TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rays have released four new special event renderings showing how their proposed 30,000-seat stadium could host non-baseball events year-round.
The illustrations depict the planned facility configured for major concerts, university graduation ceremonies, youth sports festivals, and combat sports such as professional wrestling, boxing, and mixed martial arts.
If built, the roughly 30,000-seat venue would become the largest indoor event facility in the Tampa Bay region.
“We have said from the beginning that our new ballpark is about more than baseball,” Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby said in a statement. “A Forever Home ballpark for the Rays is about creating an economic engine for our region through a steady and vast array of special events that will drive hotel occupancy, restaurant traffic, parking revenue, airport activity and transit usage.”
The proposed venue is targeted to open in 2029 as part of a broader mixed-use neighborhood project anchored by Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry Campus. The site is located adjacent to Raymond James Stadium and George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Architectural firm Populous, which was selected last year as the lead designer for the project, designed the stadium to feature flexible seating layouts, state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems, and dedicated club spaces.
According to figures cited in the release from an independent economic analysis, the overall development project is projected to generate $55.5 billion in total economic impact over 30 years and support 11,900 new permanent jobs. The surrounding district is projected to draw approximately 10 million annual visitors.
The Rays, Hillsborough College, and local officials are currently working with the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County to finalize a funding agreement for the project.
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