Hillsborough County Corporate Welfare: $15.5 Million

On July 15, the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners, by a vote of 6 to 1, approved a proposal from the Tampa Sports Authority (TSA) to spend $10.4 million of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act money to implement Corona Virus safety measures at Raymond James Stadium.

The beneficiaries: the Tampa Bay Bucs, a highly profitable private company, who would be able to have more fans attend their games.

Well, we can’t have the Lightning and the Yankees (both also highly profitable private companies) feeling left out.

So early this month the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners, once again by a vote of 6 to1 (Stacy White being the only ‘no’ vote) approved a total of $4.1 million of CARES money for Amalie Arena and George M. Steinbrenner Field for safety improvements related to Corona Virus.  $2.4 million will go to Amalie Arena and $1.7 million will go to Steinbrenner Field. MORE

The total of CARES money given to professional sports franchises in Tampa is now $15.5 million.  One has to wonder how many small businesses in Hillsborough County, with legitimate and pressing needs, have been unable to get even a dime of this money.