4:14:03PM Here.

Naya Young

4:14:04PM Here.

The Clerk

4:14:05PM We have a physical quorum.

Naya Young

4:14:09PM We will now move to CRA item number 1 and two. Board member Carlson.

Bill Carlson

4:14:20PM Since the vote was close last time, I want to let everyone know that if we have to vote on this as the CRA today, i'm going to vote no. I think we should delay the CRA vote for a couple of weeks or until the next CRA meeting, which I think is three weeks away with the reason is that the CRA Board and the CRA Staff were not involved in the negotiation and I think there are a lot of things that we could put in if we were involved in the negotiation. We're out on the front line listening to the community and can do that. If there are the votes without me, that's fine. But I would prefer that we delay this one for a couple of weeks so that we can get involved. Also it says here in number two, Staff Reports, but it's my understanding that staff was not involved at all in the MOU. It really should say city administration report maybe for the next time.

Alan Clendenin

4:15:16PM Madam Chair, we previously discussed continuing this to the 29th. I make a motion to continue this item --

Naya Young

4:15:23PM Board member Viera had his light and --

Luis Viera

4:15:27PM Yes, ma'am. Whoever motions it, i'll second it, if need be. I would support this for many, many reasons, this includes not only the issues that Councilman Carlson talked about, but also to the extent that this can be done. Some of the issues I wanted to give a gesture to my friend and colleague Councilman Maniscalco for bringing up some issues today and those could also be addressed in that time potentially. So, yeah, for these reasons and others I would support that.

Naya Young

4:15:55PM Board member clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

4:16:03PM I would motion to continue this CRA meeting, because we previously discussed having a special call meeting on July 29 at 9 a.m. I would motion to continue this item to July 29 CRA special call meeting, 2026.

Lynn Hurtak

4:16:22PM I don't know that we can do that. We have to vote on this, because if the CRA doesn't approve this, it isn't approved. We're acting as a wholly separate body. Mr. Shepard.

Cliff Shepard

4:16:40PM First of all, you can do whatever you want to because of what you just said, which is you are a separate Governmental Agency. You are a dependent Special District, but you are separate in the fact you have your own Minutes, own meetings, own Procedures, and own laws that have to apply to you. So that is something you have the ability to do. I cannot speak to and perhaps you should recognize someone from the rays or someone else who can speak to how it would impact the deal. But I do want to say this about the date. I have an issue because I have a webinar that i'm conducting at noon on that day and i'll be on the road that entire day except for the time i'm Off The Road --

Alan Clendenin

4:17:25PM Did I state that right? I'm sorry. May 29. All of a sudden it dawned on me I said the wrong thing.

Lynn Hurtak

4:17:34PM May 29 is a Friday.

Alan Clendenin

4:17:36PM Remember we talked about a special call meeting.

Lynn Hurtak

4:17:39PM I won't be in town I don't believe.

Alan Clendenin

4:17:43PM Maybe that's why we took it up today.

Naya Young

4:17:46PM Hold on a second. Attorney steady, do you have a comment to make? Party at this point. The city is and the other parties, the county. I don't believe it creates a problem for the rays or the City Of Tampa that's previously approved it. You can continue your consideration of the MOU till whenever you feel is appropriate.

4:18:23PM Are you doing an amended motion?

Alan Clendenin

4:18:26PM My motion would be to continue this to a special call meeting on May 29, 2026 at 9 a.m. If people are willing to have a tough day, we probably could add it between the workshop on the 28th between the workshop and the council's night session.

Lynn Hurtak

4:18:46PM Night session is so hard.

Naya Young

4:18:52PM You guys, hold on. Board member Carlson. Go ahead.

Bill Carlson

4:18:58PM Welcome to being chair. How come we can't do it on June 11? That is a CRA.

Alan Clendenin

4:19:09PM It's fine. June 11 is fine with me. Scratch what I said. Didn't get a second. I make a motion to continue the item to June 11, 2026, regularly scheduled CRA meeting.

Lynn Hurtak

4:19:22PM I have no problem moving this, but given what just happened where we got some of our issues out, so they were known, I highly recommend that we at least have five minutes each to talk about some of our issues so that when we have that meeting, it's more productive.

Guido Maniscalco

4:19:42PM Right now?

Lynn Hurtak

4:19:43PM Yeah. I think we at least give everyone five minutes because I have, of course, a whole long spiel and some Receipts that I would like people to see so that we can -- I have no problem going forward and making another time to do this, but I think we should talk about it first so that the parties who are involved know what the issues are.

Naya Young

4:20:05PM Okay. Clerk.

Lynn Hurtak

4:20:07PM Ms. Scharf, if you could bring my personal and city cell phones so that I can look at my calendar.

Naya Young

4:20:20PM The 28th.

Bill Carlson

4:20:28PM What about June 11?

Lynn Hurtak

4:20:30PM I think the 28th might be too quick. You mean, next week?

Alan Clendenin

4:20:37PM Rescind my motion. June 11, adding it to the regular scheduled CRA agenda item at 9 a.m., I see something to pull off the schedule, too.

Naya Young

4:20:49PM I'll interject here. To board member Hurtak, I think since we're all here right now, the opportunity just to have at least the five minutes, three minutes, if you want to talk now, it's fine. As you all go back to the drawing board and work on this MOU. So if we give everyone an opportunity at least one round or if we need two rounds, and then going back to the motion of continuing this to June 11 for items 1 and 2. Any thoughts from the council on that?

Bill Carlson

4:21:27PM I agree with taking five minutes each. Should we vote on the motion first?

Alan Clendenin

4:21:32PM I'll take it friendly amendment, stipulation to continuing this that we have the five-minute discussion. There we go.

Naya Young

4:21:37PM We have the motion from board member clendenin. The second from board member Viera. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Okay. Wonderful. Good job. Good job.

Alan Clendenin

4:21:51PM Now who is the Schoolteacher?

Naya Young

4:21:53PM We're going to start with board member miranda. Okay. Board member maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

4:21:59PM Just real quick. I don't need the five minutes. In regards to the CIT, it was a hundred million dollars that --

Alan Clendenin

4:22:05PM Point of order. I would suggest that we gavel back in as City Council to take this as a combined meeting. Then people don't have to bifurcate the difference between CRA and City Council. Right now we're only in the CRA meeting.

Guido Maniscalco

4:22:22PM The bonding of the CRA, one hundred million dollars -- looking at this MOU, the CRA bonded $100 million. Who takes -- who pays the interest on that and how long is the bonding for? 30 years. In terms of who pays the interest at least initially, it has to be the rays only because, and I think They envisioned themselves, but you can talk to them as the primary obliger. In order to pay back bonds with TIF, you have to have TIF. We don't. Their proposal is understood from the MOU. Everything in the MOU has been said repeatedly. Particularly for the CRA because I insisted on it. They are all separate issues. Extending the CRA separate issue. Amending the plan, separate issue. Agreeing to the amount of the bonding, separate issue. Agreement to the structure of the bond, separate issue and on and on. I'll say perhaps some skepticism at the beginning, as I promised I would, asked to tell you They agreed to everything I asked for which is good because I wouldn't have agreed if They didn't. They did agree to everything I asked for. That's why it's all future decisions to be made by you all.

4:23:45PM Last question regarding that, I saw within the CRA, the rays will pay rent. What was that specific? If the money isn't generated --

Cliff Shepard

4:23:55PM As I understand that, that is the mechanism by which once we are generating money, we would use it as a rent payment so it's legal towards structures that we're allowed to pay rent for. Because, again, the overarching problem, or one of the overarching problems, CRA world, we can only spend TIF under certain things that are legal under the Statute, both 163387 and 163370. If it doesn't fall into one of those categories and a lot of the stadium stuff doesn't, then you have a problem. The question is, how do you get the money and use it to help defray some of the costs but in a legal manner. And their structure, at least the one on the table, is as a rent payment based on TIF that's generated that then they would use to pay back bonds but unknown is how we account for it in a way that will always be auditable back to expenses we can't pay for. That's an unknown that has to be cooked into future parts of the deal.

Guido Maniscalco

4:25:04PM Okay. Thank you very much.

