For years, county commissioner Ken Hagan has been negotiating a new Rays stadium behind closed doors, going so far to preserve secrecy that he refused to turn over public records even when the law required it.
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However, the secret details of where Hagan and the Rays were planning to put a new stadium were not secret to every member of the public – one key developer was given access to the information that should have been
available to all.
available to all.
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The developer used that information to buy land at a discounted rate, put himself in position to profit off the new stadium announcement, then became a significant contributor to Commissioner Hagan’s re-election campaign. At no time were Hagan’s fellow commissioners – or members of the public who requested the public documents – provided the maps. MORE
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"This arrangement to have Ken Hagan represent the entire Commission in negotiations with the Rays was approved by the BOCC before I became a commissioner. After I became a commissioner, I objected to this arrangement and urged that the County Adminstrator represent the BOCC in these negotiations instead. The only other commissioner in support of me was Comm. Stacy White." Pat Kemp