{"id":32930,"date":"2025-11-04T16:33:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T16:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/32930\/"},"modified":"2025-11-04T16:33:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T16:33:10","slug":"the-data-is-in-mixed-use-stadiums-win-big-for-cities-and-fans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/32930\/","title":{"rendered":"The data is in: Mixed-use stadiums win big for cities and fans"},"content":{"rendered":"

Major League Baseball<\/a> stadiums are becoming more than places to watch a game. Across the country, new developments are turning ballparks into neighborhoods that mix sports, housing, restaurants and retail.<\/p>\n

A new JLL report<\/a> reveals that these \u201cstadium districts\u201d are performing well in real estate terms, helping teams keep fans engaged throughout the year. This article looks at how the trend started, highlights examples that work and explains what it could mean for Tampa Bay as the Rays\u2019 new owners search for a site of their own.<\/p>\n

The research process<\/p>\n

JLL examined the performance of real estate near major sports venues in the U.S. The research revealed higher occupancy and foot traffic in these areas compared to nearby markets.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stadium construction slowed sharply in the 1980s, as this JLL chart shows.<\/p>\n

\"TeamsScatter plot showing MLB attendance versus win percentage. Teams with lifestyle districts, such as San Diego and Atlanta, draw up to 20% more fans, regardless of performance.<\/p>\n

Analysts looked at rental rates, retail leasing and attendance figures for teams with surrounding mixed-use districts<\/a>. The report combines data from national leasing databases, JLL\u2019s internal market research and MLB attendance records.<\/p>\n

Teams like the Atlanta Braves have demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach. The Battery Atlanta, which includes one million square feet of commercial space, 500 homes and a hotel, remains the benchmark. The Braves fill nearly 90 percent of their seats even in a down year.<\/p>\n

How the trend reaches Tampa Bay<\/p>\n

That model has now caught the attention of the Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 new ownership group.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Managing partner Patrick Zalupski, CEO Ken Babby and co-chair Bill Cosgrove said at their October press conference that they plan to build a new stadium inside a mixed-use district by 2029.<\/p>\n

Zalupski said the group is searching for roughly 100 acres to include retail, restaurants, bars and residential space alongside the stadium. He called that development \u201ccritical\u201d to the team\u2019s long-term success.<\/p>\n

READ: USF just hit $750M in research funding; here\u2019s why it matters<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe think without that revenue generation, it\u2019s going to be really challenging or nearly impossible to compete,\u201d Zalupski said at his introductory press conference. \u201cWe want to build a sustainable championship team. We\u2019re confident we can be successful in Tampa Bay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Possible sites include Ybor City,<\/a> Hillsborough Community College\u2019s Dale Mabry campus and the Tropicana Field property in downtown St. Petersburg.<\/p>\n

Learning from the battery<\/p>\n

Zalupski said his team has studied The Battery Atlanta closely, calling it \u201cthe gold standard\u201d for what the Rays hope to build. The Braves\u2019 project used tax increment financing, a structure that reinvests future property tax revenue<\/a> from nearby businesses to fund redevelopment costs.<\/p>\n

RELATED: St. Petersburg\u2019s Gas Plant District to be reimagined in $6.8 billion project<\/a><\/p>\n

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor<\/a>, who attended the press conference, stated that she does not plan to use taxpayer money to build a stadium but agreed with the broader concept.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey understand that the days of baseball standing alone are probably behind us,\u201d Castor said<\/a>. \u201cThey need to have that neighborhood that surrounds the baseball field.\u201d<\/p>\n

What this means for Tampa Bay<\/p>\n

If the Rays succeed, the project could reshape Tampa Bay\u2019s economy and skyline.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A 100-acre stadium district could attract national investment, expand the region\u2019s tax base and create a new year-round destination for fans and residents.<\/p>\n

Challenges and Next Steps<\/p>\n

The Rays\u2019 timeline is ambitious. Zalupski wants the stadium ready by 2029 and called time \u201cof the essence.\u201d The group must finalize a location, structure financing and gain public support for infrastructure and zoning.<\/p>\n

CEO Ken Babby said the focus will stay local.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlan A is to figure it out here in Tampa Bay,\u201d Babby said. \u201cWe\u2019re confident we\u2019re going to get that done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ThreeThe Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 new ownership group at their introductory press conference in Tampa.<\/p>\n

Takeaway<\/p>\n

Stadium-centered neighborhoods are transforming the way cities grow and how fans experience the game. For Tampa Bay, the Rays\u2019 next chapter could create more than a new home for baseball. It could build a new center of gravity for the region \u2014 where sports, business and community meet.<\/p>\n

Stay Connected<\/p>\n

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Read more TBBW stories<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Major League Baseball stadiums are becoming more than places to watch a game. Across the country, new developments…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":32931,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[385,5756,23179,23180,3813,23181,199,23182,135,1526,137,136,23183,10364],"class_list":["post-32930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tampa","tag-featured-business-news","tag-jane-castor","tag-jll-report","tag-mixed-use","tag-patrick-zalupski","tag-rays","tag-st-petersburg","tag-stadium-district","tag-tampa","tag-tampa-bay","tag-tampa-headlines","tag-tampa-news","tag-the-battery-atlanta","tag-ybor-city"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32930","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=32930"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32930\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32931"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}