Council debates splitting casino-area TIF, creating Southport TIF and a 12-year extension

City staff explained a two-track proposal to restructure tax increment financing in the casino area: shrink the existing casino TIF so it covers only the casino and adjacent parcels, and create a new "South Port" (Southport) TIF to support conservation and infrastructure in nearby wetlands and the Andalusia Road industrial corridor. "So the casino TIF would be shrunk back down, so it would only contain the casino and casino west properties. And then around that in the space that had been vacated, we would be establishing a brand new tiff from scratch. That would be the South Port Tiff," staff said.

Staff also described pursuing a 12‑year extension for the reduced casino TIF, noting that overlapping taxing bodies must hold hearings and the state legislature must ultimately approve the extension. Council members questioned whether reducing the casino TIF primarily to benefit a single property could shortchange taxing bodies such as the school district and pressed for an incentive policy to clarify which projects would receive TIF incentives. One alderperson said they oppose TIFs that "benefit 1 property" and emphasized balancing school revenue with business expansion. The council did not finalize all steps in the process during the meeting; staff outlined a public engagement series and the need to act before the legislature's next session if the extension is to be considered this year.