\u201cWhen we look at the buildings, respectfully, of Hillsborough College, we know that they\u2019re in need of repair,\u201d Babby said. \u201cWe know that there\u2019s significant deferred maintenance, and we\u2019re grateful to the state for stepping in, potentially, to help us along this mission.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hillsborough College (HC<\/a>) would retain ownership of the land and lease everything outside of the Innovation Edge, along the site\u2019s southwest corner, to the Rays<\/a> for at least 99 years. The team must approve all design, aesthetic and architectural plans for the new campus.<\/p>\n The MOU states that Hillsborough County would own the stadium if the Rays receive public funding. That would keep the Rays from paying property taxes on those acres.<\/p>\n Babby said the college, the Rays, the state and \u201cmany others in the community would benefit from this moment.\u201d However, he also noted it was just a first step in an extensive process.<\/p>\n HC would be responsible for constructing and maintaining the campus area fronting Louis Avenue. Jonathan Squires, general counsel, said the Rays \u201cwould like the college to be a key part of a new stadium development project here on the Dale Mabry campus.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor clarification, this MOU is a non-binding road map of the major terms that both the college and the Rays would like to see in any final binding documents regarding the project,\u201d Squires said. \u201cFor private sector folks, think about it more as a term sheet rather than a contract.\u201d<\/p>\n An aerial view of Hillsborough College\u2019s 113-acre Dale Mabry site. The New York Yankees spring training and minor league facilities (upper right) are adjacent to the property. Image: HC.<\/p>\n HC\u2019s leadership will now begin negotiating those contracts. Squires also noted that the City of Tampa, the county, the water management district and other stakeholders, including Major League Baseball, must still approve the project.<\/p>\n \u201cDepending on how those go, it may need us to come back to the table and change part of something we had agreed to or not,\u201d Squires added.<\/p>\n He said the MOU \u201ccontemplates that we would have final binding agreements\u201d ready within 180 days. \u201cI think at this point, that\u2019s a very realistic timetable,\u201d Squires said.<\/p>\n The presentation and discussion, excluding public comments, took five minutes. However, Babby briefly highlighted three conceptual slides, subsequently obtained by the Catalyst, that shed some additional light on the monumental project.<\/p>\n A \u201cChampions Quarter\u201d would feature a new ballpark to the east of the Innovation Edge. The area is a \u201cbold, high-energy destination at the center of Tampa\u2019s sports and entertainment culture.\u201d<\/p>\n The Innovation Edge is a \u201chub for learning, health, performance and discovery \u2013 powered by HC, sports science and Tampa\u2019s emerging innovation economy.\u201d According to the presentation, a mixed-use development known as The Canopy is \u201ca parkside neighborhood shaped by shade, greenery, belonging and the rhythms of everyday life.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Michael Garcia, a trustee, called the MOU a \u201cmajor decision\u201d and expressed hope that it \u201cleads Hillsborough College towards growth and advancement.\u201d He also noted the project would impact students.<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing that I\u2019ve learned at Hillsborough College is that our community is resilient,\u201d Garcia continued. \u201cOur faculty, staff and students have continually shown strength and adaptability in the face of change. Let\u2019s not ever forget that the core mission of this institution is to educate and prepare the leaders of tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n In a prepared statement, Dr. Ken Atwater, president, said the partnership \u201crepresents a transformational opportunity\u201d for the college and its student experience. \u201cA project of this scale and vision creates new pathways for learning, workforce development, internships and career-connected education.\u201d<\/p>\n Babby said the project would generate an estimated $34 billion economic impact and create 12,000 jobs. He and the team\u2019s new ownership<\/a> group have repeatedly stated that they plan to move into a new stadium when their lease at Tropicana Field<\/a> in St. Petersburg terminates following the 2028 season.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are encouraged to take this early but very important step forward in bringing a shared and innovative concept to life for all of Tampa Bay,\u201d Babby said after the meeting. \u201cWe are grateful for today\u2019s unanimous vote, which reflects what\u2019s possible when we all listen, learn and work together to realize a vision that will make our community better.\u201d<\/p>\n The project\u2019s conceptual zones. Image: Tampa Bay Rays.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Tampa Bay Rays have secured a non-binding agreement with Hillsborough College that could pave the way for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":125836,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[135,137,136],"class_list":["post-125835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tampa","tag-tampa","tag-tampa-headlines","tag-tampa-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125835","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125835"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125835\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125835"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/HCC-Site.jpg\")
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