Naya Young

4:25:05PM Board member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

4:25:07PM Thank you. The plan to use the Drew Park CRA bonds is a bigger issue than the use of CIT money for three reasons: financial, legal, and political. Financially, the CRA has never bonded. We do not have a credit rating. The bonds will be taxable and privately placed with an investor. Without bidding on the open market, suggesting the bonds will be below investment grade and will have to be paid out at higher interest rate than our standard tax-exempt municipal bonds. Basically, it means that if you right now, if you have no credit, you can't get a credit card or you can't get -- you can't buy a house. You don't have credit, you don't have anything. So we have no credit. So what we're doing for Solid Waste, for example, is we floated a small line of credit to Solid Waste to build up its ability to go out and get a loan to pay for all the Solid Waste that we're about to redo. We don't have that option as the CRA. Secondly, and far more importantly, rewriting the Drew Park Community Redevelopment Plan to include a baseball stadium will take between two and three years to process, mandated Chapter 163 Part 3 of the Florida Statute, which Ms. Scharf is putting up on the thing right now. This process includes but is not limited to Planning Commission approval, public hearings, and adaptation -- or of the Comprehensive Plan. What's on the board now is the amount of time it took to do the last three CRP updates. Central Park two years, ten months. Tampa Heights, two years, ten months. Downtown, three years, three months. And the Drew Park CRP hasn't been touched since 2004. It's due, but it's not going to be quick. But, I mean, ideally it is a good thing because it illustrates how robust our CRA system is here. It prevents or is supposed to prevent this kind of runaway project. So, yeah, i'll leave it at that.

Naya Young

4:27:23PM Board member clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

4:27:27PM You know, one, I want to thank the staff, the County Staff, all the folks over there part of the negotiation process, Eric HART, our executive director at the TSA, and our City Staff, our city attorney, John Bennett, Dennis Rogero and everybody at the city. I've said from day one, I always supported the concept of having a Rays Stadium in the City Of Tampa, but only if we could afford it. So I always said, there are a lot of things I want in the City Of Tampa that we can't afford. Always said from day one if we can afford it. I was so pleasantly surprised when I saw this nonbinding MOU because it occurred to me instantly, hey, this is the framework of affordability and it really was a good deal for the City Of Tampa. Honestly, it's a steal for the City Of Tampa. We really got more than our fair share and I will applaud our City Staff for negotiating what they did, and Cliff Shepard from the CRA portion, to be able to protect the city and protect the CRA. What they did with the carve-outs of the stadium construction area, the 120 acres, backstopping. From the beginning, I was so honestly so pleasantly surprised because I thought this would be a much heavier lift for the City Of Tampa. That being said honestly, I mean, everybody knows on both sides that this agreement needed to be tweaked. If it didn't need to be tweaked, it would have came to us as a binding MOU and not a nonbinding MOU. We all knew walking into this room today that there would be work to be done. My intention when we go back to the council session is i'll ask the same question, because obviously what was said before, what does council need to get to get to yes? I think that's what everybody needs to say today. What do you need that is realistic, again, taking into account this is a good deal. You're not going to get the sky and the moon. Settle for half of the sky and take it as a win, but what do we need to get to get to yes. I think that's what our City Staff deserves to hear from this council or this board and I think that's what the rays deserve to hear from this board as well.

Naya Young

4:29:58PM Board member Viera.

Luis Viera

4:29:59PM Thank you, Madam Chair. Number one, I talked about public safety. Promises have been made to Police and Fire, and we want to see how those promises becoming binding and enforceable. Promises have been made to these folks so we all know are the best people around. They've had their hearts broken before over 10, 20, 30 years, and on different things. And we don't want them to break again there. So treat them right, right. Number two, Hcc, there's been a lot of discussions on the $150 million is that sufficient, what if there are cost overruns, while it's not directly related to our vote here, more assurance if you will on that because that is such a special community asset with wonderful people, including a young man named Luis Viera Junior, by the way, obviously a lot going on there. Housing, a lot of folks have talked about affordable housing, the cost of living is one of the biggest issues in Florida, throughout the united states and something like this could have adverse effects on that and we want to make sure there are real robust efforts made for affordable and Workforce Housing, affordable housing for lower income folks and then Workforce Housing for working-class people there. Very important. Community Benefits Agreement, apprenticeship, skill trade apprenticeships, that's huge. Making sure they are state certified, real apprenticeships, local workers, councilwoman young brought up Returning Citizens. I think that's wonderful. Taking a look, we can talk about the other assets, Raymond James Stadium, and then, obviously, dialogue with our good friends at Drew Park. Those are just some things really fast, not to take up my full three or five minutes. Thank you.

Naya Young

4:31:48PM Board member Carlson.

Bill Carlson

4:31:50PM Philosophically, i'm against tax abatements for the reason I mentioned before. Sometimes Folks come to us and say, well, our project is going to be generating $10 million in tax revenue, so we'll take that back, but the thousands of other property owners out there don't get that. And it's not fair to everyone else that some get it and some don't. In the case of a Special Amenity like this, maybe there is a way to work it out. I'm generally against giving subsidies to one private investor versus another because they are still competing with each other. They still have to go for the same tenants or Folks to sell the property to. I'm talking about the private development that goes around this. In terms of the CRA, I proposed, we mentioned earlier, that there be a special TIF or shrink the CRA limits. There is a question about is it fair to the rest of Drew Park that their tax money is going to be trapped in this deal? They are not generating that much right now anyway. Shrink the size of the CRA to make it just around this project. And then we could set up a virtual CRA around the rest of Drew Park and put some infrastructure in there. Or we could do the opposite and move this out of it and set up a separate TIF. The idea I had in the beginning is the county has entrusted us to manage nine CRA districts for 30 years or more. Why not give this one back to them and let the county manage this one? Let them be in charge of it. Somebody Along The Way said no to that right away. We could have had that deal done already where we hand it back to them. The CRA as it is is not that active. But there are a lot of things we could put in an Interlocal Agreement. One is, we tried at one point to slightly expand the boundaries of the ybor CRA. We had tried to extend the deadline I think of the East Tampa CRA. We had tried to cut -- I anyway had tried to cut the Downtown CRA by half or cap it where it is right now. Folks who have broken roads and broken sidewalks or lack of sidewalks and broken parks around the city don't understand why downtown gets all these great amenities and none of it goes to the rest of the city. Also, all of our property tax money, except for the CRA, goes to police and fire. We know we need more police officers. We need fire stations. Why is it that that money is trapped in downtown? We have the benefit of development. Downtown has been successful being developed, why wouldn't we put a cap on it? I think if we open up the Interlocal Agreement, which the administration was against, but now apparently is for, then we should open the box to do all these things. I have a lot more to discuss, but it would take more than five minutes. To Council Member Hurtak's point, when the administration wants something, they do it quickly. When they don't want something, it goes slow or when they don't care. I imagine changing the Community Redevelopment Plan, they'll probably figure out a way to do that really quickly.

Naya Young

4:35:05PM That concludes our first round. Now we're going to second round with three minutes. Board member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

4:35:11PM I have a question for Mr. Shepard. I thought we were carving this portion out of the Drew Park CRA.

Cliff Shepard

4:35:24PM If you mean by that the actual land.

Lynn Hurtak

4:35:27PM Yes.

Cliff Shepard

4:35:28PM The plan as proposed by the rays and I don't know if it was initially planned because I wasn't brought in until a couple of weeks before we deliver the product, it was to have -- call it rebate for lack of a better term because I think ultimately that's what it amounts to. You called it an abatement. It is sort of a rebate. It is supposed to be just governing the land that they own or control.

Lynn Hurtak

4:35:56PM So the rest of the Drew Park CRA will continue normally I guess. That's the way I understood it. I love and second because we talked about this before, bringing, expanding the ybor CRA and extending the East Tampa CRA to the table. I think that has to happen. And I don't have a problem with continuing -- with considering at least lowering the Downtown CRA. So, yeah. I still really want to see a TIF or cdd plan instead of using CRA funds. If you want to know what I actually want, that's what I want. And it will be hard to get me to yes without that.

Alan Clendenin

4:36:55PM Question, Councilwoman Hurtak, if the plan is to carve out the redevelopment area from the rest of the CRA and the CRA still continues to operate and obviously get percolated effects because of the construction, how would that differ?

Lynn Hurtak

4:37:13PM Well, because the money that is used -- that is collected in the rays' portion. This Is The Way I like to explain it. This is the little square of Drew Park. This is the Stadium. And the Stadium, the money that is collected here will stay here. The money that's collected here will stay here. That's how it's done.

Alan Clendenin

4:37:35PM I believe as far as my understanding, Mr. Shepard, wasn't that sort of the concept of the Agreement?

