MLB team’s new $2.3bn ballpark hit by setback as lawmakers insist $1bn NFL stadium project has priority

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may end the Rays’ bid to move in across the road.

The MLB outfit are relying on a public purse in order to build a state-of-the art ballpark at an estimated cost of $2.3 billion.

Tampa Bay Rays

As it stands, the Rays have plans to build a futuristic 31,000-seater stadium which would be situated in the center of a mixed-use entertainment district.

The franchise spent the 2025 season playing away from their current home of Tropicana Field after it suffered huge damage resulting from Hurricane Milton, though it has since been repaired.

But their NFL counterpart Bucs are hopeful of securing some public funding as well – in the region of $1 billion – in order to renovate Raymond James Stadium.

Members of the Tampa Sports Authority (TSA) have expressed concerns that money could become tight.

These discussions were made official on Tuesday when the TSA voted to send formal letters to the Hillsborough County Commission and the Tampa City Council.

These letters outline that renovating Raymond James Stadium should be given priority in the event that capital is sparse, per Emma Behrmann of the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

“I think that we should let the county know that we’re greatly concerned,” board member Tony Muniz, who made the motion for the letter, said.

“There’s only so [many] dollars that we have out there, and that we need to take care of our current tenants.”

However, some board members aren’t yet fully convinced by the letter, including Luciano Prida.

“There’s so much out there that hasn’t been resolved or settled and I think us getting locked into a position actually creates an issue for us if we have to make some changes to comply with what the county and city finally come up with,” he said.

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“It just locks us into a position that reduces our flexibility to be able to make some decisions, depending on how this thing falls out.”

Tampa City Council board member Alan Clendenin argued that the Sports Authority holds no authority in making the city’s financial decisions over elected officials.

“It’s the Tampa Sports Authority, not the Bucs sports authority,” Clendenin said.

According to John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times, seven of the 11 board members were present and the motion to send the letter passed with just one person, Clendenin, voting against.

The main worry from TSA board members lies in the fact that they estimate that the Bucs organization could be seeking as much as two-thirds of the $1 billion renovation costs to be provided in public funds.

“I don’t know that it’s necessarily bad to remind [the county and city] that we feel that keeping [Raymond James] stadium up and running is one of our major, No. 1 items as far as the Sports Authority is concerned,” board chair Patrick Manteiga said.

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Romano also wrote that the “county commission and city council already have approved a non-binding memo of understanding that would provide $796 million from the county and $180 million from the city in public funds for the proposed $2.3 billion baseball stadium”.

With negotiations still ongoing with the county and city, these funds have yet to be officially locked in, and need further approval by county commissioners and city council members.

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