Nothing is set in stone, and the ink on the specifically non-binding agreements has barely even dried, but the Tampa Bay Rays cleared major early hurdles this week in their quest for a new “forever home” in Tampa.
The Tampa City Council today approved a non-binding memorandum of understanding to work with the Rays on their new stadium development project, coming by way of a 4-3 vote on Thursday afternoon. This follows a similar non-binding agreement with the Hillsborough County Commissioners earlier in the week, as well as approval on a land lease with Hillsborough College, which shares the property on which the Rays want to build.
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What does it all mean? Essentially, Tampa and Hillsborough matched with the Rays on Hinge and have agreed to go on a date, but no one is going dress shopping just yet.
These non-binding agreements pave the way for discussions and plans to move forward. It’s the next step after the initial unveiling of the ambitious development project. As Mayor Jane Castor said, this is when the hard work begins. Now come negotiations on how much of the bill taxpayers will foot; what the franchise must do for the city, county and school; where the public money comes from; what the timelines for construction look like; what developers will be a part of the project. And ultimately, if it’s even a full yes from all parties.
Like any first date, everyone involved will be looking for green flags and red flags alike. And in this case, they’re definitely splitting the bill. The question will be who pays for what, and what happens if it goes over the agreed budget.
The coming months and years are likely to be full of ups and downs, negotiations, and announcements. But if the Rays are indeed going to make Tampa and Tampa Bay their forever home, this week will have been one of the first big steps along the way.
Tampa Bay Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby released this statement following today’s approval of the Memorandum of Understanding by Tampa City Council:
“The Tampa City Council today sent a strong and positive message to our community by approving the non-binding Memorandum of Understanding and saying ‘yes’ to a Forever Home ballpark and the generational transformation for Tampa Bay that will follow. We appreciate the thoughtful engagement with City Council members and staff throughout this process, which from the start was focused on one common goal – arrive at an agreement that is smart, fair and a win for everyone. With this step complete, the Rays now look forward to working with Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa as we move toward final agreements that will secure Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay for current and future generations.”
Castor also released following the statement:
“I want to thank the Council for their thoughtful deliberation. This MOU moves us to the next stage of negotiations with the protections Tampa taxpayers deserve. We are committed to getting the details right – a world-class ballpark and development that drives real economic growth and opportunity for our entire community, not just on game days. The hard work starts now, and I’m confident we’re up to the task.”
Rays outline plans for Forever Home development project
Earlier this spring, the Rays released a full walk-through video of a new baseball stadium and mixed-use district they want to build at Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus. While plenty can and likely will change between now and the first shovel being put in the ground, it offers a great look into what the franchise is planning.
A release from the Rays refers to the new stadium and location as the club’s “Forever Home,” with a stadium that could hold 31,000 nestled into a mixed-use entertainment, education and residential neighborhood. This comes after years and even decades of the team trying to secure a permanent, long-term location. Their most recent plans for a similar concept in St. Pete fell through after the 2024 hurricane season damaged Tropicana Field and resulted in increased construction costs due to setbacks. The franchise has since transitioned to new ownership.
A core piece of the plan is the “Champions Quarter,” which the club describes as “a vibrant destination neighborhood that blends baseball and culture into a walkable, retail-rich district that brings people together well beyond game days. The district and its partnerships will strengthen Tampa Bay’s regional identity and enhance the area’s quality of life through great public spaces and amenities that serve residents, visitors and fans.”
The announcement emphasized that the renderings and plans are preliminary and will evolve as the project takes shape. The team is planning community engagement sessions to get feedback from locals as they create a plan that fits the desires of the City and County and their citizens. The new stadium site would place the Rays near the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Yankees Spring Training stadiums.
The key piece of this plan, as it was with the previous one in St. Pete, is securing funding. St. Pete and Pinellas County had promised roughly $600 million in support. Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa have yet to make any guarantees on funding, and both Raymond James Stadium and Benchmark International Arena are in line for upgrades that will be at least partially publicly-funded.
According to the Rays, the project is envisioned as a public–private partnership, with ballpark costs shared between the team, Hillsborough County, and the City of Tampa. The broader, multi-billion-dollar, mixed-use development will be 100 percent privately financed.
“We are moving into the next phase of this process with excellent momentum, thanks to the outstanding support of community leaders and our staff and partners here at the Tampa Bay Rays,” said Ken Babby, Chief Executive Officer of the Tampa Bay Rays. “We’re proud to share our bold and dynamic vision for the ballpark, and believe strongly in its ability to benefit the team and our fans, Hillsborough College, the surrounding neighborhoods and the entire region.”
“Our community can be assured, however, that we want the ballpark and district design to reflect the voices of the people who live, work, study, and operate businesses here. In that spirit, we look forward to meeting and listening to as many people from across Tampa Bay as we can in the weeks ahead.”
Fans can learn more about the project at NewBallpark.RaysBaseball.com.
