TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays are continuing discussions about a potential new ballpark in Tampa, and community members will have another opportunity to share their thoughts during a public input meeting scheduled for tonight.
What You Need To Know
The Tampa Bay Rays are hosting the second of three community engagement meetings tonight to get feedback on a proposed ball park in Tampa
The meeting happens tonight at 6:30pm at Jefferson High School
Traffic and pedestrian safety are among the topics that could be presented, after an independent report indicated as many as 10-million additional visitors per year could visit the area
The Rays want to break ground on a new stadium by the end of this year, and open the new ball park by the start of the 2029 season
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Team ownership is gathering feedback on the proposed stadium and surrounding development planned for a site at the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough College.
The project has already received approval from the state and the college to move forward with discussions about using the property.
Located along busy Dale Mabry Highway, the site sits along one of the city’s most heavily traveled roads. An independent report estimates that a new stadium could attract up to 10 million additional visitors each year.
Although traffic would be heavier on game days, the day to day average could lead to an increase of more than 25,000 visitors per day.
Local businesses nearby say the added foot traffic could be a major boost.
Mom’s Place, a longtime neighborhood restaurant known for its classic, home-style atmosphere, is right down the street from the proposed ball park site.
The restaurant has served the community for nearly five decades and is a popular stop for fans attending spring training games at George M. Steinbrenner Field and football games at Raymond James Stadium.
Manager Olivia Tort says large sporting events already bring noticeable business increases.
On game days, the restaurant adjusts by bringing in more staff to keep up with demand.
“We have more waitress, we have three cooks in the back instead of two. We have to prepare the situation to handle the volume of the people,” said Manager Olivia Tort.
The area has experienced similar changes in the mid to late 90’s.
Steinbrenner Field opened in 1996, followed by Raymond James Stadium in 1998, both bringing surges in visitors and traffic.
Tort says the city handled those increases effectively and believes officials can manage another one if a new ballpark is built.
Traffic and pedestrian safety are among the issues expected to come up during the Rays’ community input sessions, which the team is hosting alongside Hillsborough Community College.
Requests for comment about early infrastructure planning were sent to the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, and the Florida Department of Transportation, though no responses had been received at the time of reporting.
Despite growing discussion about the proposed ball park there is currently no formal agreement between the Rays, the City of Tampa, and Hillsborough County.
Still, the team remains optimistic about moving quickly.
Rays leadership has previously stated their goal is to break ground on a new stadium before the end of the year.