A deal to improve Raymond James Stadium cleared its final hurdle Thursday morning when the Tampa City Council approved the $83 million deal.
The Council voted 6-1 to allow an agreement that will add much larger video screens, improve the suites. Charlie Miranda was the lone Council member to oppose the deal.
“Today marks the culmination of more than a year’s worth of work aimed at ensuring that Raymond James Stadium remains one of the finest sports facilities in the country,” said Bucs’ COO Brian Ford. “The agreement that was approved this week is a winning proposition for the entire Tampa Bay region and a shining example of a true public-private partnership that will benefit our community for years to come. These renovations will provide all Buccaneers fans with a completely enhanced in-stadium experience, while also ensuring that Raymond James Stadium remains a viable option to continue hosting major sporting events well into the future.”
The government’s $29 million worth of improvements will be paid for by a tourist tax. The Bucs will pay twice that, or $58 million. The Bucs have said they will pay an additional $13 million for improvements.
The Bucs have also agreed to drop a $12-million lawsuit.
The improvements are supposed to take place over a two-year period and be done in time for the 2017 National Championship game. The team now has the flexibility to move one of their preseason games as well as one of their regular-season games.
“This extensive renovation will provide our fans an enhanced event experience and uniquely position Tampa to host future world class events such as Super Bowls and the College Football National Championship,” said Eric Hart, the TSA president. “The approval of this project is a win for the whole community, as these improvements will maintain Raymond James Stadium’s place among the top facilities in the country.”
Miranda told the Tampa Tribune that money would be better spent in building public housing helping children. That is sure to lead to speculation of whether Tampa has enough funds to build a proposed baseball stadium for the Rays, especially with tourist money spoken for.
