ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando sports booster Pat Williams wants Orange County leaders to commit $975 million in hotel-tax money for a Major League Baseball stadium if he can snag a new team or convince the Rays to leave Tampa Bay and make a new home in Orlando. Columnists Mike Bianchi and Scott Maxwell have very different takes on whether this is a good idea. So we’re going to let them hash it out.

— Mike: Can we set some ground rules here? If we’re going to discuss this topic, I would like to request that you don’t cloud the issue by saying we should be using the tourist tax for affordable housing, more funding for police and better mass transit. Nobody argues with that! However, correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the TDT earmarked for tourism projects and isn’t it against the law to use it for more practical purposes? So can we please dispense with the non sequitur and simply discuss the merits of bringing Major League Baseball to Orlando?