Lynn Hurtak

4:37:42PM Yes, that is --

Alan Clendenin

4:37:44PM How does that differ from what you're asking for? Other than just names and financial mechanisms.

Lynn Hurtak

4:37:52PM For me, it is a financial mechanism because the issue is, and if Mr. Rogero is here, this is my question, this is what it amounts to. Hundred million dollars in bonds, if the City Of Tampa were to pull out a hundred million dollars in bonds, what would our rating be? What would our interest rate be? Right now.

Dennis Rogero

4:38:14PM The interest rate public as opposed to a private.

Lynn Hurtak

4:38:18PM Yeah, what we normally do.

Dennis Rogero

4:38:19PM Probably four and a half, five percent.

Lynn Hurtak

4:38:22PM Four and a half, five percent. If we have private bonds, since we don't have any credit rating what percentage are we looking at for those?

Dennis Rogero

4:38:30PM Now, that I don't know but it would be higher. It is a riskier issuance.

Lynn Hurtak

4:38:35PM And if the ultimate cost, so we always put 50%. So if it is a hundred million dollars, we just add 50 because that's generally where we are. We are about half. So that would be 150 million that the CRA would owe. But with this, it's going to be upwards of 180 million because that percentage increase really matters.

Dennis Rogero

4:38:59PM Dennis Rogero, chief financial officer. Want to add another x factor, if you will. This debt issuance is not anticipated to Take Place until 2030. It's anybody's guess what the market either public or private will be then.

Lynn Hurtak

4:39:14PM Okay. So that answers that. How can we not have -- how can we not issue it for four more years? Who is floating that hundred million in the meantime?

Dennis Rogero

4:39:27PM That particular component of the Funding Plan isn't needed until then.

Lynn Hurtak

4:39:33PM Okay.

Alan Clendenin

4:39:35PM Follow up on that issue.

Naya Young

4:39:38PM Board member clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

4:39:39PM Mr. Shepard, wasn't the deal, the nonbinding MOU portion of the deal that the money, the revenue that was generated for that hundred million dollars, if it did not materialize, so regardless of whatever the interest rate is, it was backstopped by --

Cliff Shepard

4:39:54PM It's actually interesting because it is sort of worded and sort of talked about as a backstop, but it's actually a front-stop. Because we won't have the money until they build the stuff that generates the TIF for us to contribute our portion.

Alan Clendenin

4:40:10PM Let's say the interest rate is 2% higher than normal city bond, wasn't there some assurances that if the revenue wasn't generated within that confined area, that that's where that backstop --

Cliff Shepard

4:40:24PM It would have to be for the very simple reason that it would be unsalable bonds even on the private market. Bonds are supposed to be safe. They can't be safe in an investment like Cras where the legislature in a year could say, yeah, we're not doing this anymore. They can't be safe when you have a bunch of unknowns. That is one of the reasons why I feel comfortable. I'm not trying to speak for the rays, but they realized we got to be in the front seat at least initially because there are no guarantees.

Alan Clendenin

4:40:54PM So the bottom line is the cost or exposure to the city is balanced out. There's no --

Cliff Shepard

4:41:01PM I'm not going to judge it, but I will say that you cannot -- the old expression, Mr. Miranda, you can't get blood out of a turnip, if we don't have it, we can't pay it. Not only would the rays know that, but the Bond Market would know that.

Alan Clendenin

4:41:17PM That's what I thought. Very good.

Naya Young

4:41:21PM Anybody else comments? Board member Carlson.

Bill Carlson

4:41:25PM Mr. Rogero, the Bonds that we approved for University of Tampa and other places, are we talking about using that kind of bond here? If not is that a possibility that we could do It That Way?

Dennis Rogero

4:41:40PM We have explored that. Again, what you're talking about is a Conduit Issuance. We've explored that. We just don't think the Public Purpose Test will be met as opposed to the University of Tampa, things like that.

Bill Carlson

4:41:53PM And then my understanding from the Rays is that they are going to do a Cdd, maybe ken would like to answer this. You have to have a funding source for the Cdd, right? So the idea is to -- to me, the advantage of a Cdd is Community Development District, is that the money would go into a private, instead of going directly to the Rays or one of their subsidiaries, it would go to an entity that is public that is overseen by a Public Board, although it May be controlled by the developer. And then it has to operate in the sunshine and Public Records. So it provides an extra level of protection for the public. And the Rays have already agreed to that. But you're planning on funding that out of these bonds or some other structure, right?

Ken Babby

4:42:50PM Chairwoman young, are we in CRA or council?

Naya Young

4:42:54PM We are in CRA.

Ken Babby

4:42:56PM Permission to respond to Councilman's question.

Naya Young

4:42:59PM Yes.

Ken Babby

4:43:00PM Thank you, Councilman Carlson. Thank you. As it relates to the CRA, I just want to say, we learned a lot today in this room. And I think we learned we have a lot more work to do, particularly in the community with Drew Park. I was pleased to hear it continued because I think we learned in this room that there's much more discussion that needs to happen around certainly the financial aspects which i'll respond to, but also the community impact and discussion. So we welcome that. And I think that work will begin today, and I want to give the CRA Board that assurance and council as well. As it relates to the financial impacts of the CRA, as contemplated, the rays are taking 100% of the risk. We call it a backstop, i'll let the attorneys and financial experts give it better language and vocabulary, but the notion is that we're going to pay what we're calling rent to backstop the CRA, if the funds are not there. Hundred percent of the notion of this is entirely on the rays. So I just want to make sure that's extremely clear. As it relates to the Cdd, Councilman, we desire to create that. We'd like to create it. We put in the language the ability and option to create it but want to partner with the city on exploring that.

Bill Carlson

4:44:15PM Eventually the Cdd could charge a fee or something.

Ken Babby

4:44:18PM Right, exactly.

Bill Carlson

4:44:21PM But you're looking to maybe --

Ken Babby

4:44:23PM That's right. That's something you asked us about early on and like to continue to explore that.

Bill Carlson

4:44:29PM I like cdds, I just got off a plane late last night from asia. If I messed up what a cdd. I like it because it creates an extra level of transparency for the public. The other question about the boundary of the CRA is it your understanding from the Existing Agreement that the area outside of your footprint, that money would stay used for other purposes or do you need all the money from the entire boundary of the CRA district?

Ken Babby

4:45:00PM I think we need to get back in the room Definitive Agreements to give you a proper and clear answer to the question. I'll defer to the MOU right now but admit we have more work to define the boundaries and the funding mechanisms as we move towards Definitive Agreements. I want to make sure I give you a clear answer to that and I think that has to come out of additional discussions with the city and the CRA Board and ultimately discussions we're having with Drew Park.

Bill Carlson

4:45:25PM That's something we still need to work out.

Ken Babby

4:45:28PM It is an unresolved issue.

Bill Carlson

4:45:31PM Reiterate your last point, anybody watching, we haven't killed the deal by delaying the CRA vote. You Guys are okay with us delaying the CRA vote.

Ken Babby

4:45:40PM Yes, that's correct. And actually appreciate the delay of the CRA vote because I think it allows us all collectively to work through the aspects of this that I know are important to Councilwoman Hurtak and others, the CRA Board chair. We want a deal and ultimately an agreement that everybody feels is good and fair and we're committed to doing that work. Thank you.

Bill Carlson

4:46:04PM One more thing for the public. When we sit as the CRA, we are the same people, we sit with different hats on. It's important because although we still have the same constituency of all the people within the city, we particularly have to plan out how the money is used in each of these districts. And there are Community Redevelopment Plans, there are separate laws that regard how the money can be used. That's why we have a separate attorney. So we have to think about it with different filters. Also, the mayor is not involved in the CRA. It's governed in a Completely Different Way. We might make Decisions One Way with one hat -- all the laws and rules and the constituents around it.

Naya Young

4:46:47PM I want to remind the Board that we have already voted to continue 1 and 2 to June 11. We have done our first round of five minutes, our second round of three minutes. We will do our final comments. I'll give you four minutes for the final comments and then we'll adjourn the meeting. We'll start with board member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

4:47:05PM I have a question for Mr. Rogero. When we're looking at the CRA extension for 30 years, we're basically saying that all property taxes in that district that have been added can only be used in that district.

Dennis Rogero

4:47:28PM Yes.

Lynn Hurtak

4:47:30PM So any gains that come from that district cannot be used anywhere else in the city.

