MLB team’s $2.36bn ballpark gathers pace with $60m local boost despite plea from mayor

The Tampa Bay Rays have received a huge boost in their pursuit of a brand new stadium. The Major League Baseball franchise had hoped to begin breaking ground on a new $2.36 billion ballpark project in Hillsborough County that would see the Rays relocate 20 miles away from their current home Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg , in September. The Rays, who reached the 2026 MLB World Series but fell short in five games to a dominant Milwaukee Brewers , identified a 120-acre site on the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough College to build their new home. The project – which targets completion by March 2029 – also includes plans for a surrounding mixed-use development, which includes residential housing, offices, hotels, retail outlets, restaurants and entertainment facilities. In August, the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County agreed a combined $876 million in public funding for the project , after months spent going back-and-forth on negotiations . When broken down, $80 million is coming from Tampa and an additional $796m from Hillsborough County, leading the Rays to front the remainder of the project which is estimated at $1.48 billion. Although they were unable to meet their own deadline of breaking ground in September, they were able to begin construction on a 15,000-square-foot experience center for fans a month later. This project showcases to fans exactly what they can expect from their soon-to-be ‘forever home’ with digital previews of the new ballpark for all visitors, as well as appointment-only experiences for season ticket holders, premium clients and prospective sponsors. Now, it has been revealed that the City Council has approved a $60 million community benefits agreement that requires the Rays to allocate $21 million to local initiatives. This money will be used in efforts to support affordable housing, workforce development, anti-displacement efforts and businesses owned by women and members of minority groups. More specifically, $1.25 million will be used specifically for housing stability and the anti-displacement initiatives, while another $625,000 will go toward the redevelopment of Al Lopez Park. Furthermore, a minimum of $600,000 will be set aside for what has been dubbed as a ‘neighborhood impact and connectivity fund,’ which will be used to support drainage improvements, sidewalks, landscaping and traffic-calming measures around Drew Park and West Tampa. The Rays will also donate $300,000 to the West Tampa Yellow Jackets Little League team. Newly-elector mayor hopes to prevent Rays from leaving With the MLB team slated to commit 35 percent of the agreed cash injection package, Hillsborough County will account for the remaining 65 percent, subject to its separate agreement. According to reports, during the first five years, the Rays must deliver $4.2 million in community benefits to the city of Tampa, in which sventy percent of this must come through direct cash expenditure, and after that five-year period, the minimum cash contribution falls to 50 percent for subsequent five-year periods. However, the Rays’ relocation has not been formally made official, amid St Petersburg’s newly-elected mayor Charlie Crist having expressed a strong interest in a desperate bid to keep the team at Tropicana Field – with their lease expiring in 2028. The former Florida governor defeated incumbent Mayor Ken Welch in the US midterm elections, and the democrat wasted no time. “ All I know is this. You don’t know unless you try . And I’m a never give up kind of guy. And I’m going to try,” Crist told New Channel 8 during his victory celebration on Wednesday. “All I’ve seen is people signed memorandums of understanding and resolutions and, you know, where’s the contract? I’m a lawyer,” he added later. “In fact, I was your attorney general for Florida. And unless there’s a contract, there’s a shot [of the Rays staying].” If he is unsuccessful in keeping the Rays from relocating, Crist may pivot his efforts toward somehow finding a way to preserve Tropicana Field – which underwent renovation after suffering huge damage when Hurricane Milton ripped through Florida’s west coast in October 2024. “I think there ought to be something that’s very iconic in it. I mean, Paris has the Eiffel Tower and New York City has, you know, the Statue of Liberty,” Crist said referring to the stadium as the city’s landmark since its construction in 1990. That’s a topic of discussion for later down the line, though. Sign up for talkSPORT Stateside , the YouTube channel dedicated to passionate US Sports fans. Will Gavin, Brian T. Smith, former NFL star Efe Obada and a collection of special guests debate the biggest talking points across the NFL, soccer, NBA and more.