Florida Construction News staff writer
The Hillsborough County Commission voted 5–2 on Wednesday to approve a non-binding memorandum of understanding between the Tampa Bay Rays, the county and the City of Tampa on a proposal for a $2.3 billion ballpark on the site of Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus in Tampa.
The Tampa City Council is scheduled to vote on the agreement today. If approved, the framework would allow the three parties to continue negotiating toward final, binding agreements for the project.
The team, county and city reached the preliminary agreement last week and described the proposal as a “transformational” opportunity for the region.
Under the terms of the MOU, the Rays would privately finance $1.27 billion plus all construction cost overruns. The public contribution would be capped at $976 million, including approximately $796 million from Hillsborough County and $180 million from the City of Tampa.
The proposed stadium would be part of a larger mixed-use development on the Dale Mabry campus site, across from Raymond James Stadium and next to George M. Steinbrenner Field.
If approved, the project would move the Rays closer to securing a long-term home in Tampa ahead of the expiration of their current use agreement at Tropicana Field after the 2028 season.
The Rays have played at Tropicana Field since their inaugural 1998 season, aside from a temporary relocation to Steinbrenner Field following Hurricane Milton before returning this year.
The agreement is part of a decades-long effort by the franchise to secure a permanent ballpark in the Tampa Bay area.
