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Rays Win Approvals for $2.3B Tampa Stadium Financing

8/29/2026

37 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The Tampa Bay Rays secured financing approval for a $2.3 billion stadium in Tampa.
Hillsborough County approved $796 million for the stadium.
Tampa City Council approved $80 million for the stadium.
The Rays will invest at least $1.3 billion and receive $30 million federal disaster funds.
A 31,000-seat ballpark will be built on Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus, opening in 2029.

History

Historical Context

When MLB granted Denver an expansion franchise in 1991, voters approved a 0.1 % sales tax that helped finance Coors Field. The stadium opened in 1995 at a $300 million cost, with the Rockies contributing $115 million and the city and state covering $185 million—over 70 % public money. Its success launched a wave of publicly funded ballparks, a model echoed in the Tampa Bay Rays’ $2.3 billion stadium proposal.

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Story summary

The Tampa Bay Rays secured financing approval for a $2.3 billion stadium in Tampa.
Hillsborough County approved $796 million for the stadium.
Tampa City Council approved $80 million for the stadium.
The Rays will invest at least $1.3 billion and receive $30 million federal disaster funds.
A 31,000-seat ballpark will be built on Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus, opening in 2029.

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