The Republican National Convention kick-off party, held at Tropicana Field, may end up costing taxpayers after all.
According to Bay News Nine's partner newspaper, The Tampa Bay Times, the city must pay $600,000 towards the party.
Mayor Bill Foster initially said other funds would pay for the event, now he says he'll try to use money from the city's reserve funds.
The city is already $5.2 million over budget in 2012.
That is on top of $1 million in security costs that Tampa paid St. Petersburg from a $50 million federal grant for convention policing.
The money St. Pete owes will go to pay for workers who prepared the city for the convention's activities.
According to the Times, Foster said he would ask the Tampa Bay Host Committee to pay expenses Tampa didn't cover.
Thursday night he said he will not make the request.
To cover the city's overall budget shortfall, the city could raise property taxes, dip into reserves or implement a proposed fire readiness fee.
A decision on the 2013 budget won't be made until the City Council holds budget hearings on Sept. 13 and 27.