The vote with Hillsborough College moves the stadium conversation from speculation to a real negotiating table.
TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays are one step closer to potentially making the city of Tampa their new home.
Team leaders and Hillsborough College have reached a preliminary agreement that could bring a new ballpark to the college’s Dale Mabry Campus. A non-binding memorandum of understanding was approved, allowing negotiations to move forward.
The proposal outlines a multi-phase redevelopment of roughly 113 acres of the campus and includes a new stadium, hotels, housing, retail space, and new academic facilities for the college.
“I think it’ll be pretty good for the city,” Sergio Castillo of Tampa said.
Supporters who spoke during the public meeting said the project could spark redevelopment while strengthening Tampa’s identity as a major sports hub.
“It will definitely help it out,” Castillo said. “You’ve got the Bucs stadiums right here, you’re going to have the Rays right next to each other, and then you’re not going to have the Lightning not too far from each other.”
Tampa International Airport is also located just a few miles from campus, a factor supporters said adds to its appeal.
However, across the bay in St. Petersburg, the proposal is being met with concern. For many residents, the proposal feels more like a strikeout.
“It hurts our town. It definitely will. We will no longer be a major league city,” said Author Peter Golenbock.
Golenbock, who has written dozens of books about baseball, said he doubts many Pinellas County residents would regularly make the trip to Tampa for games.
The team has played a vital role in redeveloping the Sunshine City. Golenbock recalled a time when Central Avenue was quiet and sleepy, stating the arrival of the Rays helped transform St. Petersburg into a growing and vibrant city.
Golenbock said he still holds out hope the team’s new ownership could reconsider, noting the deal is not yet final. Not to mention, the Rays will stay in St. Pete for at least a few more years.
“St. Petersburg is a wonderful place to have this ballpark,” Golenbock said. “I wish they would stay here.”
The agreement does not finalize financing, design, or construction timelines but allows discussions between the Rays and Hillsborough College to continue.
Under the memorandum, Hillsborough College would retain a portion of the property, known as the “College District,” for new academic facilities. The remaining land would be leased to the Rays for at least 99 years. The Rays would control the stadium and surrounding development, while the college would maintain control over its academic facilities.
The memorandum does not specify how property taxes would apply to the stadium or surrounding mixed-use development, a key question as negotiations continue.
The agreement gives the Rays and Hillsborough College up to 180 days of exclusive negotiations to pursue definitive, binding contracts.