If Hillsborough County, FL, voters pass a half cent sales
tax increase to help finance a new $168M Bucs stadium on
September 3, construction could begin as soon as five days later,
according to the TAMPA TRIBUNE. Building would take place even
though county officials admit they will not have a guaranteed
price in writing until at least the end of September. Joe
Henderson reports officials are willing to take that "risk"
because any delays could mean missing a '98 deadline for
finishing the stadium and city and county negotiators have agreed
to pay Bucs Owner Malcolm Glazer $437,500 for each game the
stadium is not open. Hillsborough County Commissioner Joe
Chillura: "If the referendum passes, we'll have $168 million to
spend on this, and that's all we're going to spend" (TAMPA
TRIBUNE, 8/11).
DISTRACTIONS: With the referendum coming just two days
after the Bucs regular season opener, Rick Stroud of the ST. PETE
TIMES questions how many "near-sighted" Hillsborough County
voters will look at the team's play before marking their ballots.
Bucs coach Tony Dungy, meanwhile, says he is attempting to focus
attention on-the-field, but he is not oblivious to the prospect
of playing a "lame-duck" season in Tampa if the referendum fails
(ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 8/11).
