FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis joined Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday in supporting a proposed new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, a project that could determine whether the franchise remains in the region long term.
The Rays are under lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg through at least the 2028 season, but the Trop sustained significant hurricane damage in 2024 and a $1.3 billion redevelopment deal fell through last year, raising new questions about the future of the team, which is under new ownership.
The newly proposed ballpark would be built in Tampa, in the shadows of the New York Yankees’ spring training facility and across the street from Raymond James Stadium, home to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While the governor and commissioner both said they believe baseball belongs in Tampa Bay, few specifics were offered during a news conference in Tampa, including how much the proposal would cost or when it would be completed.
“In the coming days, you’ll see the first renderings of our new development and ballpark, the new forever home of the Tampa Bay Rays that will serve as a catalyst for this new community,” Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby said.
Manfred noted that the key to economic success for most sports franchises is a strong partnership between the team, the community and the local government.
“Today’s an important day, a milestone along a path that I believe will lead to the Tampa Bay Rays being a part of this community for decades to come,” Manfred said.
Last month, the Rays signed a nonbinding memorandum of agreement with Tampa’s Hillsborough College to build a multiuse facility on a 113-acre site along Dale Mabry Boulevard. The project has been compared to Truist Park, where the Atlanta Braves play. The development would include a hotel, resident