The Hillsborough County Commission has voted to approve the Rays’ proposed stadium deal, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The vote, which passed by a 5-2 measure, follows yesterday’s vote of approval from the Tampa City Council.
With those crucial approvals in place, the Rays have secured the necessary public funding to move forward with the construction of a new $2.3 billion mixed-use development near Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus. The city is contributing roughly $80MM, while the county will contribute just shy of $800MM. The team will provide an additional $1.4 billion in private funding and will cover any overrun costs. Construction is expected to begin soon, and the target opening date for the new facility is 2029. The Rays’ current lease at Tropicana Field, in nearby St. Petersburg and Pinellas County, runs through 2028.
More to come.
