TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Rays released renderings Thursday of a premium office building planned for the mixed-use district surrounding their proposed $2.3 billion “Forever Home” ballpark, offering the most detailed look yet at the commercial development the club says is attracting Fortune 500 interest.
The office building would sit just beyond the outfield of the planned ballpark, which would be located across Dale Mabry Highway from Raymond James Stadium. The renderings follow earlier images the club released showing the ballpark’s interior. The surrounding district would encompass more than 8 million square feet and include ground-floor retail, live entertainment and dining options, a convention hotel site, additional hotel space, modern residential offerings, public gathering spaces and a rebuilt campus for Hillsborough College.
“We have said from the start that this project is about much more than baseball and a new ballpark,” Rays chief executive officer Ken Babby said in a statement. “The proposed privately financed district that will be made possible by a new ballpark is attracting interest and gaining significant momentum. It has sparked an appetite among Fortune 500 companies from beyond Tampa Bay who want to be part of a game-changing vision, and we’ve also had meaningful conversations with businesses based here who want to learn more and be among the first to call the district their home.”
The district would be divided into four sections: Champions Quarter, which would house the ballpark; Innovation Edge, home to the Hillsborough College campus; The Canopy; and The Row. The Rays hope to open the ballpark in 2029. The club said additional renderings, including a master plan with the college campus, will be released “in the near future.”
No funding agreement has been reached with local government. In May, the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County approved a non-binding memorandum of understanding that outlined the framework of a potential deal. The club said Thursday that the team, college and local officials “continue to work collaboratively” on a funding agreement with the city and county.
“Of course, we have more ground to cover, and we are making great progress,” Babby said. “We’re committed to getting all the details right. This neighborhood will be here for generations of Tampa residents to enjoy and thrive. Every design decision, every tenant partnership, every community commitment, it all matters. We’re listening, we’re investing, and we’re building something that truly belongs to and is uniquely Tampa Bay.”
Negotiations between the Rays, the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County on a binding funding agreement remain ongoing, with no public timeline set for a final deal.