TAMPA, Fla. — The City of Tampa and the new owner of the property that houses Memorial Park Cemetery are working to finalize a deal for the city to buy the property.
No further details are available during the negotiation.
The cemetery, a sacred staple in East Tampa, is full of Black history, with thousands of graves, including those of nearly 800 veterans.
The city hired an independent appraiser to determine the value of the 20-acre property. A city official said the new owner and the city are "far apart" on what they think the property is worth.
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When the previous owner of the cemetery died three years ago, the City of Tampa took over maintaining it. But, according to city officials, in an effort to buy the cemetery, the city put a lien on the property equal to the amount of maintenance provided.
The property was set for foreclosure and the city hoped to buy it at an auction but was outbid by a known property flipper.
