TAMPA, Fla. – The long-running saga of where the Tampa Bay Rays will play ball is moving to Tallahassee next week. Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet are set to review a proposal on Tuesday that could hand over 22 acres of state-owned land at Hillsborough Community College (HCC) to help anchor a massive 113-acre mixed-use stadium district.
The plan focuses on a slice of the Dale Mabry campus that officials say is currently being underutilized. While parts of the site serve the college, a large chunk is currently dedicated to surface parking lots. According to the proposal, shifting this land into the hands of the development project would offer a “greater benefit to the public” than keeping it under state ownership, specifically by “optimizing” the real estate available on the campus.
READ: Rays Unveil Bold Vision For New Tampa Ballpark District
This isn’t the first time this area has been carved up for sports. The site sits right next to George M. Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the New York Yankees. If approved, the move would require the college to overhaul its master plan within a year to show how a Major League Baseball franchise and a higher-education institution can live side-by-side.
The Cabinet—acting as the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund—will also weigh a recommendation for state agencies to speed up the permitting and zoning process for the project. This land has a long history, dating back to 1947 when the state originally acquired it from the federal government. Since 1968, it has primarily been leased to the college.
For the Rays, the clock is ticking.
The team’s lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg expires after the 2028 season, and managing partner Patrick Zalupski has set his sights on a 2029 opening day in Tampa. The vision for the new site is modeled after “The Battery” in Atlanta—a bustling district of shops, offices, and apartments surrounding the Braves’ stadium.
READ: Rays To Tampa? College Trustees Clear Path For ‘Forever Home’ At Dale Mabry Campus
Financing the project remains the biggest hurdle. While the Florida Senate has suggested $50 million to help relocate college facilities, the House version of the budget currently lacks that funding. Governor DeSantis has previously voiced skepticism about using tax dollars for professional sports, famously vetoing a $35 million training facility for the team in 2022.
However, he recently suggested that state funds could be used to help the college “reimagine” its campus and that the Department of Transportation might assist with infrastructure and access.
The deal still requires a green light from the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County to move forward, but Tuesday’s vote marks a significant hurdle cleared—or a major roadblock hit—for the future of baseball in the region.
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