The Tampa Bay Rays are giving fans a closer look inside their proposed Tampa ballpark as the deal to build it remains unfinished.

The team released five new interior renderings of what it calls its “Forever Home.” The images offer the clearest look yet at the fan experience that the organization wants to build around a new stadium on Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry Campus.

The images show a general seating bowl “that will offer exceptional proximity to the field from every location in the ballpark.” They also offer a glimpse of “dynamic” club spaces, club areas adjacent to both bullpens, “spectacular sky views,” a bar overlooking center field positioned above a retractable batter’s eye, and two video scoreboards that “will rank among the largest and most technologically advanced in Major League Baseball.”  

But the reveal comes as the project’s public funding structure remains unresolved. The city of Tampa and Hillsborough County have approved a nonbinding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Rays. But the $100 million portion tied to Tampa’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has been delayed until at least Aug. 20, with board members signaling it could be pushed back again.

Hillsborough County Chair Ken Hagan told Florida Politics this week that county staff continues to meet with the Rays multiple times per week to address unresolved issues, but indicated that it is “too soon to say if or when there will be agreement with the definitive documents.”

The renderings were unveiled during the Rays.TV broadcast of the team’s home game against the New York Yankees, with Rays CEO Ken Babby walking fans through the images and providing a general update on the project.

“Ballpark design is always in motion, but we felt it was time to pause and share with our fans where we are today and anticipate going in the future,” Babby said in a news release. 

“What we are unveiling today is a response to what Rays fans have told us they want — a comfortable and inviting ballpark that honors the intimate connection between fans and the game, while at the same time incorporating modern amenities and design innovations that they expect and deserve. We’re listening and working hard to deliver on what we feel will be the best ballpark experience in the game, bar none.”  

Renderings released by the Tampa Bay Rays highlight the team’s vision for a proposed ballpark in Tampa. Image via the Tampa Bay Rays.

The proposed ballpark would include about 30,000 fixed seats, with the ability to expand for concerts, conventions and other major events. The team said dynamic lighting would enhance night games, while the stadium’s interior design is intended to create an open feel through sky views and connections to the surrounding mixed-use development.

The team described the primary plaza entrance at center field as an “iconic gateway” into the ballpark, and highlighted the Touch Tank’s return as “a larger and deeper aquarium feature.”


Renderings released by the Tampa Bay Rays highlight the ballpark’s entryway at centerfield as a focal point of the design for a new ballpark proposed in Tampa. Image via the Tampa Bay Rays.

The stadium is part of a broader proposed mixed-use district anchored by a reimagined Hillsborough College Dale Mabry Campus. The Rays selected Populous last year as the design lead for the ballpark, and have described the surrounding district as a privately financed, year-round neighborhood guided by a “Work, Live, Learn, Play” concept. Plans include residential, educational, retail, hospitality, commercial and community space.

The team is targeting a 2029 opening, but the project remains dependent on local negotiations. 

The MOU includes a local public funding cap of $976 million, with Hillsborough County contributing up to $796 million and Tampa and its CRA contributing up to $180 million combined. Tampa’s share includes $80 million from the city and another $100 million tied to the CRA.

That CRA portion has become one of the deal’s most uncertain pieces. The CRA board, made up of Tampa City Council members, delayed the item last month after blowing past the Rays’ June 1 deadline for local governments to sign a stadium MOU.

With the CRA funding uncertain, negotiators are exploring alternative funding options.

Gov. Ron DeSantis recently said Rays stadium talks appear to be nearing a decision point, while reiterating his support for keeping the team in Tampa Bay. DeSantis has repeatedly said the state is committed to infrastructure work that could support the campus and improve traffic flow around the proposed district, but draws a distinction between that support and direct state funding for the ballpark.

The Rays have said an independent economic analysis projects the broader development would generate $55.5 billion in total economic impact over 35 years, support 11,900 permanent jobs and attract about 10 million annual visitors to the district — although critics have raised questions about the team’s projections.

For now, the renderings offer an early look at what the Rays envision for the new ballpark, while the deal that would make it happen remains unfinished.