Tampa Bay Rays Unveil New Stadium Plan

0:00In Tampa Bay, it's March 4th. Here's what is happening. The Tampa Bay Ray started their community meetings this week to talk about building a new stadium on Hillsboro College's Dale Maybury campus. This is the first of three sessions, following a non-binding deal signed in January. The college will lease most of the land to the team, but keep ownership of new school buildings. Officials shared updates, including a video rendering of the indoor ballpark with 30,000 fixed seats. The Ray's planned to cover 50% of costs, which could hit $2,300,000, with the city and county funding the rest. They promised no impact on other local priorities or college tuition hikes, and they'll handle all extra expenses. Attendees, including students and staff, raised concerns about facilities access during construction, and why not just renovate instead. Leaders assured smooth transitions with a temporary campus called Hawksville shared gems and pools for students and athletes, and continued use of, Steinbrenner Field. They also confirmed college teams can play a few games in the new stadium.

1:04The project promises big boosts, like 10 million visitors a year, nearly 12,000 permanent jobs, and 40,000 construction rules. It could attract the Fortune 500 headquarters and expand college programs in sports science and hospitality. The state recently gave 22 acres nearby, and might add $50 million for new buildings. More sessions are set for 630 or March 10 at Jefferson High School and March 11 at the Skill Center. The team says plans will adjust based on feedback, with two more unannounced forms ahead. This episode is supported by our sponsor. Some Chase piece. I put my head in it.