How Hillsborough County would fund the proposed ballpark: the numbers explained

County staff told the commission the public funding picture for the proposed ballpark and district is layered across local, city and state sources.

Tom Fessler told the board the city and county are proposing a combined $876,000,000 public contribution to the project, with the county’s primary source being Community Investment Tax (CIT) revenues. The staff proposal would fund $90,000,000 per year during construction for four years to avoid interest costs on CIT borrowing, and the county would commit up to $103,000,000 in cash and reserves. Fessler also listed $30,000,000 in CDBG disaster recovery funds earmarked for stormwater improvements.

Staff and consultants briefed commissioners on expected returns and repayment: AECOM assessed development feasibility and staff highlighted an annual rent the team would pay — negotiated at $4,000,000 per year with CPI adjustments — which staff estimated could return about $200,000,000 over a 35‑year lease. The presentation also outlined a community development district (CDD) structure, tiered revenue sharing, and examples that under a minimum development scenario would return roughly $87,000,000 to the county from property value growth over decades.

Commissioners pressed staff on the timing and notice requirements for any CIT projects‑list amendment and on the assumptions behind the recovery projections; staff said bond validation, public hearings and conditions precedent must be satisfied before funds move.