Steve Cona: Building more than ballparks

When local elected officials decide whether to invest public dollars, they are not simply choosing whether to build a stadium, a bridge or a school. They are deciding whether to invest in the skilled men and women who build our community’s future.

If a project creates opportunities for local families, strengthens small businesses, trains the next generation of skilled workers and returns economic activity to our community, it is not just an expense. It is an investment.

That is why we proudly invest in teachers, firefighters and law enforcement officers. We recognize that their work has strengthened our communities for decades.

It is time we recognize skilled construction professionals the same way. Strong demand and ongoing workforce shortages have made continued investment in the workforce more important than ever.

Nearly 50,000 men and women work in construction in Hillsborough County. They build our schools, hospitals, roads, airports, water systems, office buildings and manufacturing facilities. Across the Tampa Bay region, Associated Builders and Contractors member companies alone employ an estimated 32,500 skilled professionals who earn good wages, raise families, buy homes and support local businesses.

Construction is not a temporary job. It is a lifelong career.

Across Florida, more than 20,000 registered apprentices are learning a skilled trade while earning a paycheck. These future electricians, plumbers, carpenters, pipefitters, HVAC technicians and construction managers are not accumulating student debt. They are building careers that will support Florida’s economy for decades.

That is why the conversation surrounding the proposed Rays stadium should be bigger than baseball.

Whether someone supports or opposes the project, we should all recognize what it represents: an opportunity to invest in the people who build our communities.

Independent economic models used throughout the construction industry estimate that every $100 million invested in commercial construction supports nearly 900 jobs and generates approximately $165 million in total economic output. Those wages do not disappear. They are spent at local restaurants, grocery stores, auto dealerships and neighborhood businesses, generating additional tax revenue that helps fund the public services our communities depend on.

Too often, critics view construction projects as a one-time expense.

I see something different.

I see an apprentice earning a nationally recognized credential.

I see a small subcontractor hiring another employee.

I see a supplier purchasing another truck.

I see a young family buying its first home because mom or dad found a career in the skilled trades.

The stadium itself will someday grow old.

The careers it helps support will continue building Tampa Bay long after the final pitch is thrown.

Great cities are not built with concrete and steel.

They are built by the people willing to put on a hard hat every morning and create opportunities for everyone else.

When we invest in construction, we are not simply building projects.

We are investing in the middle class, strengthening local businesses and creating the workforce that will build Tampa Bay’s future.

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Steve Cona is president and CEO of ABC Florida Gulf Coast and a former Hillsborough County School Board member.