Clearwater Council Pledges $30M for Phillies, Armory Sale Delayed

0:00Clearwater City Council just greenlit $30 million to upgrade the Philadelphia Phillies Spring Training Spot at BayCare Ballpark. This non-binding deal is part of a bigger $205 million renovation push to lock in the team through 2047. Earlier this week, Pinellas County Commissioners chipped in 85 million from tourism taxes. The upgrades will bring a new video board. bigger concourses, better seats, a player development lab, and top-notch training areas to boost the year round, tourism, and the local economy. City leaders are hyped, calling it a 100-year partnership. The second longest in Major League Baseball Spring Training History. Mayor Bruce Rector and Councilmember David Albritton say the Phillies feel like family after all these decades. But at the same meeting, North Greenwood residents push back hard on selling the historic National Guard Armory to Yomamas Foods. The company wants to turn it into a logistics hub, expand headquarters, and add 20-30 local

1:02jobs. Leaders apologize for the communication slip that left the black community feeling sidelined and negotiations continue on both the ballpark, contract, due in a year, and the armory sale, keeping everyone watching closely. I'm Cory with the story. That's your Tampa Bay News today update, AI-powered, and always on.