Florida Construction News staff writer
After years of derailed stadium proposals, the Tampa Bay Rays have secured final government approval for a $2.3 billion ballpark and mixed-use development in Tampa, cementing the team’s long-term future in the region.
The Hillsborough County Commission voted 5-2 on Aug. 28 to approve a $796 million public share for the project, clearing the final hurdle for the 31,000-seat stadium. The deciding county vote came one day after the Tampa City Council narrowly approved the city’s $80 million contribution in a 4-3 decision.
The Rays’ ownership group, led by Patrick Zalupski, will cover approximately $1.37 billion — roughly 60% of the project’s overall cost — and has taken full responsibility for all construction overruns.
“This has been a long and challenging process, and we know that transformational projects rarely come easily,” Zalupski said in a statement. “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”.
The new ballpark will be built on Hillsborough Community College’s Dale Mabry campus, situated across the highway from Raymond James Stadium and adjacent to the New York Yankees’ George M. Steinbrenner Field. The privately financed mixed-use entertainment district is expected to include housing, hotels, retail, restaurants, and office buildings.
The stadium is slated to open for the 2029 season.
Tampa’s $80 million contribution will not be paid directly to the team. Instead, the city will reimburse public infrastructure costs through a community development district, recovering the funds from future property-tax growth generated by the stadium’s surrounding development.
“None of this money from the city is going to the Rays,” City Councilman Bill Carlson said Thursday. “It’s going to a community development district that will be reviewed by the public”.
Councilman Alan Clendenin, who also voted in favor, emphasized the broader economic impact of the project and the importance of expanding Tampa’s tax base.
“It’s not merely a vote on a baseball stadium,” Clendenin said. “It is a vote on whether Tampa is prepared to compete for investments, jobs, housing, education and opportunity, or whether we’re willing to let those opportunities go elsewhere”.
Hillsborough County’s $796 million portion will be funded primarily through tourist development taxes, the community investment tax, and $30 million in federal disaster-recovery funds. The county will own the stadium, while the Rays will operate it under a 35-year agreement.
The decisive votes in Tampa close a turbulent chapter in the franchise’s quest for a permanent home. The Rays had previously secured local approval for a $1.3 billion redevelopment in St. Petersburg’s Historic Gas Plant District. However, after Hurricane Milton tore the roof off Tropicana Field in 2024, financing delays and rising construction costs caused that deal to unravel in 2025. The Rays were forced to play their 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field before returning to a repaired Tropicana Field for this season, where their lease runs through 2028.
With a definitive plan and location now locked in, Rays CEO Ken Babby praised local leaders for their commitment to keeping Major League Baseball in the area.
“By making the Forever Home a reality, the Rays are now home forever in Tampa Bay,” Babby said.
