With lease that expires in 2028, Tampa Bay could become a new stadium hot spot

At any given time, there’s a small handful of NFL teams trying to get a stadium refurbished or replaced. In this regard, the Buccaneers are inching toward the front burner.

Via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the team’s lease at Raymond James Stadium runs through 2028.

Stroud reports that some local officials are surprised about the lack of communication from the team.

“Even after repeated requests from the [Tampa] Sports Authority for information, the Buccaneers have still not provided us with any renovation plans,” Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan, a member of the authority’s board, told Stroud.

“We have a good partnership with the Tampa Sports Authority and have always worked together to make sure Raymond James Stadium remains an enjoyable destination for all community events,” Bucs chief operating officer Brian Ford told Stroud.

That implies renovation, not replacement, to the venue that opened in 1998.

Funding will depend on a public vote set for November 5. That’s when county residents will determine whether to renew the Community Investment Tax, a key to paying for future renovations to the stadium.

If taxpayer money isn’t available, the Bucs could become a candidate for relocation. That’s how the stadium politics game goes. If the current city/county/state won’t cough up cash, it becomes time to look for someone who will.

By next year, the Bucs could be engaging in the early stages of just such a search.