TAMPA, FL – As conversations continue around how to finance a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium, mayoral candidate Taryn Sabia is introducing a new approach that shifts the focus from taxpayer burden to community ownership.
In a newly released proposal, Sabia outlines a model to create a publicly traded, regionally owned stadium entity that would allow Tampa Bay residents, businesses, and local institutions to invest directly in the project.
The proposal centers on the creation of a Tampa Bay Regional Stadium Entity, or TBRSE, a structure where the Rays retain majority control while opening a significant ownership stake to the public through local investment opportunities and public markets. A publicly traded framework that enhances transparency, allows for shared investment, and ties financial performance to real, measurable outcomes allows fans to be shareholders, not just spectators.
“We keep coming back to the same question about who should pay for a stadium,” said Sabia. “The better question is who should own it? Reframing the problem allows us to solve for it differently.”
Under this model, public funding would be directed toward infrastructure such as transportation, roads, and stormwater improvements rather than toward the stadium itself. This approach aligns public investment with long-term community needs while reducing reliance on public funding sources for the stadium that have raised concerns among local leaders.
The concept draws from the successful example in another notable market, The Battery Atlanta. Atlanta Braves Holdings operates within a publicly traded framework and demonstrates how publicly traded ownership creates investor alignment, enhances governance transparency, and diversifies income, reducing pressure for public subsidies.
Rays ownership will benefit from substantial, recurring revenue not tied to baseball performance through mixed-use development adjacent to the stadium. And, the Rays get local, loyal, invested partners who have a financial interest in the team’s, the stadium’s, and the district’s success.
“Our decisions now will impact the city’s and county’s resources to meet critical community needs for the next thirty years,” Sabia said. “We have to anticipate those needs and proactively plan for the future.”
The campaign notes that the model would introduce greater transparency through public reporting, reduce financial risk to taxpayers, and generate revenue from a wider range of events and development beyond baseball.
“The Tampa Bay region has an opportunity to pioneer a bold, equitable, and financially responsible stadium financing strategy that honors voter intent, protects public priorities, and creates a shared regional asset,” Sabia said.
Learn more about Taryn, and read her full proposal by visiting: https://tarynformayor.com/a-smarter-way-to-fund-a-rays-stadium/
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Taryn Sabia is an urban designer, educator, and community advocate with more than 20 years of experience helping cities plan for people-centered growth.
She serves as Assistant Dean for Research at the University of South Florida’s College of Design, Art & Performance, where she chairs the Bachelor of Science in Design program and teaches courses on urban design policy, climate adaptation, transportation systems, and citizen engagement. Taryn previously directed the Florida Center for Community Design and Research.
Taryn is a co-founder of Urban Charrette, a Tampa-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering residents to shape their neighborhoods through collaborative design. She has planned and facilitated over 200 public charrettes and workshops and has advised more than 30 mayors nationwide on community-driven planning and development.
Born legally blind, Taryn brings a unique perspective to accessibility, mobility, and inclusive design. She holds a Master of Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design, a Master of Urban and Community Design from USF, a Master of Education from Harvard University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Art from Eckerd College.
Taryn is running for Tampa Mayor to address Tampa’s affordability crisis, improve transportation options, support small businesses, and bring people together around a fresh vision for the city’s future.