It’s part of their ongoing community engagement efforts surrounding the vision for a new ballpark and mixed-use district at Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus.
TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays continued their community outreach this week, meeting with the Tampa Police Benevolent Association (PBA) to discuss public safety considerations tied to the team’s proposed new ballpark and mixed‑use district at Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus.
The roundtable allowed Rays’ leadership and PBA members to exchange ideas and address safety priorities as plans develop.
Tampa PBA President Brandon Barclay said the union appreciated being included early in the process, noting that public safety and operational readiness are central to its mission.
“We appreciate the Tampa Bay Rays taking the time to meet with us and provide an update on the evolving vision for the proposed ballpark and surrounding district,” Barclay said.
“As law enforcement professionals, our focus is always on public safety and operational readiness. We value being included early in conversations of this scale and appreciate the Rays’ willingness to listen to our feedback and keep safety considerations at the forefront as planning moves forward. We look forward to continued dialogue as more details become available,” Barclay added.
Rays Chief Executive Officer, Ken Babby, emphasized that engaging law enforcement is essential to designing a venue and district that prioritize safety and effective crowd management.
“Meeting with the Tampa PBA was the latest important step for the Rays in our continued outreach across the community,” Babby said. “Their expert perspective on public safety, crowd management, and operational coordination is crucial to our planning, and having this relationship for the future is invaluable. We are extremely grateful for their ideas and feedback as we continue shaping a vision that prioritizes safety and community partnership at every stage toward making our Forever Home a reality.”
The meeting is part of a broader series of engagement sessions with first responders, business groups, civic leaders, and other stakeholders. More details on upcoming public sessions will be announced soon.
Interested fans can learn more at NewBallpark.RaysBaseball.com.