Dennis Rogero

4:47:35PM Yes. Once you establish that baseline, everything over and above that is restricted as you --

Lynn Hurtak

4:47:41PM That is going to be one of my concerns, and why I would really love the rays to create a separate CRA for their project. Because I believe Drew Park, the rest of Drew Park will see if they see benefits, I don't know that we want to contain that for 30 years, and this is why. We look at Channel District right now. We just spent $50 million -- sorry, 35, on the ybor harbor project because we have so much money there that we can. We don't have enough -- we spent three and a half million dollars to buy an 8th of an acre for a park they really want. And that was three years ago. So my point being, I don't want to trap the money for long periods of time. So I really want to continue that discussion. That will be very important to me and see how -- maybe it continues for a little bit longer, but, again, if we have Drew Park CRA one and Drew Park CRA two, that's what we did with ybor. So I don't know -- I would really like to explore that more and see if the rest of the Drew Park CRA, what the community's interest is. I'm not comfortable continuing it for 30 more years. I'm concerned about that as far as the rest of the taxpayers go because we're going to have more needs for all of the things in that area, and we're not going to be able to fund them because none of that -- none of those property tax dollars will go back to any of our regular service.

Dennis Rogero

4:49:16PM Copy.

Naya Young

4:49:19PM Last comments? Board member Carlson.

Bill Carlson

4:49:22PM Yeah, just to reiterate that if folks are always frustrated and say, why is it that if property taxes are going up, the city can't afford to hire more Police Officers or pay for Fire Stations or pay to have our roads repaired and other things, well, if the money is in a CRA district, then it's in essence trapped there. If there's slum and blight and trying to eliminate poverty and find affordable housing, then it's justified. In a place like downtown there is no slum and blight, although some people make an argument there is a little bit, there really is. The rest of the city is frustrated because they subsidize that. South Tampa subsidizing downtown to have really nice sidewalks, when we don't have sidewalks and broken streets throughout South Tampa and the rest of the city is subsidizing it as well. Extending these for another 30 years when there might be a lot of development is a problem in the long run. If you draw a line around a particular project and funding that project, that's one thing. But we need to think carefully about how we would do this. My suggestion is that the rest of Drew Park not be involved in this, and we could set up what I call a virtual CRA where we say for the next ten years, we're going to create a formula where we count the money coming in from the rest of Drew Park and commit to spending the money there, just like we should with Sulphur Springs. That Way we are not committed and in 30 years, not committed to the legal bureaucracy of a CRA, but we can commit to spending money that is developed in a certain area, and we can commit to supporting a certain area. Right now, there's not that much coming from the rest of Drew Park and it's really not fair that they would -- if we're going to take what little they develop that we need to reinvest in that community, that we take that and put it in this. The new money that is really going to be significant money is going to come from this project, so if we're going to limit it, we should limit it in That Way by either creating an additional CRA or creating a separative or something. My suggestion also, though, going back to the very first conversation I had on this, is that if we do that, I think we ought to let the county run it. In the Interlocal Agreement we can specify that the county commission would be in charge of it instead of City Council and then let the county decide how that would be run within that project. City Council doesn't need to be involved.

Naya Young

4:51:41PM All right. Okay. Board member miranda, last comment and then we're going to adjourn.

Charlie Miranda

4:51:49PM So the CRA now in Drew Park, about 3 million a year?

Cedric Mccray

4:51:57PM Tampa CRA director. I believe the TIF allocation for FY '26 was 3.8 Million.

Charlie Miranda

4:52:06PM 3.8. Looking at a small amount compared to others.

Cedric Mccray

4:52:12PM That's correct.

Charlie Miranda

4:52:12PM Is that the one we're bonding now also?

Cedric Mccray

4:52:16PM No.

Charlie Miranda

4:52:17PM We're not.

4:52:19PM Not yet. But that's on the books, right. Let me understand this. We're putting that burden on the little CRA, $3 million a year at ten years is 30 million, but the rays, if I remember and trying to dig old grave, front load it and want us to pay the interest on the bond we -- is that correct?

4:52:43PM You're paying the interest. Thank you very much. That clears that part. So now, that CRA has an interest to grow but now you want to carve out the interest that's growing and They have been maintaining themselves so what benefit do They have? None. That's all. Thank you.

Naya Young

4:53:11PM All right. I would just end with it's obvious that there is a lot of conversation that still needs to be had regarding the CRA. I think allowing the board members to speak so you all have a little bit more when you go back to the table and to the drawing board to figure out how and if this is possible. Just for the public, we already made the motion to continue this item to June 11 CRA meeting. Do we have any new business? For our CRA? You did appoint me as chair. Let me do my job. [ laughter ] board member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

4:54:01PM Yes. I'm going to request now that Everyone look at the June 11 Agenda and see if there's anything you can move off of it. Because this is the only chance for us to do that sitting as the CRA.

Alan Clendenin

4:54:15PM I have one item which I had continued. I'm going to continue to have the conversation from the staff. I'll remove that item from the agenda.

Lynn Hurtak

4:54:24PM Can you read it?

Alan Clendenin

4:54:26PM The item is continued CRA Staff to discuss not having funding limits on special requests, special projects and funding requests further discuss how to present the board for evaluation on a cycle. It's an important conversation but i'll have sidebar conversations with staff off-line and bring it back at a future date.

Naya Young

4:54:50PM Board member Viera.

Lynn Hurtak

4:54:52PM He made a motion and I seconded it.

Naya Young

4:54:55PM Motion by board member clendenin, second by board member Hurtak. All in favor? Any opposed? Board member Viera.

Luis Viera

4:55:01PM I have a motion on CRA Staff with Curtis Hixon Park. Glad to move that to July.

Naya Young

4:55:08PM We have a motion by board member Viera to move his item, second by board member maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. Board member Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

4:55:21PM I'm concerned about moving the housing discussion because that was a money discussion so we could talk about it in July for the budget. I'm going to leave mine on.

Naya Young

4:55:34PM Board member Carlson.

Bill Carlson

4:55:36PM We have a Monthly Update on Tampa Union Station, I would make a motion to remove it from the June meeting.

Naya Young

4:55:45PM Motion by Board member Carlson. All in favor, any opposed? Any other new business?

4:56:03PM Have a motion to receive and file by board member maniscalco. A second from Vice-Chair Viera. All in favor?

Bill Carlson

4:56:13PM Were we supposed to take public comment on CRA meeting?

Naya Young

4:56:17PM No, we did that earlier, when we did the combined public comment. Director Mccray.

Cedric Mccray

4:56:26PM Good afternoon again. I did hear the housing item that came up. We also, if you recall, we had the workshop in March. We are also scheduled to come back on the 11th to discuss the commercial grants updates in the funding cycle. I just wanted to highlight that is also on the agenda for June 11.

Alan Clendenin

4:56:49PM Should be fun.

Naya Young

4:56:54PM A motion to receive and file by board member maniscalco. A second from Vice-Chair Viera. All in favor? All righty. And this Community Redevelopment Agency meeting is adjourned. I will pass the gavel back to our Chair Clendenin. [ sounding gavel ] [ sounding gavel ]

Alan Clendenin

4:57:14PM Call this Tampa City Council meeting to order. Roll call, please.

Guido Maniscalco

4:57:20PM Here.

Lynn Hurtak

4:57:21PM Here.

Naya Young

4:57:23PM Here -- [ sounding gavel ]

Alan Clendenin

4:57:25PM Come to order, please. Take your conversations outside.

Luis Viera

4:57:30PM Here.

Bill Carlson

4:57:31PM Here.

Alan Clendenin

4:57:32PM Here.

The Clerk

4:57:32PM We have a quorum.

Alan Clendenin

4:57:34PM Remember, we are still meeting as Tampa City Council.

Luis Viera

4:57:37PM On a procedural issue, it's My Brother's birthday was yesterday. We're celebrating it this evening. I already told My Mom I would be a little bit late but I probably want to leave around 6:00 just to let you know.

Alan Clendenin

4:57:54PM I would suggest minimizing your comments. Can I get a motion to open the 10:30 public hearings? Motion to open 10:30 public hearings from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from Councilman Viera. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Item 53.

Eric Cotton

4:58:28PM Eric Cotton, Development Coordination. This is a continuation of the second portion of the July 2025 --

Alan Clendenin

4:58:41PM Hold on eric. [ sounding gavel ] ken, everybody else that's talking in the audience, please remove yourself from Council Chambers. Thank you. Go ahead.

