Tampa Bay Rays Stadium Plans Advance with Hillsborough College Land Vote

Hillsborough College Land Lease Approved

• 🤝 The Hillsborough College (HCC) board of trustees has unanimously voted to approve a lease that seeds land to the Tampa Bay Rays for a new stadium development.
• 🔑 This non-binding vote is considered the first step in an understanding between the two parties to begin the stadium development process in West Tampa.
• 🗓️ The lease agreement is set for 99 years, with the hope of developing not just a stadium but also hotels, offices, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues.

HCC Campus Rejuvenation and Student Opportunities

• 💡 The school president views this as a significant opportunity to bring the HCC campus into the future, addressing over $50 million in needed renovations.
• 🎓 Students will have opportunities to work in the projected 12,000 jobs created by the development.
• 🏫 HCC will gain approximately 600,000 square feet of learning space as part of the agreement.
• 🏗️ The Rays will be responsible for building temporary buildings for students and staff during the main construction phase.

Stadium Development Details and Future Steps

• 📍 Renderings show the proposed development with the school on the southwest side and the stadium on the southeast corner, near Raymond James Stadium.
• 💰 If public funding is secured for the stadium, the site is expected to be property tax-free.
• ❓ While new stadium cost and funding details are still in development, the Rays can now begin to explore these aspects.
• 💬 The next steps involve discussions on the terms of the 99-year lease, including who pays for what and when, as well as community engagement.