Tampa Bested Atlanta After Truist Park opened

🚨 Important reality check for Hillsborough County:

The Rays and their supporters keep pointing to The Battery Atlanta (Truist Park, opened 2017) as proof that a new stadium + mixed-use district will supercharge our economy.

Here’s what actually happened

Atlanta Metro (2017–2023)

• Real GDP growth: +18.4%

• Employment growth: +8–10%

Tampa Bay Metro (same period)

• Real GDP growth: +30.3%

• Employment growth: +15–18%

Tampa already outperformed Atlanta — without spending hundreds of millions in public tax dollars on a new ballpark.

Why would we now bet $1+ billion of CIT money (promised for roads, schools, and safety) and our cash reserves on a model that has under-delivered compared to what we’re already achieving naturally?