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# Is the Rays’ long stadium saga finally nearing an end?
- URL: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/is-the-rays-long-stadium-saga-finally/
- Published: 2026-02-06T22:00:57.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-21T15:45:34.000Z
- Description: Yet another set of new stadium renderings have been released, but will these be the last ones Rays fans see?
- Author: Collin Sherwin
- Tags: #Migrated-1792597384348, #Import 2026-10-21 15:44

For years, the Tampa Bay Rays have tried and failed to find themselves a new home. Now, they stand on the precipice of finally finishing a saga that is nearly 20 years old.

On Wednesday, the Rays shared renderings of a potential new stadium in Tampa on the Hillsborough College campus. It is the fourth time the Rays have shared potential stadium renderings with the public. In 2008, the Rays shared a potential plan to expand Al Lang Stadium into a waterfront baseball park in St. Petersburg. In 2018, the “Raybor” plans were released, with a stadium planned for the Ybor City district. Then, in 2024, the Rays unveiled their “Here to Stay” plan, which showed plans for building a pavilion-style stadium in the same area where Tropicana Field is located. Now it’s 2026, and Rays fans are clamoring for this to be the final stadium rendering they see.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/77/a9/77a9bb8f-d0f1-45b5-8fed-5feacd465ef5/content/images/2026/10/1be273d7-b03b-4687-8111-c8077c8fa38d_880x542.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/77/a9/77a9bb8f-d0f1-45b5-8fed-5feacd465ef5/content/images/2026/10/668dfbbf-e2a6-4242-9e02-762d5e6ea61b_880x542.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/77/a9/77a9bb8f-d0f1-45b5-8fed-5feacd465ef5/content/images/2026/10/11145fa2-9f9d-42c8-a5df-2d563cd31eed_880x542.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/77/a9/77a9bb8f-d0f1-45b5-8fed-5feacd465ef5/content/images/2026/10/e0ff3bb3-aec5-407a-aaa7-49a527fbe4fc_880x542.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/77/a9/77a9bb8f-d0f1-45b5-8fed-5feacd465ef5/content/images/2026/10/148b4761-1c18-4cc1-b39e-b0eb0f9b34de_880x542.png)

Via the Tampa Bay Rays

There is reason to be optimistic about the Rays becoming future Dale Mabry neighbors with the Buccaneers.

This time, the renderings are being released by a new ownership group. In September, the Rays were sold by principal owner Stu Sternberg for $1.7 billion to an ownership group led by Patrick Zalupski. Sternberg had been the Rays’ principal owner since 2005.

Sternberg’s empty promises and failed plans created tarnished relationships with local officials on both sides of the bay. He also found himself at odds with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who in 2022 blocked state funding for a training facility in Pasco County after the Rays took to social media to speak out against gun violence.

On Monday, DeSantis expressed his support for the Rays’ new plan, saying, “Baseball belongs in Tampa Bay. Baseball can succeed in Tampa Bay.”

Earlier this week, a memorandum of understanding was approved by the Hillsborough College Board of Trustees regarding the Rays’ new plan. The Hillsborough County Commission also unanimously voted to begin negotiations with the Rays on ballpark funding. The two sides hope to reach a deal in the next six months and have the Rays playing in the stadium by Opening Day 2029.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred also voiced his support for the Rays’ plan. “Today is an important day,” he said. “It’s a milestone day along a path that I believe will lead to the Tampa Bay Rays being a part of this community for decades to come.”

The estimated cost of the new ballpark is $2.3 billion, with the cost split between the Rays, Hillsborough County and the city of Tampa. Rays ownership has formally stated it will pay at least 50% of the cost of the stadium.

The stadium is part of a larger plan to build an entire development in the area that could cost between $8 billion and $10 billion. The area is inspired by The Battery Atlanta, a district located around Truist Park, home of the Braves. The area features restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, hotels and offices. The initial investment made into Truist Park and The Battery was $1.1 billion.

Negotiations still need to be completed, and past stadium deals have been “done” and fallen through before. But the progress the Rays’ new ownership group has made in just over four months is a promising step forward for the organization.

After years of stadium plans falling through and threats of the team leaving Tampa Bay, Rays fans have reason to be cautiously optimistic about the team’s future in the bay area.