TAMPA, Fla.— The Tampa Bay Rays today met with the Tampa Police Benevolent Association (PBA) as part of their ongoing community engagement efforts surrounding the vision for a new ballpark and mixed-use district at Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus.
The roundtable discussion provided an opportunity for Rays leadership and members of the Tampa PBA to exchange ideas, ask questions, and discuss public safety considerations as the project continues to evolve.
“We appreciate the Tampa Bay Rays taking the time to meet with us and provide an update on the evolving vision for the proposed ballpark and surrounding district,” said Brandon Barclay, President of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association. “As law enforcement professionals, our focus is always on public safety and operational readiness. We value being included early in conversations of this scale and appreciate the Rays’ willingness to listen to our feedback and keep safety considerations at the forefront as planning moves forward. We look forward to continued dialogue as more details become available.”
Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby emphasized the importance of engaging law enforcement and first responders early in the process to ensure public safety is prioritized at every stage of planning.
“Meeting with the Tampa PBA was the latest important step for the Rays in our continued outreach across the community,” said Ken Babby, Chief Executive Officer of the Tampa Bay Rays. “Their expert perspective on public safety, crowd management, and operational coordination is crucial to our planning, and having this relationship for the future is invaluable. We are extremely grateful for their ideas and feedback as we continue shaping a vision that prioritizes safety and community partnership at every stage toward making our Forever Home a reality.”
The meeting with the Tampa PBA is part of a broader series of community engagement sessions taking place throughout Hillsborough County. In recent weeks, the Rays have met with first responders, members of the business community, civic leaders, and other stakeholders to gather input and foster collaboration.
The project is envisioned as a public–private partnership, with ballpark costs shared between the team, Hillsborough County, and the City of Tampa. The broader, multi-billion-dollar mixed-use development will be 100 percent privately financed.
The plan and partnership with Hillsborough College are designed to improve campus facilities, expand workforce development, and create curriculum and internship opportunities for more than 45,000 students, reinforcing the site as a key driver of regional growth.
A recent independent economic analysis projects that the mixed-use development will generate $34 billion in direct economic impact, support 12,000 new permanent jobs, and attract approximately 10 million annual visitors to the campus and surrounding district once fully built out — on par with annual attendance at a major U.S. theme park.
The Rays and Hillsborough College are consulting closely with a broad coalition of project partners and stakeholders, including Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County Public Schools, as well as design, engineering, development, and finance partners.
Details on additional upcoming community engagement sessions, including dates, times, and locations, will be announced shortly.
Rays fans and the community can learn more about the project and make a $19.98 deposit to secure early access to seating in the new ballpark by visiting NewBallpark.RaysBaseball.com.