TAMPA, Fla.— A statement from Tampa Bay Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby following today’s approval of the Memorandum of Understanding by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners:
“We are grateful to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners for its approval of the non-binding Memorandum of Understanding that authorizes staff to continue working with the Rays toward a definitive agreement that keeps this project, and Tampa Bay, moving forward. The Rays believe deeply in the power of a new ballpark, a reinvented Hillsborough College, and a privately financed mixed-use neighborhood that will positively shape our region well into the future. Today’s affirmative vote is excellent news for our community, but it is only the first of several crucial steps this week to keep the project on track and ultimately make it all come to life. For that, we are indebted to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and its staff for their diligence and commitment to serving the best interests of Tampa Bay, and we look forward to continued negotiations in our mutual goal to deliver an agreement that is fair and beneficial to all.”