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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 30, 2007

What is Championship Park?

A 425-acre sports complex that would feature 30 multipurpose fields for soccer, lacrosse and other sports, 12 baseball diamonds and 10 softball fields. It would be located on some of the 12,500 acres Hillsborough County owns in the Cone Ranch area, north of Plant City.

How will the county pay for it?

Hillsborough has set aside $40 million from its Community Investment Tax, a half-cent sales tax that voters approved in 1996 for projects such as Raymond James Stadium, libraries, fire stations and parks.

Will it benefit children?
County Commission chairman Jim Norman envisions the park being used primarily by outside leagues, collegiate tournaments and other paying customers. Hillsborough County children in youth leagues, however, would get to play their championship tournaments at the park, he says. Profits from the complex also would pay for the upkeep of existing parks.

What's the next step?
County commissioners will debate whether to proceed with plans for Championship Park about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. The discussion is not a public hearing; anyone wanting to speak about the proposal will have to sign up during the commission's 45-minute public comment period, which is held at the start of the meeting at 9 a.m. in the board's chambers at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.

Anthony McCartney

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