Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet voted Tuesday to grant a 22-acre parcel of state-owned land to Hillsborough College for a potential new ballpark to house the Tampa Bay Rays.
Cabinet members Attorney General James Uthmeier, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson seconded approval of the deal.
“For Hillsborough College to potentially do a deal that would be beneficial to them and for the overall economy and community with the Rays and all the stuff that would come with that,” DeSantis said, “I think that would be very exciting.”
In a prepared statement, the Rays thanked DeSantis: “The support by Governor DeSantis and the Cabinet today underlines our belief in the power of this generational project, and the many lasting benefits it will deliver. Our momentum is real and growing …”
Allotting land to Hillsborough echoes previous comments DeSantis made last January during a press conference in Pinellas Park, when he noted: “On the state level, we don’t, from our coffers, finance the stadium,” he said. “That’s always been our policy.”
While not a direct financial contribution, granting the land strengthens the tentative, non-binding agreement the Rays struck with Hillsborough College. Either party may still walk away. Still, the move signals that momentum for a finalized deal is building.
Through what’s essentially a community benefits agreement, the state reserves the right to reclaim the land if development benchmarks are not met within five years of the transfer.
DeSantis has repeatedly emphasized that his primary concern is keeping the team in Florida. He has floated alternative markets such as Orlando, citing its entertainment infrastructure, while also expressing confidence that baseball can thrive in Tampa Bay.
“I have no doubt. You have a reservoir, there are millions of people, and a high affinity for baseball,” he said in January.
Now, with additional acreage secured, the responsibility shifts to Hillsborough College leadership to identify funding sources for the proposed ballpark – a project that would also require a significant reimagining of the Dale Mabry campus’s 113 acres.
Cost estimates for the new location begin around $2 billion, with some projections climbing higher. By comparison, Tropicana Field dome repairs were estimated at roughly $60 million and were completed under budget, though through a mix of funding, including monies from insurance and FEMA.
The Rays are currently slated to continue playing at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg through 2028. The proposed Hillsborough ballpark has been discussed with a 2029 completion target.