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TSA debates 'free lunch' luxury box policy

The sports authority will examine its expenses for and use of the Raymond James Stadium facility.

By KEVIN GRAHAM
Published March 22, 2005

TAMPA - Steak or hot dogs?

That's one of several questions the Tampa Sports Authority will debate in the next month as board members analyze their spending on a luxury box at Raymond James Stadium.

On Monday, Henry Saavedra, the authority's executive director, gave board members a 16-item survey he plans to use to generate discussion to answer critics who say tax money shouldn't be spent to wine and dine government officials and their friends.

The sports authority is the governmental agency that oversees a stadium bought by taxpayers. Board members safeguard the taxpayers' interests in dealing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The TSA also uses the luxury box free of charge.

Saavedra said the TSA spends about $12,500 a year on food and drink at Raymond James and another $2,500 on a luxury box at Legends Field. Each of the TSA's 11 board members gets at least two tickets to every game. The luxury box seats 34, and Saavedra said the authority uses it for 18 events.

Up for debate, according to Saavedra's survey:

Jim Norman, the Hillsborough County Commission's appointee, said the money spent each year to entertain box guests is invaluable to the community. At a board meeting Monday, he talked about the time then-Gen. Tommy Franks accepted an invitation. He said meeting Franks helped strengthen the TSA's relationship with MacDill Air Force Base.

"How do you put a number on that?" Norman said. "We need to keep our eye on the ball. This is an asset to me. It's an asset that most communities don't have."

Saavedra found that 26 of the NFL's 31 stadiums are publicly owned.

Of the 26 publicly owned stadiums, 16 have designated luxury boxes. Six of the 16 do not provide free food and drinks.

TSA executive board members plan to make recommendations for use of the Raymond James Stadium box by the April 18 meeting.

Kevin Graham can be reached at 813 226-3433 or kgraham@sptimes.com

REPLACING THE PINK SEATS: By August 2006, those pink seats inside Raymond James Stadium will be red again, the Tampa Sports Authority said Monday.

The TSA sued Hussey Seating Co. in January when the manufacturer said they wouldn't be able to replace all the seats and repair the stanchions by June. The TSA gave the Maine seating company two weeks to respond after filing a lawsuit, said the authority's executive director Henry Saavedra.

"The good news is we have a signed settlement agreement through Hussey," Saavedra said.

Installation of the seats and cup holders and paint repair is set to begin Feb. 1.

[Last modified March 22, 2005, 01:21:16]