Eric Cotton

4:58:53PM If you recall from the usual, we have two cycles a year. This is the July 2025 cycle. Large chunk of this cycle was interrupted by Senate Bill 180. These are some of the stuff, this is the second half of still existing. May 21st. In two weeks on June 4, what we're going to bring, what we presented last Thursday night, and what we're presenting tonight back together for the adoption hearing of the changes in the code. This is for article 2, Division 8. Subdivision Regulations. This is a comprehensive update of what's in the code now. This is precipitated by two laws passed by the Florida Statute that preempted some of our regulations. One was done in 2024. The other one was done in 2025. Now 2026 and we're here in front of you all. Plats as you know are now approved administratively. They don't go to City Council. That's one of the changes at this point. Administrator for Economic -- Development and Economic Opportunity signs off on the Plats once they go through the process. Council still approves the subdivider agreement. Established time frames for processing applications. Plat reviews are active for 12 months. We have a Zoning Covenant that's been around since the 1980s. Codifying that. Been doing it by practice and also updating the subdivision handbook which is the technical standards of the code. Just some highlights of the changes, Florida Statute now gives the city seven days to either, when somebody submits an application to either approve or deny for completeness. What we're doing internally is we're starting the seven days. I apply for a subdivision, I get my seven days, I say, the city says back to me, your application is incomplete, by Statute we could just reject the application. We would then say to the applicant, please correct it and we'll start your seven days again so we don't keep putting people in and out of the process because that's sort of burdensome on the applicant themselves. For a Preliminary Plat, Ppt, from the approval of that to the submittal of the Construction Drawings, the Infrastructure Drawings that go along with the plat, we're asking for SIX month time frame. The infrastructure, Construction Drawings are good for two years once they are approved. From the final date of fpt, which is the Final Plat, we're requesting one-year to get it done. There is an extension available, if need be. That is the Eric Cotton version of the changes as quickly as I possibly could give given the late hour. Does council have any questions?

Alan Clendenin

5:01:58PM Brevity is appreciated. Council have any questions? We have a substitute. Anybody in the public who wishes to speak to this item? Councilman Maniscalco, did you say you are ready to --

Guido Maniscalco

5:02:12PM The Substitute. I saw that and I would have still done it. Motion to close the public hearing.

Alan Clendenin

5:02:18PM Motion to close from Councilwoman Hurtak. Second from Councilman Viera. All in favor, aye. Ayes have it. Councilman Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

5:02:25PM I have a substitute ordinance being presented for first reading consideration, an ordinance of the City Of Tampa, Florida, relating to publicly initiated text amendments to consider comprehensive amendments to the City Of Tampa Code of Ordinances, amending Section 27-6, Establishment of Land Development Code, amending Chapter 27, Zoning and Land Development, Article 2, Administrative and General Procedures, Division 8, Subdivision Procedures, providing for severability, repealing all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict therewith, providing an effective date.

Alan Clendenin

5:02:54PM Motion from Councilman Maniscalco. A second from Councilman Viera. I want to thank Dana Crosby Collier for the substitute amendment or title, please. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Thank you so much. I have a motion to open 1:30 public hearing from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from miranda. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. If you are here to speak to the 1:30 public hearing, it is a quasi-judicial procedure, please stand, raise your right hand and be sworn in by our clerk. [Oath administered] okay. We're going to read the announcement of second reading and adoption from the clerk.

Martin Shelby

5:03:52PM What number and what case?

The Clerk

5:03:56PM Item 53, File E 2026-8 Chapter 27, second reading and adoption held on June 18, 2026, at 10 a.m., Old city hall, third floor, 315 East Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, Florida, 33602.

Alan Clendenin

5:04:10PM Thank you, q. Good catch. Now we're ready. Item Number 55. Item 55 is review hearing for the property located at 704 North Glen Avenue. SU 1 Special Use Application. SU 1-2518. The Petitioner is Jeffrey Sardisco. He requested City Staff to review the project for a dwelling single-family attached development. Staff denied the application. The request on February 25 of 2026 on the basis that it does not meet the criteria that's outlined in Code Section 27-132. City Staff will provide more information about the denial of the application. City Council should have in your packets Code Section 27-61 which governs the review hearing process regarding this matter. Also, I provided sample motions and the rules of procedure for City Council to use in order to conduct this review hearing. As stated in Code Section 27-61, Subsection J-3, standard of review for this matter is de novo review, which means that City Council can accept new information and evidence regarding this matter. After you hear all the evidence and hear from the witnesses regarding this matter, City Council can take two actions. City Council can affirm the decision -- City Council can affirm the decision of the Zoning Administrator and deny the application for the single-family dwelling attached unit or City Council can overturn the decision of the Zoning Administrator which would then approve the special use -- the application request by the Petitioner. I'm available if you have any questions, but you have the packets. I will now turn it over to City Staff to provide you further information regarding the project.

5:06:20PM Does council have questions on procedure? Hearing none, go ahead. Laura Marley, Development and Growth Management. File SU 1-26-18. Petitioner 704 Glen LLC, Jeffrey Sardisco. The address is 704 North Glen Avenue. The zoning is RO 1. Future land use is r-20. Special use request to single-family attached dwelling units. Here is the aerial of the property. The area is in red. The Code Requirements, shall have direct access to an Arterial Collector Street. Both north glen and lemon are local roads and the site complies with the criteria of RM 24. Single-family attached not less than three or more than 8 dwellings. The road classification, north glen is local. West lemon is local. Here is the subject property. It is next to Hamilton Engineering, Bright House Networks, listo 365 advertising and two sons of Italy lodge. Here is the site plan. Here is two units. And this one has three units. It is accessing glen and Lemon Street. Any questions?

5:07:55PM Council have any questions? Councilman Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

5:07:57PM Can you please put the map up -- how far is it from the Sons of Italy and bright house and everything? This is glen. Down here is Lemon. So right Across The Street of glen, Sons of Italy.

Alan Clendenin

5:08:18PM Very good. Applicant? I'm Jeff Sardisco. There is the Proposed Site Plan. As you can see, you have two units on glen. You have Cypress directly to the north. Three units facing lemon with himes directly to the west. Just five units, pretty straightforward. Any questions?

Guido Maniscalco

5:08:51PM Is it an empty lot right now?

5:08:56PM But vacant. And i'm surrounded by commercial. Residential Office, RM 24, Local Road.

Alan Clendenin

5:09:05PM Any other questions?

Charlie Miranda

5:09:06PM Is that the one on Lincoln about a block and a half in from cypress? It's directly Across The Street. Directly to the west of the Sons of Italy.

5:09:23PM Been there a long time, vacant for some period of time. I went in it once to look at it when building, what in the world is this? It's been vacant for 40 years. I have the Spectrum Building to the north. I have the engineering. So i'm just surrounded by commercial.

Alan Clendenin

5:09:47PM Any other questions? Anybody in the public that wishes to speak to this item? Motion to close from Councilwoman Hurtak. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

5:10:01PM I move to overturn the Zoning Administrator's denial of SU 1-26-18 for the property located at 704 North Glen Avenue because the Petitioner provided competent and substantial evidence to waive the specific criteria to have direct access to an arterial or Collector Street for dwelling single-family attached as set forth in City of Tampa Code Section 27-132 for the following reasons: because it's surrounded by commercial and it's providing five more houses.

Alan Clendenin

5:10:34PM Motion from Councilwoman Hurtak. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it.

5:10:43PM Thank you. Now per council decision, we are going to move to Item Number 65. Alessi. It had to be amended.

5:11:09PM That's all that is keeping you here.

Steve Michelini

5:11:11PM Only thing i'm here for now.

Alan Clendenin

5:11:14PM Any --

Luis Viera

5:11:16PM I want to be respectful of fire chief time.

Alan Clendenin

5:11:20PM We'll hear Item 57, staff. 30 seconds. Here for first reading to change location of Honorary Street sign for Phil Alessi Senior from the intersection of West Cypress Street and North Paddock Street to the intersection of West Cypress Street and North Gomez Avenue in Tampa. I'm available if you have any questions.

5:11:49PM Staff have any questions? Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

5:11:51PM Is this because they moved?

5:11:54PM That's what we figured. Great.

Alan Clendenin

5:11:56PM Councilman Maniscalco, you want to read this? Anybody in the public wishing to speak to this item? Motion to close from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from Councilman Miranda. All in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Councilman Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

5:12:09PM I have an ordinance being presented for first reading, ordinance of the City Of Tampa, Florida, amending Ordinance 2023-156 to change the location of the Honorary Street sign for Phil Alessi Senior from the intersection of West Cypress Street and North Paddock Street to the intersection of West Cypress Street and North Gomez Avenue in Tampa, Florida, providing an effective date.

