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Tampa Sports Authority hires new director

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By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 27, 2009

Updated: 07/27/2009 06:51 pm

TAMPA - The Tampa Sports Authority hired Eric D. Hart today as its new executive director despite a board dispute over Hart's compensation package.

Hart, 42, is president and CEO of the Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority in Michigan. He will begin his new $170,000 job at Raymond James Stadium on Aug. 31.

During a short interview with 10 board members, one of whom listened by phone, Hart told board members the Sports Authority post was "one of the top jobs in the country." Although he has advanced his career by changing jobs every four or five years, Hart said he was looking for a "final step" so he wouldn't have to move his wife and children again.

"This is where I want to stay," he said.

After Hart left the room, board members Vince Marchetti and Jim Norman spoke against giving him a housing allowance of $2,000 a month for up to five months. Hart asked for the $10,000 benefit to help him pay his mortgage in Michigan until he could sell that house.

Norman said it would be irresponsible to offer such a benefit when people are losing jobs and their homes.

"The people who are paying this today, which are the taxpayers of this community, will be outraged …" Norman said.

But a majority of the board members said they didn't want to take a chance on losing Hart, who had said that not getting the housing allowance would be a deal breaker. Tom Scott, Tampa City Councilman and the head of the search committee that selected Hart, said other public agencies, such as the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority and the Tampa Port Authority offered housing allowances of equal or greater value.

"You will spend more money just paying a consultant if you go out and start the process over again," Scott said. "We have a candidate, one that will really take this authority to the next level."

As chief executive of the Lansing authority, Hart manages a $9 million budget and oversees operations at a 200,000-square-foot convention center, a minor league baseball stadium, a year-round farmers market and the Common Ground Music Festival, which attracts about 80,000 fans annually.

Before taking the Lansing job in March 2005, Hart was director of event services at the Minneapolis Convention Center. He has a bachelor's degree in finance and master's degree in business education and administrative services, both from Illinois State University.

On Monday, the board held two separate votes. The first was to hire Hart with the compensation package negotiated by the search committee minus the housing allowance and a bid by Hart to increase his moving expenses from $10,000 to $12,500. That passed unanimously.

The board then passed the two compensation items with Marchetti and Norman voting no. Hart had withdrawn another request to increase his severance pay from 12 weeks to six months.

As executive director, Hart will have to execute orders from a board that has often been divided along city-county lines. The Hillsborough County Commission and the mayor of Tampa appoint five members each, with the governor appointing the 11th member.

The board also voted in new officers for the coming year. Andrew Scaglione replaces Marchetti as chairman, Frank DeBose takes over for Norman as vice chairman and Tony Muniz is the new secretary/chairman, replacing Scaglione.

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303.

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