Overview
- Last week Tampa City Council and the Hillsborough County Commission approved the stadium deal and about $876 million in public funding as part of a $2.36 billion project.
- The Rays ownership has pledged to fund the remaining roughly $1.37 billion and to cover any construction cost overruns.
- The team has named construction partners and says work will begin immediately on 'The Nest,' a temporary on‑site Hillsborough College campus to keep classes running during construction.
- Key prerequisites remain unresolved: bond and funding validation (expected to take roughly 30–90 days), a negotiated community benefits agreement, and additional private and MLB financing that must be secured.
- The ownership is targeting a September 2026 groundbreaking and an Opening Day 2029 finish, and the plan includes a multi‑hundred‑million dollar Hillsborough College redevelopment and aims to increase team revenue to support a higher MLB payroll.