It’s been months, years, and even decades in the making, depending which timeline you look at. But after all the meeting and planning, it’s now official: the Tampa Bay Rays are building their “Forever Home” in Tampa, a sprawling multi-use development project on the Hillsborough College campus near Raymond James Stadium and Steinbrenner Field.
The plans were formally approved by the Tampa City Council on Thursday and the Hillsborough County Commissioners on Friday, paving the way for, well, lots of paving. Construction timelines should always be taken with a grain of salt, but the Rays are hoping to have the new stadium ready in time for the 2029 season, while they continue to play in St. Pete at Tropicana Field between now and then.
ADVERTISEMENT
There are still plenty of details to be ironed out and concessions to be negotiated, but short of shovels in the ground, this news is about as official as it gets. The Rays took on a larger portion of the overall cost of the project, as well as any overruns, to secure the necessary votes from both bodies.
The entire plan calls for a modern new stadium, as well as a full work-play community surrounding it, along with enhancements for Hillsborough College. The fight for a new stadium for the franchise has lasted long enough to see the club change owners and look into plans not only in multiple cities, but once even exploring the possibility of an entirely different country when they looked at a time split in Canada.
This week’s approvals give the green light to a project that has been decades in the making, and that will ensure the franchise keeps the “Tampa Bay” in Tampa Bay Rays.
Patrick Zalupski, the Rays Managing Partner and Co-Chair, released the following statement:
“On behalf of our Partners, I want to express our deepest gratitude to Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa for their leadership, partnership, and willingness to say yes to what for so long had been considered impossible: a new ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays.
“This has been a long and challenging process, and we know that transformational projects rarely come easily. Today’s vote represents an extraordinary milestone—not simply for the Rays or for a ballpark, but for the future of Tampa and the entire Tampa Bay region.
“A destination neighborhood, anchored by a rejuvenated Hillsborough College campus and a Forever Home ballpark, is now within reach because community leaders, public servants, and partners came together with a shared belief in what this project can mean for generations to come.
“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who invested their time, energy, ideas, and trust in getting us to this moment. We recognize there is still important work ahead, and we look forward to continued collaboration to deliver on the promise of this transformational project.
“Today is an incredible day for Tampa Bay. Thank you to everyone who helped make it possible.
Forever starts now.”
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 places the Rays near the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Yankees Spring Training stadiums.
“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.
