Tampa Bay Rays unveil Gensler renderings for mixed-use district around new Populous-designed stadium

The Tampa Bay Rays have released new renderings by Gensler for a mixed-use district surrounding their proposed stadium, designed by Populous, on the Hillsborough College Dale Mabry campus near Tampa. The stadium, with a $2.3 billion budget, will replace Tropicana Field, which was damaged by Hurricane Milton in 2024. The Rays will contribute $1.235 billion plus cost overruns, seeking additional funding from the city or county. The development includes office towers, retail, a hotel, and housing, with skybridges and a walkable neighborhood. The team's use agreement with St. Petersburg ends after the 2028 season, and the new stadium is targeted for completion by April 2029. Previous plans for Ybor City (2018) and St. Petersburg's Historic Gas Plant District (abandoned 2025) fell through. The 30,000-seat stadium will feature sky views, a bar, large video scoreboards, and a Ray Tank aquarium. CEO Ken Babby noted interest from Fortune 500 companies.