Alan Clendenin

5:12:29PM Motion from maniscalco, second from miranda. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

The Clerk

5:12:34PM Seconding reading and adoption June 18, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. Old city hall, 315 East Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, Florida, 33602.

Alan Clendenin

5:12:45PM Thank you. Item Number 65, please.

Luis Viera

5:12:51PM For this, we're going to -- what I suggest is we do five, five, five, which is, I know we have Local 754 here. We have Chief Tripp here. Chief Tripp, if you would like to go, ma'am, present, speak. How about since you are there, you go. Purposes of time, obviously, ma'am, if you need more, please let us know.

Chief Tripp

5:13:20PM Good afternoon, council. Barbara Tripp, fire chief for Tampa Fire Rescue. I'll have a discussion based on a memo I received as far as relocating one of the apparatus from up in New Tampa. Just for the individuals not here, approximately three years ago, give you a little update, when we talk about response time. Different areas of response time that you want to take into consideration. You have dispatch time, turn-out time, travel time, and then, of course, that would equal up to the response time. So try to make it quick. Recently, due to reviewing some of the data and, of course, all of the needs that have been going on, downtown Tampa, South Tampa, North Tampa, everything that's been going on, me and my administration and staff looked at some of the data to see what we can do because, of course, we come here to City Council to constantly hearing about helping downtown Tampa, downtown Tampa. I have added some additional resources to Station One to help with the additional Calls Taking Place by Station One. We added another engine to that station. Of course, Manpower Permits, we put that unit into service as well as transport unit rescue car which decreased -- for the staff. As I look for, we talk about the high-rise that's here in the area, we do have another vehicle that's on order. When I say area truck, that's currently in the pre-con phase to be given to Tampa Fire Rescue in like 36 to 48 months. That's how long it takes. With that being said, the reason the vehicle was relocated, just to give you an idea of some of the information. When you look at this sheet here, you talk about how many units and this just goes to show some of the reasons some of the decisions were made. I just put downtown Tampa and I just did engine one. Like I say, engine 26 is another unit that we just started running calls to try to help decrease the amount of calls. Same thing with Rescue One. Rescue One and engine one, the only two units downtown. I've added rescue 6. As you can see, the volume is levelizing out. I go to truck one, look at the amount of calls they have. I also put the total runs for all of my trucks throughout the City Of Tampa currently. I have SIX trucks throughout the City Of Tampa. And you look at the call volume. Look at the numbers of calls and, of course, 23 shows -- that's definitely been underutilized. The Best Place to bring it is to bring it down here to assist with the high-rise that's down here. As we continue to grow and look at the data and stuff, you know, that unit will be put where it's needed. Talk about New Tampa and response time, probably about three years ago -- I don't know how to zoom this out -- probably about three years ago when we had this conversation about the response time in New Tampa, a couple of the areas that I did bring up was getting into K-Bar. K-bar actually has three box numbers that we look at 262, 63, 264. And those are the numbers for K-Bar. Currently we have Station 22 which is the first line unit that responds to K-Bar. I even brought up about trying to have a cut-thru or Access Road off of morris bridge that would be able to get into that subdivision quicker. Due to the travel time and, of course, a lot of that deals with development of how they do the streets and develop the roads and stuff. So I don't know if the Developers are thinking about as far as emergency response or public safety coming in. So I think the Most Quickest Way to be able to assist with the response time for K-Bar ranch would be to have -- i'm sorry, a cut through. The bottom part of the chart, talks about the travel time. Basically this is the travel time. The first sheet that I showed you, it talked about dispatch time, turn out time, travel time. That would give you a response time. If you look at the travel time. This is the travel time for those units that's up in district five. I have additional information and i'll make it real quick. This is pretty much some additional data that I wanted to show. This is for fiscal year 23. As you can see, as far as the call volume for that apparatus, this is for fiscal year '24. Of course, I highlight it as well. And this is for fiscal year '25. Actually, calendar year. My apologies. All of them are calendar years, not fiscal years. Just wanted to show you as far as that vehicle being underutilized. The vehicle was relocated on May -- sorry, yes, May 17. And from May 17, the previous call prior to that, just to give you an idea, put in the addresses or anything in there, it shows it's been ten days since the vehicle has been used. So that was one of the purposes. So when you start looking at why this vehicle was utilized or relocated, it's definitely utilized where it needs to be utilized. Once the new vehicle come in, we will review the data Again And Place it where it needs to go. Another Place like to put a vehicle, especially of this type is down in South Tampa. South Tampa has grown up and the closest truck or aerial truck that respond to anything south of Gandy is off of Church and Neptune. I do have additional data, but i'll go ahead since I know we're pushing for time, any questions you have? I have more information if you need it.

Alan Clendenin

5:19:32PM Council have any questions? Recognize Councilman Viera.

Luis Viera

5:19:35PM What I was going to do, if I May, for the purposes of time, if chief tripp is done, then to recognize the union for no more than five minutes. Then I have something to say and I was going to make a motion on a workshop on this for the purposes of time. This is a very important issue as i'll talk about. Is that okay, Mr. Chairman?

Alan Clendenin

5:19:54PM Council have any questions of the chief? Hearing none, go ahead.

Luis Viera

5:19:57PM Thank you, ma'am. Appreciate it.

Chief Tripp

5:20:00PM As far as operational feasibility for that area, it has not been impacted at all with this move. When we talk about k-bar, that vehicle do not run into k-bar. That is not the first line. I have more data that you can see that in 2024 that that vehicle went to k-bar area once. If you look, this is the first time in 2024, and, of course, it went one time in that area. By relocating that vehicle, don't have any operational changes.

Luis Viera

5:20:38PM Thank you, chief. If I May recognize Local 754.

Alan Clendenin

5:20:57PM Iff going to speak as well.

Luis Viera

5:20:59PM Yes, that was part of the motion.

Alan Clendenin

5:21:16PM Upside down. Good evening, council. Walter Hill. I am the legislative vice president of Tampa Firefighters Local 754. I want to start off today with this Qr Code. I want to make sure it's available for everybody. Chief Tripp, thank you for the data that was presented today. I think that maybe some of the workshop talk points could be analyzing that data. If you scan this, this is what was put together by our international. This is what we call our GIS Study. Inside of this, all the data was derived from city-provided information, CAD data, and it was put through by people much smarter than me that decided where all the resources are needed. Our position today is essentially derived from this data. The study evaluates emergency response, travel times, station coverage, service demand across the city. Our concern is not based on politics or speculation. It's based on what was provided here in this, and this is kind of LED to today. Based on the data provided from the city, these are travel times across the last four, five years. This here breaks it down in times that are under four minutes, unable to be calculated and over four minutes. Obviously, we're shooting of timeline for four minutes, and as you can see we have quite a few that are high percentage that are not meeting that standard. Chief Tripp did kind of go into the different parts of travel time from dispatch to time that you are on the road. Four minutes is the standard as you can see here, it goes from 8:23 up to 8:50 on data. Consistently gone up in time throughout the years. And the city is growing, more calls, more traffic, more potholes. So that affects our department's arriving on time. It is especially critical when it -- we're here to express these concerns. Let me be clear, this is not about saying that New Tampa needs more coverage or Ybor City needs more coverage. Pulling bun from the other. The entire city deserves the appropriate coverage. The entire city deserves to be responded to in appropriate amount of time. Every incident inside of the city deserves reliable, timely and properly staffed emergency response. Simply transferring a unit from one area that has a need to another area that has a need is not what we think is appropriate. Again, it's all derived by this. If you go through this website, it lays out everything from response times to population, to learning about 1710, to learning about how many firefighters should be staffed. We presented this a little bit before and kind of scraped the surface. I implore anybody in the city to dive into this to see what our data has put together for the city residents to understand what detriments there are in the city and resources for fire. This is response times based on the stations per our data. That was derived from the city. 1710 exists because response times directly affect survival and fire outcomes. It's not enough for help to eventually arrive. What matters is whether the right units arrive quickly. With the staffing necessary to operate safely and effectively. This is critical when it comes to a truck company. Truck Companies provide forcible entry, search and rescue, Ventilation, ladder operations and access to trapped victims. These are essential fire ground functions not optional ones. When you remove or relocate that capability from an area already experiencing some of the longest response times, you increase travel distance, delay the arrival of proper response force and increase the risk to residents and firefighters. The better solution in our opinion is to add capacity where the need exists. Tampa has successfully used -- units in the past to meet increased demands during high call volumes. That type of approach addresses demand without weakening coverage in another part of the city. If Ybor City needs additional coverage, the city should add those resources. Relocating from New Tampa is not a sustainable public safety option. We're looking to evaluate supplemental staffing strategies, including peak unit model instead of shifting those resources. Tampa is growing and our fire department must grow with it. We should strengthen that system, not stretch it thinner. Residents of New Tampa deserve dependable coverage. Residents of ybor deserve dependable coverage and firefighters of this city deserve staffing and equipment needs to do their job safely and effectively. Just to end, I implore everybody to go through this. It really shows you that four of the five top travel times are up in New Tampa. Moving units from that area, it's like we keep saying, you can't expect to us get better in an area by removing a unit from the area. There has to be somebody available to run the calls. It's not about the truck company only running a certain number of calls. It's about the Truck Companies being available to run the calls when necessary and that's kind of the Fire Service throughout.

