Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state will support using the Hillsborough College Dale Mabry campus as the site for a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium, placing the state behind a specific location as negotiations move into a formal phase.
DeSantis made the remarks during a news conference held at Hillsborough College, joined by Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, Hillsborough College President Ken Atwater, Rays CEO Ken Babby, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and other local leaders.
The governor said the state’s role would focus on land control and process.
He outlined a plan to convey state-owned property to Hillsborough College so the college can negotiate directly with the Rays.
“We’re here to say the state is going to be supporting this proposal to use this Hillsborough College location to be the site of the new stadium,” DeSantis said.
Land control as the first step
DeSantis described Tampa Bay as a viable long-term baseball market that requires a permanent stadium solution.
He said he met with Manfred roughly a year to a year and a half ago and recalled the commissioner emphasizing Florida’s importance to Major League Baseball.
He said the Rays represent a distressed asset that requires a different development model and pointed to mixed-use stadium districts in other cities as a practical blueprint for success.
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“The reality is you need other things to draw,” DeSantis said, pointing to projects that combine stadiums with retail, hospitality and residential uses.
DeSantis said the Dale Mabry area already includes multiple state facilities and public uses and said those could evolve over time as part of a broader redevelopment effort.
He cited buildings used by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and said those agencies have discussed relocation needs independently of the stadium proposal.
College Board authorizes negotiations
Atwater said Hillsborough College’s board of trustees voted unanimously two weeks earlier to approve a memorandum of understanding authorizing the college to pursue a partnership with the Rays tied to the redevelopment of the Dale Mabry campus.
He said the college would retain its campus presence while benefiting from new funding streams linked to curriculum investment, workforce development and internships.
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“This partnership truly is the definition of a game-changing opportunity for the college,” Atwater said.
Atwater said the college plans to work with the Rays, the city, the county and the state as discussions move forward.
MLB signals long-term commitment
Manfred said Major League Baseball views Tampa Bay as an essential market and reiterated the league’s intent to keep a team in the region.
“One thing that has been consistent during my time as commissioner is my view that Major League Baseball belongs in Tampa Bay,” Manfred said.
He cited the region’s spring training footprint and described the Rays as one of the league’s most innovative franchises.
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Manfred said the league is encouraged by the Rays’ new ownership group and its local ties.
He emphasized that stadium projects depend on collaboration between teams, governments and host institutions.
“The key to the economic success of most franchises is a partnership between the community and the local government and the team,” Manfred said.
Rays emphasize mixed-use district
Babby framed the proposal as a broader redevelopment effort anchored by a stadium.
He said the ownership group envisions a mixed-use district anchored by the ballpark and integrated with Hillsborough College.
“This is bigger than baseball,” Babby said. “This is about building a stronger Tampa, stronger region by reinvesting back in the community and rejuvenating a college.”
Babby put the project’s estimated economic impact at more than $34 billion and said it would establish workforce development pipelines across hospitality, real estate and related sectors.
He said the Rays plan to release initial renderings of the stadium and surrounding development in the coming days and will hold community meetings across the region to gather feedback.
What comes next
The announcement did not include financing terms, infrastructure cost estimates or a construction timeline.
Those elements will be negotiated through future agreements involving Hillsborough College and local governments.
DeSantis described the state’s support for the Dale Mabry site as one component of a larger process.
“This is just one piece of the puzzle,” he said.
For now, the appearance by the governor, the league and the Rays’ leadership places the Dale Mabry campus at the center of formal stadium talks and signals early alignment around a single location.
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