TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday released renderings of a proposed ballpark development on the Hillsborough College campus on Dale Mabry Highway.
This comes a day after Hillsborough County commissioners unanimously voted to move forward with discussions surrounding the potential redevelopment, which is located next to Steinbrenner Field and across the street from Raymond James Stadium.
‘Baseball belongs in Tampa Bay’: State, local officials support potential Rays stadium development
“I’m incredibly grateful for what our organization and the Tampa community have accomplished in just over 100 days since acquiring the team, and of the progress we are making together toward a Forever Home for the Rays and our loyal fans,” Patrick Zalupski, Managing Partner of the Tampa Bay Rays, said in a statement. “Hillsborough County’s unanimous vote is a significant milestone and a clear signal that Tampa is serious about keeping Major League Baseball in this region and transforming Tampa Bay for generations to come.”
The renderings released by the Rays can be viewed above.
As for next steps, commission Chairman Ken Hagan said he hopes to have the framework of a deal completed in the next 90 days.
“There have not been any formal negotiations up to this point,” Hagan said on Wednesday. “While significant progress has been made over the last couple of months, we have a long way to go.”
In a news release, the Rays said that while the project is a public-private partnership, with the costs of the ballpark split between the team, the county and the City of Tampa, “the broader, multi-billion-dollar, mixed-use development will be 100 percent privately financed.”
“Unlike the previous ownership group, the team has a sense of urgency in order to meet their 2029 goal,” Hagan said. “Candidly, their goal is quite ambitious.”
On January 20, the college’s board approved a preliminary, non-binding agreement with the team, giving its approval to a potential deal that would include a new campus district in addition to the stadium and mixed-use development. The Rays said its partnership with Hillsborough College will provide improved campus facilities, workforce development and internship opportunities for tens of thousands of students.
The Rays claimed that an independent analysis of the proposed development found it would have an estimated economic impact of $34 billion and would support 11,900 permanent jobs, in addition to attracting 10 million annual visitors.
The proposed stadium development appears to have support from state, local and college officials, but the team also wants to hear from the community. The Rays, local officials and representatives from the college aim to hold “community engagement sessions” across the county “to give baseball fans, Hillsborough College students and faculty, nearby residents, and community and business leaders opportunities to review the evolving concepts, ask questions, and share feedback that will help shape the final design.”
The team said more details about the meetings are forthcoming and those interested can learn more about the project on its website.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.