5:27:02PM Thank you.

Luis Viera

5:27:04PM Thank you very much. As a courtesy, if I May, Mr. Chairman, did you want to take one minute for any response? And how long would you need? As a courtesy, ma'am.

Chief Tripp

5:27:15PM First of all, Barbara Tripp, fire chief. I don't understand even with this data that they have, there's no agency that do four minutes. We are accredited. We've been accredited for over the last 20 years. The whole conversation was about moving that vehicle. When you talk about response time, we know it's a problem their response time. I came to council and presented stuff to council. It's kind of disappointing to have like the union runs the Fire Department when are we going to look at what's needed and understand what this administration has put into service. We talked about 13. It's not so much that vehicle don't run in that area. No operational impact on the coverage that we're giving that community. Trust me. This administration will not put no citizen in harm. That is our goal, to continue to protect our community and service as well as property. So when you talk about that moving a vehicle, we know it's a response time. If you all want to donate -- don't want to use donate -- approve some additional funding to put a vehicle in K-Bar because K-Bar has been a problem, you know, and I tried to put another rescue car there. However you want to do it. If you have questions, i'm fine.

Luis Viera

5:28:36PM Thank you very much. Thank you for that, Chief Tripp. Thank you for that, Walter. It's funny, Chief Tripp, that you mention that about additional funding. That's going to be my larger point which is enough funding to empower you because the issue shouldn't be Channelside versus New Tampa. The issue should be a larger discussion of why are you having to make those decisions? That's kind of the way I see it. I brought this up, guys, because I was alerted about this from my constituents. Again, this is nothing against Channelside whatsoever. This is a larger issue, which is giving the Tampa Fire Department the resources that we need so we can go through all of the city and provide the best service, something that both sides obviously want 110%. There are certain objective Facts That Drive me here, which is number one, that a majority of the stations within the top five, longest response times are from New Tampa. That is a big challenge. That's clear, that's dispositive, et cetera. This is not something that's new. I don't want us to get to the point where we accept that as saying, well, they are going to be longer but fewer calls. I understand that there are fewer calls, but my constituents in 33647 want to make sure that response times are things that are dealt with. I'll talk about things that we can do for that in a workshop. There is the issue of the cut-thru. I have here a memo from August of 2025 from Tampa Fire Rescue, indicating that the completion could take about two years from August of 2025. And so i'll motion something on that, if I May. That is something that could help out a lot. And I don't know where we are at on the cut-thru. We last got updated about nine months on it. That is something. I don't care if it is a cut-thru, new station, 12 hail marys, I want something to take care of that issue, obviously. The bigger issue is us as a City Of Tampa, we just had a hearing on having our third professional sports team and we're having our fire department having to move an apparatus, or a vehicle from a place where we have known response time challenges and putting it somewhere where this council has said a long time, probably should have a separate fire station there a long time. What does that say about the amount of money we dedicate. When you say, Chief Tripp, you want to have a dialogue on money given to Tampa Fire Department, I want to have that, too. I think that is a wonderful thing to do. It goes without saying. You know, and I have other things to say on this. You mentioned -- I take a look at it from district 7 perspective. We've had a lot of the fire challenges here over the last few years. Station 13, you get in there Chief Tripp, home run. Lou Gehrig grand slam. Station 25, great win. Station 24 is forthcoming. Station 13, one of 23 stations took up one out of seven calls. Station 24, obviously, a while coming, it's going to be coming and that's a wonderful thing. K-Bar Ranch, years ago set to have its own station there, decisions were made to make 24 North Tampa as opposed to New Tampa station, when you look at those response times you ask there was a need there. So what happened? What i'm going to do if I May -- oh, and then there was an E-Mail that I got from the mayor's office, the constituent had, indicating that there were negotiations with the Crisis Center to provide additional medical coverage in the area, negotiations. And I think this was recently sent. It indicated that this truck was largely used for high-rise fires. Of course, used for a number of things. So what I want to do to keep this discussion moving, if I May, council, is on June 25th, I had a workshop that day on disability housing. I will remove that, right, and put it at a different time to have a workshop, specifically Chief Tripp on what you're talking about, which is more funding for Tampa Fire Rescue so that you don't have to make these kinds of decisions, right, to look at one area. Because, by the way, i'm a lawyer. I'm an elected official. I'm not a fire professional, right? So i'm not going to be one to say this area needs it. I think all areas need it. So we have to have that. My motion, if I May, is a workshop on 33647 response times in light of the moving of the apparatus including on a Plan of Action with response times including an update on the status with the developer on that cut-thru for January 25. Strike that, June 25. Again, this is not requesting, right, taking away that vehicle from Channelside or Ybor City. I'm not going to do that, because that's a discretionary choice you're making. I think the larger point is the larger point is why are we having to make those decisions? And that's what I want to talk about. That's my motion.

Alan Clendenin

5:33:36PM We have a motion and a second. We have a motion from Councilman Viera. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

5:33:43PM How many apparatus can you buy for $20 million?

Chief Tripp

5:33:51PM My area trucks are 2.6. And my engines are 1.2 Roughly. You figure if I get 10, I would have to mix them up. Probably only can get five trucks and a couple of engines.

Lynn Hurtak

5:34:08PM Five trucks and a couple of engines for $20 million. Just want to say that we had a long conversation today about spending $20 million not on fire trucks. That's all I got to say.

Chief Tripp

5:34:21PM I try to make the use of Taxpayers' dollars. And when we come to talking about this it's not so much Fire Stations, it's where the heat is. Wherever the heat is, is where we need to put the vehicles. We can put Fire Stations on every corner, if it's not needed, not utilized, what are we doing for the Taxpayers.

Alan Clendenin

5:34:41PM I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

Luis Viera

5:34:49PM Thank you all for your patience.

Alan Clendenin

5:34:50PM We are moving on to our last order of business, if I have that correct, if the clerk would check to make sure I haven't forgotten everything with everything being moved around. Item 56. Staff and the first speaker is going to be -- I recognize Morris Lopez. After the staff presents. And i'm going to hand -- my staff wants to speak to me about something. I'll hand this to you. I'm here for the first reading for the Honorary Street naming in honor of the late officer Morris Lopez. It is for the placement of an Honorary Street naming sign at the southeast corner of east 9th avenue at north 18th street in Tampa. I made a presentation to council on March 26. We posted this available for public comment March 27 through April 13 and we did not receive any comments. I'm available if you have any questions.

Lynn Hurtak

5:35:44PM Councilman Viera, did you want to start this out?

Luis Viera

5:35:47PM Thank you very much, madam chair. This is something, I started working on this with Assistant Chief Lopez who was here probably, I don't know, when Paul Guzzo article came out like two years ago, and we went through different things that we were looking at doing paying tribute to this great Tampa hero. We ultimately resolved it to be an Honorary Street renaming. It is an amazing story 7th and 16th in Ybor City. Some assassins, really, murdered Morris Lopez, a Tampa Police officer. And in his last heroic act, he got out of the way a paper boy and saved his life. I know morris, your grandfather, wanted to eventually become an attorney and become a judge I remember reading. And then the paper boy's son would serve with you on Hillsborough County fire. You would be his grandson and serve in Hillsborough County Fire Rescue as an assistant chief. I recently met your son nicholas a wonderful young man very cognizant of that legacy. If I May, madam chair, let chief lopez speak. Council, my name is Morris Lopez on behalf of my family, I want to simply say thank you for your consideration. And thinking about it, my grandfather served not only as City Of Tampa Police officer but also a navy veteran. So with Memorial Day approaching, this recognition is special. It's a reminder of how important it is that the city continues to honor important, very important that the city continues to honor those who served and sacrificed and helped build the culture of public service in Tampa. I think that's very important. And I would love to thank Mayor Jane Castor. She's always been a proponent of remembering our fallen folks and also Luis Viera for his championship and everyone for their consideration. This means a lot to my family, I just want you to personally know that. Thank you.

