Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Biz Journal article on arena improvements:
Tampa Bay Lightning planning $25 million in arena improvements, renovations
Feb 27, 2015, 2:55pm EST Updated: Feb 27, 2015, 4:35pm EST
Reporter- Tampa Bay Business Journal
The Tampa Bay Lightning are planning $25 million in upgrades to Amalie Arena and asking Hillsborough County to reimburse half of those costs.
Hillsborough County Commissioners on Wednesday will consider an additional $12.5 million in reimbursements for renovations to the county-owned venue.
The Lightning’s half of those costs will be spent on renovations that cater to the fan experience, team president Steve Griggs said Friday, though the team isn’t yet willing to reveal specifics of their plans. The county’s half, paid after the team spends its $12.5 million, will fund infrastructure improvements.
“Like you’ve seen in first phase of transformation, the items will be more about fan experience,” Griggs said.
Since buying the team in 2010, owner Jeff Vinik has spent about $60 million on renovations.
The reimbursements will be paid out of the county bed tax.
“They have significant infrastructure improvements that have to be made to really improve the longevity of the forum for the future — piping and different things like that,” Commission Chairwoman Sandy Murman said. “It’s very significant.”
The request is an amendment to the existing deal the Lightning have with the county for a maximum of $35 million in reimbursements for arena improvements. With the additional reimbursements come a $5 million penalty if the Lightning leave the arena between June 1, 2021 and Dec. 31, 2025.
Murman called the agreement a “very secure deal.”
“It does keep them locked them into the forum,” she said. “We really want the forum to be in good shape and be able to have great events for the community. I look at the Lighting as not just a business partner but very much as community partners.”
