Roads around the planned Rays stadium in Tampa will be widened
By Steve Newborn
October 14, 2026 at 1:45 PM EDT
The money for the $10 million project will come from federal and state transportation funds. When complete, Tampa Bay Boulevard will be four lanes next to the proposed stadium district.
Newly widened roads will greet fans who go to games at the planned Tampa Bay Rays stadium in Tampa.
Hillsborough County transportation planners approved a $10 million package Wednesday. It will widen Tampa Bay Boulevard to four lanes from Dale Mabry Highway to Lois Avenue. A new intersection will be built at the stadium entrance.
Also, Air Cargo Road will be widened for four lanes from Tampa Bay Boulevard to West Ohio Avenue, just west of the stadium.
The money will come from the National Highway Performance Program and state transportation funds. Construction is expected to start in 2027.
This is a map of the roads that will be widened. The Rays stadium is planned for the existing Hillsborough College campus. (1463x947, AR: 1.5448785638859557)
The Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization approved the widening by a 13-2 vote. One of the naysayers was board member and Hillsborough County Commissioner Joshua Wostal. He has been a consistent opponent of using public money for the stadium and said there will likely be a legal challenge to the plan to pay for the stadium.
"Is the money still guaranteed if the stadium dies for any reason, including a prevailing lawsuit?" he asked the board, without getting an answer. "There's just a myriad of reasons and outstanding documents that could still kill this deal and there's almost certainly going to be a legal challenge."
The $2.36 billion indoor stadium would rise on land now occupied by the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough College. The city and county will contribute no more than $876 million toward the project, while the Rays will cover more than $1.3 billion and all cost overruns.
Meantime, Tampa City Council is scheduled to consider a resolution Thursday authorizing a court proceeding to validate up to $80 million in proposed bonds for the project. The bonds would help finance the city’s contribution to public infrastructure improvements associated with the stadium.
The resolution outlines a plan to repay the debt with legally available city revenues other than property taxes and stormwater fund revenues. The proposed bonds would not be general obligations of the city. Council would need to take a separate action to authorize their issuance.
The Rays are planning to break ground on the ballpark in November, with the goal to have it completed at the start of the 2029 season.
Hillsborough County transportation planners approved a $10 million package Wednesday. It will widen Tampa Bay Boulevard to four lanes from Dale Mabry Highway to Lois Avenue. A new intersection will be built at the stadium entrance.
Also, Air Cargo Road will be widened for four lanes from Tampa Bay Boulevard to West Ohio Avenue, just west of the stadium.
The money will come from the National Highway Performance Program and state transportation funds. Construction is expected to start in 2027.
This is a map of the roads that will be widened. The Rays stadium is planned for the existing Hillsborough College campus. (1463x947, AR: 1.5448785638859557)
The Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization approved the widening by a 13-2 vote. One of the naysayers was board member and Hillsborough County Commissioner Joshua Wostal. He has been a consistent opponent of using public money for the stadium and said there will likely be a legal challenge to the plan to pay for the stadium.
"Is the money still guaranteed if the stadium dies for any reason, including a prevailing lawsuit?" he asked the board, without getting an answer. "There's just a myriad of reasons and outstanding documents that could still kill this deal and there's almost certainly going to be a legal challenge."
The $2.36 billion indoor stadium would rise on land now occupied by the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough College. The city and county will contribute no more than $876 million toward the project, while the Rays will cover more than $1.3 billion and all cost overruns.
Meantime, Tampa City Council is scheduled to consider a resolution Thursday authorizing a court proceeding to validate up to $80 million in proposed bonds for the project. The bonds would help finance the city’s contribution to public infrastructure improvements associated with the stadium.
The resolution outlines a plan to repay the debt with legally available city revenues other than property taxes and stormwater fund revenues. The proposed bonds would not be general obligations of the city. Council would need to take a separate action to authorize their issuance.
The Rays are planning to break ground on the ballpark in November, with the goal to have it completed at the start of the 2029 season.