Lynn Hurtak

5:37:54PM Thank you very much. Council Member maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

5:37:55PM I think this is the least we can do for Your Grandfather's sacrifice. Like I mentioned earlier when this was first presented, people that May not have known Your Grandfather's name will see it on a street sign. Like I would do. Who is this? I google the person. Look them up. If you look up Your Grandfather, there is a page for fallen officers. And then at the Police Memorial most recently, every year, Your Grandfather's name is spoken. Your Grandfather is alive in many ways. And this is the smallest token of appreciation we can do for him. If he makes the motion, i'm happy to second it.

Luis Viera

5:38:43PM Thank you, Madam Chair. I did want to state that it is noteworthy that you and I met morris for the first time at Jesse Madsen's funeral Idlewild Baptist. Came up to me. I didn't know the story about your grandfather. Every time you talk about him, like a proper latin you tear up. You tear up, my friend. That day.

5:39:10PM Thank you for that. Thank you for that, morris. If anybody else --

Lynn Hurtak

5:39:15PM Go right ahead.

Luis Viera

5:39:17PM It's my pleasure to read an ordinance of the City Of Tampa, Florida, approving the placement of an Honorary Street naming sign at the southeast corner of east 9th avenue at north 18th street in Tampa, Florida, to honor officer Morris Lopez, providing an effective date.

Alan Clendenin

5:39:39PM We have a motion and we have a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. [ applause ]

The Clerk

5:39:48PM Second reading and adoption will be held on June 18, 2026, so a.m., Old city hall, third floor, 315 East Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, Florida, 33602.

Alan Clendenin

5:39:57PM That was the end of our regularly scheduled program. New Business, Councilman Carlson. Councilman Viera?

Luis Viera

5:40:04PM I'm out.

Alan Clendenin

5:40:04PM Thank you. Councilwoman Young. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

5:40:10PM Yes. We moved something to next week's workshop, the large format sign, so i'm moving something from that workshop to make room for it. I move to continue the following staff report scheduled for May 28, 2026 to our next available workshop, which is not until September 24, 2026. Council to discuss the creation of a Bike Pedestrian Advisory Committee and multimodal and pedestrian safety on roads, parks, and trails.

Alan Clendenin

5:40:40PM Motion from Councilwoman Hurtak. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Councilman Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

5:40:46PM Thank you very much. Today is my -- I used to say step daughter, but i'll say my daughter's birthday. She's 14 years old. I'm glad we're out at a reasonable time so I can get some cake and bring it home. Whitney, who is the perfect child because her mother is also perfect. So, you know. Happy birthday to her. And also to Lisa Edwards, my legislative aide. She has a birthday tomorrow and she has the day off so she can enjoy it and do whatever she wants. She is the best aide. She's very much appreciated. I say 90% of the success in my office is lisa and 10% hopefully me. Happy birthday to lisa.

Alan Clendenin

5:41:25PM As opposed to the critters that live under your desk. Councilman Miranda. Okay. Any thought about having discussion at the workshop from the City Council side at our next meeting next week about the rays stuff, like five minute stuff this time, concerning the city's part of it? The only reason I said that because of Councilman Carlson's comments about not wanting to vote for it next time. Basically what I would ask for, have a question, agenda item, how could you get to yes on that? Councilman Miranda, how would you get to yes?

Guido Maniscalco

5:42:05PM My thing is the CIT and i'll explain why.

Alan Clendenin

5:42:09PM Can we save this for next week? I'll make a motion --

Lynn Hurtak

5:42:15PM Chair, I recognize the chair to make a motion.

Alan Clendenin

5:42:18PM Make a motion that on next week's agenda that we set aside a discussion for how do we get to yes from the City Council perspective on the rays' MOU?

Lynn Hurtak

5:42:31PM Do we have a second? I know i'm the chair, but I would like to make a substitute motion. I think getting to yes is kind of a little much, but ways to move forward be what I would prefer to call it.

Bill Carlson

5:42:48PM How about ways to improve the process or something like that?

Lynn Hurtak

5:42:52PM Well, the process is kind of tricky because i've talked to both City Attorney and Mr. Shepard, so the other thing I wanted to consider and we could talk about it then, is the fact that we as a CRA May need to hire someone to act as our counsel or to act as our intermediate and go-between because all seven of us can't be there. Cliff is great, Mr. Shepard is great but he's only the legal aspect. We need a financial expert. I don't know if Ms. Kopesky has the time for that. That's a lot. Believe me, i've already had this conversation with her. I think that's part of it. But I want to have that conversation, too.

Alan Clendenin

5:43:39PM Push back a little bit, because at first -- that's fine. Then I kept thinking because I kept hearing that from Council Members today during discussion. They could have come to us to figure out how to get to yes. Why didn't They come to us to get to yes. That seems to be everybody's, lack of inappropriateness, butt hurt how to resolve that issue of come to us and talk to us individually, well, we can come to them with our --

Martin Shelby

5:44:06PM That is for what day?

Alan Clendenin

5:44:09PM Next week.

Martin Shelby

5:44:09PM First of all, IT Is a One-Week Motion, which is very difficult. Number two, I want to --

Alan Clendenin

5:44:15PM Just setting aside time for discussion.

Lynn Hurtak

5:44:18PM Could be under old business.

Martin Shelby

5:44:20PM Forgive me for saying this, what happens, there are a lot of people who are interested parties who won't even know that this thing is being set.

Alan Clendenin

5:44:31PM We could have that discussion now under New Business. If I want to say let's talk about it now. It's not going to be an ordinance. It's just discussion. Just what we had at the CRA today.

Martin Shelby

5:44:45PM You're saying you're not going to take any action.

Alan Clendenin

5:44:48PM No. It's just us giving input. Just us giving them input. What did we hear all day?

Martin Shelby

5:44:54PM Will they be here or watch on tv?

Alan Clendenin

5:44:58PM I don't care or watch it on tv. Don't matter to me.

Lynn Hurtak

5:45:01PM Motion from Chair Clendenin and a second from Councilman Maniscalco.

Bill Carlson

5:45:06PM What happened to the Substitute.

Lynn Hurtak

5:45:09PM He denied my substitute to change the wording.

Bill Carlson

5:45:19PM My concern is, I agree with Council Member Hurtak it should have a different title. Because it should be able to be a discussion among us with the public watching of us talking about what our concerns are and how to alleviate them. But what we don't need is 200 people showing up to talk about how much they love the rays again. So if you say how to get to yes, 200 people are going to show up.

Alan Clendenin

5:45:46PM How about council input on negotiations between the Trilateral Agreement.

Guido Maniscalco

5:45:53PM I'll second that.

Alan Clendenin

5:45:59PM Actually quad lateral.

Charlie Miranda

5:46:05PM I really believe what you said. Factual that there are a lot of individuals that do this. They know numbers much better than we do. Look into the future, what it is. And They only look at not only what's there now, if it weren't there, what would replace. They got everything for free up to now. Everything was given to Them, including the land. There had to be a Plan Way back before we even knew this. Before this even was presented to us, They had to have it. If not, They couldn't be this far in advance. It is what it is. That's political. A 1 a 2.

Lynn Hurtak

5:46:42PM I have a motion from Chair Clendenin. A second from -- a substitute motion from Chair Clendenin, second from council member maniscalco. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Did you still have something?

Alan Clendenin

5:46:59PM Motion to receive and file from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from Councilman Miranda. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. 5:48 p.m., We're adjourned. [ sounding gavel ] disclaimer: this file represents an unedited version of realtime captioning which should neither be relied upon for complete accuracy nor used as a verbatim transcript. Any person who needs a verbatim transcript of the proceedings May need to hire a Court Reporter. ▶ meeting video no video recording available for this meeting. The information contained in these pages represents an unedited version of realtime captioning which should neither be relied upon for complete accuracy nor used as a verbatim transcript. Persons requiring a verbatim transcript May need to hire a Court Reporter. © - City Of Tampa (813) 274-8211