DeSantis says state won’t build stadiums but will fund infrastructure, cites Hillsborough College site as example

When asked to justify state or local tax dollars going to a proposed baseball stadium owned by a private entity, Governor Ron DeSantis said the state has not funded stadium construction during his administration but will consider infrastructure investments tied to large projects.

"We're not doing at the state level money for stadiums... but what we do do is we do infrastructure around major things because I don't think people want to sit in traffic," DeSantis said, describing typical state support for roads, ingress and egress improvements and site remediation.

The governor noted the site under discussion sits on a Hillsborough College campus that needs renovations and said a reimagined campus with surrounding commercial development could justify infrastructure spending. He described such projects as public‑private and compared them to other stadium districts around the country.

What reporters asked and what the governor said: Reporters asked whether state or local tax dollars would be used for a privately owned stadium; DeSantis said the state has traditionally supported infrastructure (roads, traffic mitigation) rather than direct stadium construction and left decisions about local public investment to local governments.

Additional context: DeSantis referenced past state infrastructure work on other sporting venues and said competition among cities for a Major League Baseball franchise is a local and regional consideration; he did not specify exact funding amounts or commitments.