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The Tampa Bay Rays released renderings of their new ballpark proposal earlier today, estimated to cost $2.3 billion, according to Fox 13 News Tampa Bay. The constructed plan is to build the new ballpark on the campus of Hillsborough College, in which Rays CEO Ken Babby released the following statement; “We’re proud to share our bold and dynamic vision for the ballpark, and believe strongly in it’s ability to benefit the team and our fans, Hillsborough College, the surrounding neighborhoods and the entire region”, stated Babby. 

The Rays New Stadium Renderings Right Next to Yankees Spring Training Facility

The stadium renderings show this ballpark located directly across from George M. Steinbrenner Field, home to the Yankees Spring Training Complex, in Tampa. The area is also home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium, which both stadiums are adjacent to each other. Over the last few months, the proposal and overall plan for this ballpark have been picking up some steam. 

The Hillsborough College Board of Trustees officially approved the Rays plans on January 20th to build their new ballpark on the Dale Mabry Campus, which is directly across from George M Steinbrenner Field and Raymond James Stadium, according to an MLB.com Press Release from Adam Berry this morning. 

A couple weeks after approval from the Hillsborough College Board, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and Florida Governor Ron Desantis both expressed their support for the future ballpark plans, in which Commissioner Rob Manfred stated; “Major League Baseball belongs in Tampa Bay”, and Desantis stated this “plan will be mutually beneficial for the Rays and Hillsborough College”, adding, “Baseball can succeed in Tampa Bay”, stated Desantis. 

With approval from the Hillsborough College Board, Major League Baseball’s commissioner, and the governor of Florida, along with already public stadium image renderings, the next step in this very real possibility is now funding. The project site is estimated to be “120 acres”, per Fox 13 News Tampa Bay. It is stated as potentially “generating 34 billion in economic impact”, along with “10 million visitors annually and 11,900 new jobs,” according to Fox 13 News Tampa Bay. As it relates to project funding, Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported how there is currently a “private partnership”, with the “ballpark costs being divided between the Rays, Hillsborough County, and Tampa Bay”, states Fox 13 News Tampa Bay. 

This New Ballpark Project Is Closer To Becoming Reality

Whether this is enough, from a pure funding standpoint, to get this project into development remains to be seen. Another possible debacle is the logistics of having the crossover between baseball and football during the same season. The ballpark proposal plans on seating 31,000, and when you look at the online renderings, it comes very close to the Yankees Spring Training Facility and its several minor league complex fields in the area. 

The Yankees probably aren’t too thrilled with the idea of this new ballpark dream possibly coming to fruition for the Rays, an AL East Rival of the Yankees, especially when you consider how close it is to George M. Steinbrenner Field and the Yankees’ other complex fields, as seen in the ballpark renderings released by the Rays on social media earlier today.

It’s also worth noting the Rays were recently sold to a new ownership group, in which the orginal owner, Stu Steinberg, sold the franchise back in September of last year to Patrick Zalupski, who’s a native Florida businessman, reports MLB.com.This will be something to monitor and keep an eye on within the coming months, not only how it affects baseball in Tampa Bay in the foreseeable future and the direction of the Rays franchise, but also the Yankees and their Spring Training site in Tampa as well. 

Matt Cunningham Matt Cunningham is an Endicott College Graduate with a Bachelor’s in Sport Management. He is an avid follower of Major League Baseball, a Heavy Sports Contributor for the Yankees and all 30 MLB teams, and a Member of the MLB Fan Council. More about Matt Cunningham

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