From a transparent roof over the field to surrounding restaurants, the Tampa Bay Rays are providing an early look at their plans for a stadium on land now used by Hillsborough College's Dale Mabry campus.
The mixed-use development would be on about 130 acres across from Raymond James Stadium. The stadium, which would anchor the project, will have an estimated capacity of 31,000, and artist renderings released Thursday show it with a transparent roof.
The college's Board of Trustees approved a memorandum of understanding with the Rays to redevelop the campus as part of a new ballpark district. On Wednesday, the Hillsborough County Commission unanimously voted to begin negotiations on funding for the stadium, which is proposed as a public-private partnership.
There's still a lot that needs to be solidified in terms of money. However, the Rays said in a Thursday release that they expect to share the ballpark costs with Hillsborough County and Tampa. But the "broader, multi-billion-dollar, mixed-use development will be 100% privately financed."
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The cost of the stadium is estimated to be a minimum of $2.3 billion and the team is expected to create a private investment of $8 billion to $10 billion in the surrounding development, which would include hotels, offices and restaurants.
According to a release, the Rays' partnership with the college is designed to improve campus facilities, expand workforce development, curriculum and internship opportunities for more than 45,000 students and more.
An independent economic analysis projected the development will create $34 billion in economic impact, support 11,900 new permanent jobs and attract around 10 million annual visitors. The Rays said this is "on par with annual attendance at a major U.S. theme park."
See the Rays' new renderings
The layout for the district is divided into four parts. The "Champions Quarter" blends baseball and entertainment on the southwest corner at Dale Mabry Highway and Tampa Bay Boulevard. The stadium will be located in this area.
The "Innovation Edge" will be where "innovation meets everyday practice," according to the Rays. It'll be a hub for learning, health, performance and discovery. This will include the College District, which includes the rebuilt, expanded Hillsborough College, on the southwest side along Lois Avenue.
There's then "The Canopy" where "culture and community meet." It'll be a parkside neighborhood with greenery and shade, on the northwest side along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Lois.
There's also "The Row," a signature street between all the areas heading through the "Champions Quarter."
On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred were in Tampa and said they supported building on the campus land. DeSantis' position is to have no public money used to build a stadium, but he expressed support for finding money to move the college and widen nearby roads.
Rays CEO Ken Babby said the team is proud to share the "bold and dynamic vision" for the ballpark and believe it will benefit the region.
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“Our community can be assured, however, that we want the ballpark and district design to reflect the voices of the people who live, work, study and operate businesses here. In that spirit, we look forward to meeting and listening to as many people from across Tampa Bay as we can in the weeks ahead,” he said.
There will be a series of community engagement sessions across the county to give fans, students and nearby residents an opportunity to ask questions and share feedback to shape the final design. Those details on dates, times and locations have yet to be announced.
The Rays said fans can get early access to seating for $19.98, a reference to the team's inaugural year. To learn more, visit the team's website on the new ballpark.
Team ownership's goal is have the stadium open for the 2029 season. The team remains under lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg through the 2028 season.
WUSF's Steve Newborn contributed to this report.
