The Tampa Bay Rays will begin a series of public “engagement sessions” next week on a proposal to build a stadium and mixed-use district on Hillsborough College land.
The first meeting is scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, at the college’s Dale Mabry Student Services Auditorium (DSTU 111), 4001 W. Tampa Bay Blvd.
Leadership from the Rays and college will share “the evolving vision” for the project, provide updates, answer questions and gather feedback from residents, according to a media release.
The team owners are “focused on collaboration and partnership with the entire Tampa Bay community,” Rays CEO Ken Babby said.
Other sessions scheduled:
- Tuesday, March 10: Jefferson High School, 4401 W. Cypress St., 6:30 to 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, March 11: The Skills Center, 5107 N. 22nd St., 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Additional meetings will be announced soon, according to the release.
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“Each of these engagement sessions will be an important occasion for the Tampa Bay Rays to listen, because every voice from every corner of our region matters to us,” Babby said.
The college and team have a nonbinding memorandum of understanding to negotiate a proposal for the 113-acre site, currently the site of the 56-year-old Dale Mabry campus. The plan has the backing of Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet, which agreed to remove deed restrictions that will allow talks to commence.
Plans call for a $2.3 billion roofed stadium as the anchor for a development that would include a new campus, as well as residential, retail, business and recreational space.
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The project is envisioned as a public–private partnership, with ballpark costs shared between the team, Hillsborough County, and the city of Tampa. The broader, multibillion-dollar, mixed-use development will be “100 percent privately financed,” the Rays said.
“We’re eager to share our approach and welcome the thoughts of neighbors, citizens, business owners, baseball fans, and many more from throughout Tampa Bay, as it will take all of us working together to bring this bold vision to life,” Babby said.
Team representatives have been meeting with stakeholder groups across the community, including first responders, members of the business community and civic leaders, the release said.
The Rays and college are also consulting with project partners, including city and county officials, Hillsborough County Public Schools, and design, engineering, development and finance partners.
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The team has been working with the development company Gensler and stadium architecture firm Populus on the stadium design.
The public sessions will give fans, Hillsborough College students and faculty, nearby residents, and community and business leaders an opportunity to review evolving concepts, ask questions and share feedback that will help shape the final design, according to the release.
“We look forward to hearing directly from our students, faculty, staff, and the broader community as this exciting project continues to take shape,” Hillsborough College president Ken Atwater said.
Rays managing partner and co-chair Pat Zalupski has said the goal is to have the stadium ready for the 2029 season. The Rays' lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg expires after the 2028 season.
