Tropicana Field

Representatives from the team and Hillsborough College will attend the community sessions. The first of three is scheduled Tuesday at the Dale Mabry campus, with more to be announced.

Mayor Ken Welch said now is not the time to stop any progress that has been made in what would become the largest redevelopment project in the city's history.

The Tampa Bay Rays' home opener is set for April 6 against the Chicago Cubs. It'll be the first game at Tropicana Field since Hurricane Milton ripped off part of the fiberglass roof in 2024.

Evan Longoria, who signed a one-day contract to retire with Tampa Bay last season, will be honored during "Longo Legacy Weekend." The team also announced fan promotional giveaways for 2026.

The number of submissions is down to eight after the city of St. Petersburg website listed a development from Tempo Novus as withdrawn.

Members of the St. Petersburg City Council want to pause negotiations over the redevelopment of Tropicana Field. They're concerned the city has no updated plan for the 84-acre Historic Gas Plant district.

The price tag of a new Rays stadium in Tampa is estimated to be a minimum of $2.3 billion. Hillsborough County commissioners are digging into whether that cost can work.

Mayor Ken Welch reiterated Monday that the city has spent over a decade planning for the Gas Plant’s future. Those efforts included two studies, “both with a stadium and without a stadium.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis said the plan would rejuvenate the area and ensure baseball remains in Tampa Bay. On Tuesday, the college's trustees took a first step to get the ball rolling.

Few details were released for Tuesday's meeting of the Hillsborough College District Board of Trustees. It's not clear whether any subsidies other than donating public land would be involved.

The free event will be staged along 16th Street South while repairs and renovations continue to prepare the hurricane-damaged stadium for the April 6 home opener.

They have until Feb. 3 to pitch their plans to redevelop the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District.