City and Phillies present 20‑year term sheet for BayCare Ballpark upgrades; team pledges $75M and county marketing support

Representatives of the Philadelphia Phillies and city staff outlined a draft 20‑year term sheet on April 20 that would fund a multi‑year renovation program at BayCare Ballpark and the Carpenter complex and extend the club’s spring‑training relationship in Clearwater.

The Phillies’ presentation said the club would commit a minimum of $75 million and take responsibility for cost overruns for stadium upgrades that include a new video board, field‑lighting replacement, expanded concourses, replacement of fan seats, new centerfield fan deck above the batter’s eye, expanded concessions, new restrooms in centerfield, upgraded suites and circulation improvements.

The Phillies’ representatives also called for continued marketing assets and cooperation with Visit St. Pete/Clearwater and Pinellas County; the presentation included a county/TDC marketing component estimated to increase the value of media assets and preserve the Philadelphia market as a major feeder for area hotels. Phillies officials cited 2026 spring‑training figures—143,352 paid attendees and leading the Grapefruit League in percentage of paid capacity—and presented an economic‑impact estimate of roughly $1.66 billion over 20 years based on historic data.

City staff framed the project as a city‑owned asset renovation: BayCare Ballpark is owned by the city and leased to the Phillies, and the term sheet was presented as a way to retain the club as an A‑tenant for an extended period while modernizing public facilities. Presenters emphasized the regional tourism value of the club’s relationship and the likelihood of year‑round economic activity tied to Philadelphia’s strong visitation patterns.

City and county negotiators said additional intergovernmental approvals and detailed project budgets remain pending; Pinellas County staff and the county commission were preparing to consider their role in the marketing asset agreement. The presentation listed key project components and line‑item budgeting for ballpark and Carpenter complex elements and stressed that the club had purchased adjacent property to the south in recent years to support campus‑scale improvements but that no city property conveyance was part of the term sheet.

What’s next: staff indicated the term sheet will be followed by negotiated contract documents and intergovernmental agreements; the council and county will review funding commitments and the precise scope and schedule before final approvals.