Rays clear final major hurdle for $2.4B ballpark as county backs project

Hillsborough County commissioners voted 5-2 to approve the Rays' proposed stadium at Hillsborough College's Dale Mabry campus, following a similar vote by Tampa's city council. The team can now begin bond and funding validation before breaking ground on the ballpark, which is targeted for Opening Day 2029. The project carries a projected cost of just under $2.4 billion, with the city and county contributing $80 million and $796 million respectively.

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The approval process involved significant negotiation, with Tampa's city council pushing for changes after a non-binding memorandum in May. The Rays reduced their requested city contribution from $180 million to $80 million, absorbing the $100 million difference themselves. The stadium site sits roughly 21 miles from Tropicana Field, the team's current home in St. Petersburg.

The project's financing depends on a $150 million loan from Major League Baseball, and the agreement includes a mixed-use development surrounding the ballpark. The stadium's completion could also influence MLB's expansion plans, as commissioner Rob Manfred has tied adding two teams to the Rays and Athletics securing permanent homes. The A's are building in Las Vegas for a 2028 opening.

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