Hillsborough College leaders and residents seek stronger guarantees on facility replacement and community benefits

Several speakers focused specifically on the effect the project would have on Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus and nearby community assets. They pressed for enforceable clawbacks and minimum dollar commitments tied to concrete timing.

Cynthia Shellabarger told the board the stadium agreement "requires the demolition of 8 vital Hillsborough College buildings, yet the state funding to replace these classrooms is not legally secure," and asked commissioners to "demand the exact same clawback protection for Hillsborough College" that staff used in other negotiations. Ken Atwater, president of Hillsborough College, told the board the project presents "facility improvement," workforce development and partnership opportunities and called it "a generational opportunity for the college." Commissioners responded by placing minimum and timing expectations into the motion and requesting that the CBA be returned to the board with a binding payment and performance schedule.