With new Tampa ballpark planning well underway, the Tampa Bay Rays are prepping a Rays Ballpark Experience Center designed to woo fans, sponsors and premium partners, opening in early 2027 (we hope in time for spring training, anyway).
The Rays Ballpark Experience Center will stress the fan experience at the new Tampa ballpark as well as the elements of the surrounding mixed-use district, currently planned for the Hillsborough College site next Raymond James Stadium and Steinbrenner Field. The new Tampa ballpark is scheduled to open in 2029.
“The Rays Ballpark Experience Center, when it opens in a few months in Westshore, will be what ‘Forever is Now’ is all about,” said Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby via press release. “Rays fans, sitting anywhere from general to premium seating, will no longer have to imagine their experience in our new ballpark. One visit to the Experience Center will make it all real and serve as a reminder of why we love baseball, and especially our team. The Experience Center will also preview the new mixed-use district plus a chance to preview our new district with engagement with hotel, office, and retail-related experiences.
“As important, our sponsors and marketing partners will see how their investment in the ballpark will deliver an entirely new level of energy and connection with Rays fans and their target audiences, which are often the same. The Experience Center will illustrate how signage, activation, client engagement, and opportunities that may have been difficult to imagine not long ago will be possible when the Forever Home opens in 2029.”
The Experience Center is set for 1111 North Westshore Boulevard at Westshore City Center, near the planned ballpark site. According to the team, approximately one-third of the nearly 15,000-square-foot center will be open to the public and feature retail, family-friendly experiences, Rays memorabilia, and exhibits highlighting the new ballpark and surrounding district. Fans will be able to explore a digital preview of the ballpark and campus, create a personalized baseball card, and discover new Rays experiences celebrating the past, present, and future.
The remaining space will offer an appointment-only, immersive journey designed to help prospective season ticket members, premium clients, and partners envision their place and experience in the new ballpark and district. Leveraging advanced technology, visitors will be able to explore different seating viewpoints, hospitality and premium offerings, group areas, and elements of the complete ballpark and district experience.
Construction is scheduled to begin in October. The Rays have entered into a lease for approximately 9,000 square feet on the first floor for the Experience Center and nearly 6,000 square feet on the second floor for 40 to 50 support staff dedicated to sales efforts for the new ballpark.
The new Rays ballpark will anchor a new entertainment complex at Hillsborough College, which would also see a redeveloped campus as part of the overall plan. An entertainment complex could have an economic impact beyond Rays game: the 113-acre Dale Mabry Campus of Hillsborough Community College is located south of Steinbrenner Field (spring-training home of the New York Yankees) and west of Raymond James Stadium (home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and the assumption that an entertainment district would draw fans for both Yankees spring training and Bucs games.
The plan divides the site into four quarters: A Champions Quarter containing the $2.3 billion ballpark at the corner of Dale Mabry and West Tampa Bay Boulevard; an Invention Edge housing the rebuilt Hillsborough College campus; The Row, a street running through the development; and The Canopy, open parkland marked by shade and greenery. The goal to create an environment that brings fan in early and keeps them after a game, while also attracting interest from Yankees and Buccaneers fans. If the plan seems familiar, it should be: this is the same exact blueprint the Atlanta Braves used to create Truist Park and The Battery mixed-use district in Cobb County.
The Rays would sign a 35-year lease with three five-year options at the end and include a nonrelocation clause. The team would manage the ballpark operations and cover repairs and insurance. The goal is a March 1, 2029 opening; the Rays’ Tropicana Field lease ends after the 2028 season.
Rendering courtesy Tampa Bay Rays.
Deal reached with city, county on new Rays ballpark funding; New Tampa ballpark renderings unveiled; New Rays ballpark clears initial funding hurdles; Initial budget for new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark released; New Rays ballpark renderings released; Another contender looms for new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark: Orlando; MOU marks important step toward new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark; Developer makes pitch for new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark in St. Pete; Tampa Bay Rays ownership: We want new ballpark by 2029; New owners close on Tampa Bay sale; new Rays ballpark next; Tampa Bay Rays sale approved; next up, new ballpark