Senate proposal could fund Raleigh MLB stadium without raising state budget

Senate leaders are advancing a framework that could help finance a $1.7 billion MLB stadium in Raleigh without raising the state budget. The plan under discussion would draw on the state’s Economic Development Project Reserve and could also give local governments additional taxation authority, rather than relying on a single direct state appropriation.

Phil Berger said North Carolina may need a new governing structure, similar to the Centennial Authority that oversees the Lenovo Center, to make a baseball deal work. That kind of entity would give lawmakers a way to organize public financing and property decisions around a stadium project that would likely sit near the Lenovo Center and Carter-Finley Stadium, where developable land remains on Raleigh’s west side.

The proposal has bipartisan traction in the Senate, but it still faces a harder path in the House. Destin Hall has been skeptical of taxpayer support for a baseball stadium and has said private companies should pay for their own facilities, though he has also said he would consider a deal if it produced clear economic benefits. With state budget negotiations still open, House resistance could determine whether any stadium language survives the final spending plan.

Gov. Josh Stein has backed Raleigh’s MLB pitch and said his office is working to do all it can to bring baseball to the city. In Raleigh, Janet Cowell has said both private and public dollars would likely be necessary. Council members have pointed to hospitality-tax revenue and the prospect of broader development around a stadium district.

The Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup celebration and downtown parade gave Raleigh a visible reminder of how strongly the region responds to major sports moments. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has said he wants the league to expand to 32 teams before his term ends in 2029. The NC Courage are separately seeking public financing for a new south Raleigh stadium.