Rays stadium vote: Tampa City Council passes $21M community benefits package

Tampa leaders approved a mandatory $21 million community benefits package Thursday in a tight 4-3 vote, clearing a major hurdle to build a new Rays stadium in the city.Tampa's binding agreement with RaysThe binding agreement requires the Tampa Bay Rays to provide $21 million over the next five years. The funding targets affordable housing, workforce development, anti-housing displacement efforts and business opportunities for women and minorities.Additional funds will finance improvements to Al Lopez Park and provide direct support to the West Tampa Little League. The Rays must deliver annual impact reports detailing the tangible results of their investments. See the full community benefits package below: Neighborhood debate on funding"It's not a perfect document," said councilor Bill Carlson. "If we had more time, there are more things that I would edit. At the beginning of this, there were huge substantive changes made from listening directly to the West Tampa-Drew Park neighborhoods