Overview
- Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet voted to convey 22 acres at Hillsborough College for a proposed Rays ballpark and mixed-use district.
- The transfer carries a five-year use clause that allows the state to reclaim the land if project components are not in place within that window.
- Cabinet conditions require a campus master-plan update within one year, preservation of existing government leases until modified by the team, and expedited permit reviews.
- Rays CEO Ken Babby thanked state leaders and reiterated a targeted 2029 opening for the ballpark and surrounding district.
- The team says it will cover at least half the stadium cost, with the rest needing City of Tampa and Hillsborough County support, while a $50 million Senate proposal for relocating college facilities is absent from the House budget and the governor rejects direct state stadium funding.