Representatives of the Tampa Bay Rays have approached Hillsborough College about using a portion of its Dale Mabry campus for a mixed-use development that includes an indoor baseball stadium.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s according to the\u00a0agenda of a special meeting<\/a>\u00a0called for Tuesday by the school\u2019s District Board of Trustees.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter discussions between College staff and Rays representatives, the Rays have asked the College to enter into final, binding agreements for the Project,\u201d the agenda reads. \u201cThe Project as proposed would result in a major transformation of many aspects of the Dale Mabry campus.\u201d<\/p>\n The trustees are scheduled to discuss a nonbinding memorandum of understanding (MOU) to outline key terms and conditions for any project agreement.<\/p>\n \u201cThe MOU does not require the College to do the Project, and it can be terminated by the Board at any time,\u201d the agenda reads. \u201cIf the MOU is approved, the Rays and the College will begin negotiating and drafting Project agreements for the Board\u2019s review approval at a future meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n The agenda also says, \u201cthe Rays have included a proposal to reimburse the College for the costs of preparing the final Project agreements.\u201d<\/p>\n There are few other details regarding the meeting other than a recommendation by the college president to approve entering into a discussion with the Rays.<\/p>\n The team\u2019s new ownership has stated it plans to have a new ballpark open by spring 2029 as part of a mixed-use development. Among the criteria announced by new co-owner Patrick Zalupski is a public-private partnership that will build on at least 100 acres of land.<\/p>\n The campus, across Dale Mabry Highway from Raymond James Stadium, matches those parameters.<\/p>\n The Rays envision the fixed-roof stadium as the anchor for a project that would include hotels, retail, restaurants and bars. And perhaps, even the college.<\/p>\n They said the revenue stream from the surrounding development is needed to help finance the stadium, which would cost more than $1 billion.<\/p>\n Zalupski also envisions stadium revenue beyond a regular season of 82 baseball games, with another 150 to 180 events per year, including concerts, festivals and other major gatherings.<\/p>\n The Rays are contracted to play through the 2028 season at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, their home since their first season in 1998. However, the previous ownership, led by Stuart Sternberg, had been looking for a new ballpark since purchasing the team in 2004.<\/p>\n Sternberg sold the Rays to a group formed by Zalupski in late September for a reported $1.7 billion. At the time, Zalupski said the first order of business was a new stadium, and the campus site became an early favorite.<\/p>\n Ashley Kritzer, a reporter who has covered the Rays\u2019 stadium search for the\u00a0Tampa Bay Business Journal, told WUSF\u2019s\u00a0\u201cFlorida Matters Live & Local\u201d<\/a>\u00a0the HCC trustees are discussing \u201cpotentially a land-swap deal, a conveyance agreement, but it really is just the first step because we still don\u2019t know what the county funding is going to look like.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t know what, if anything, will be involved at a state level. There may be some infrastructure funding associated because the state does control Hillsborough College.\u201d<\/p>\n Kritzer said one scenario could have the state paying to relocate the campus. It is also possible the college could be part of the stadium development.<\/p>\n ALSO READ:\u00a0How can a \u2018public-private partnership\u2019 be used to keep the Rays in the Tampa Bay area?<\/a><\/p>\n She noted Gov. Ron DeSantis has opposed any subsides for sports arenas. But Zalupski, the owner of Jacksonville-based Dream Finder Homes, has long-standing ties to governor.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the workaround here is that if there is state funding in this deal, it may be used for infrastructure. It may be tied to the relocation of the school,\u201d Kritzer said. \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t necessarily be given directly to the Rays.\u201d<\/p>\n The discussion between the team and school comes after Sternberg canceled a deal to build a stadium on the Historic Gas Plant site, where Tropicana Field is located. The deal died after Hurricane Milton ripped off the dome\u2019s fabric roof and the team had to play the 2025 season at Tampa\u2019s Steinbrenner Field.<\/p>\n Tropicana Field is expected to be ready for the start of the 2026 season<\/a>.<\/p>\n ALSO READ:\u00a0ALSO READ:\u00a0Zalupski officially takes over the Rays and the quest for a new Tampa-area ballpark<\/a><\/p>\n