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County authorizes staff to pursue nonbinding MOU with Tampa Bay Rays for proposed ballpark at HCC Dale Mabry campus
Summary
Hillsborough County commissioners authorized staff to pursue negotiations under a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with the Tampa Bay Rays, the City of Tampa and the City of Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency to define terms for a proposed ballpark and surrounding redevelopment at the Hillsborough Community College Dale Mabry campus; the MOU does not change the county budget.
Hillsborough County commissioners on May 20 authorized county staff to pursue further negotiations under a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with the Tampa Bay Rays, the City of Tampa and the City of Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency to define construction, funding, ownership, use and long‑term maintenance of a proposed new ballpark and related redevelopment at the Hillsborough Community College Dale Mabry campus.
Demores, a Hillsborough County communications staffer, summarized the action and emphasized that approval of the nonbinding MOU “does not change the county's current budget nor create binding future commitments.”
The county said the authorization allows staff to negotiate “definitive agreements” that would contractually define project terms; the board did not adopt any funding commitments or final contract terms at the meeting. The MOU was approved by a majority of commissioners, according to the county recap provided to the public.
Why it matters: a nonbinding MOU typically sets negotiation parameters and timelines but does not obligate public funds. Any later funding decisions, land transfers or contractual approvals would require additional public actions and, where appropriate, formal votes by the board.
What’s next: county staff will continue negotiations with the Rays, the City of Tampa and the community redevelopment agency. No timetable for future votes or negotiations was specified in the meeting recap.
