{"id":3170,"date":"2026-06-11T04:05:46","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T04:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=3170"},"modified":"2026-06-11T04:05:46","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T04:05:46","slug":"tampa-bay-rays-ceo-faces-drew-park-residents-displacement-and-affordability-concerns-over-stadium-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=3170","title":{"rendered":"Tampa Bay Rays CEO faces Drew Park residents’ displacement and affordability concerns over stadium project"},"content":{"rendered":"

TAMPA, Fla.<\/strong> – <\/span>Tampa Bay Rays CEO Ken Babby fielded questions from Drew Park residents on Thursday night about the proposed $2.3 billion ballpark and redevelopment project.<\/p>

Read more Florida governor race: David Jolly picks Gwen Graham as running mate as Democrats push for panhandle<\/a><\/p>

The Drew Park Community Advisory Committee hosted this meeting at Hillsborough Community College\u2019s Dale Mabry campus.<\/p>

Tampa Bay Rays stadium proposal<\/h2>
<\/div>

The backstory:<\/p>

The Rays are proposing a 31,000-seat stadium and a 130-acre mixed-use development.<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n

Courtesy: Tampa Bay Rays<\/span> <\/p> <\/div><\/div>

Babby says his organization hopes to build a project that longtime locals can embrace.<\/p>

“We\u2019re trying to build something you\u2019re going to be really proud of,” Babby said. “We want to live in this development too. We want this to be our home.”<\/p>

Several neighbors questioned whether community members would benefit from this massive project.\u00a0<\/p>

Drew Park resident concerns\u00a0<\/h2>

What they’re saying:<\/p>

Tampa resident Jaime Jones expressed concern about affordability.<\/p>

“It will price people out because we can\u2019t afford to shop at the restaurants that they\u2019re trying to build,” Jones said. “The only way that we get a return on our investment as a community is if they build those restaurants.”<\/p>

Others encouraged residents to stay engaged as planning continues.<\/p>

Maritza Astorquiza of the Drew Park CRA Community Advisory Committee stressed the importance of having community voices represented.<\/p>

“If we don\u2019t step up now and get a seat at the table, there are a lot of things that won\u2019t be considered for us,” Astorquiza said.<\/p>

Read more Pinellas County Sheriff\u2019s Office rolls out AI-powered language translation on body-worn cameras<\/a><\/p>

Funding agreement under consideration<\/h2>

By the numbers:<\/p>

The meeting came ahead of a planned vote by Tampa\u2019s Community Redevelopment Agency on a memorandum of understanding with the Rays.<\/p>

The agreement would commit $100 million toward the proposed stadium through bond funding.<\/p>

At the same time, the Tampa Sports Authority is urging local leaders to prioritize an estimated $1 billion in upgrades to Raymond James Stadium.<\/p>

Tampa Sports Authority board member Joseph Robinson said discussions remain ongoing.<\/p>

“I haven\u2019t really said no, yes, it\u2019s not definitive yet,” Robinson said. “There\u2019s no definitive agreements to do anything.”<\/p>

The Rays say they would contribute $1.2 billion in private funding, which would represent the largest private investment by a sports team in Florida history.<\/p>

Economic impact<\/h2>

Big picture view:<\/p>

Supporters argue the project could bring jobs and economic activity to the area.<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n <\/div>

Rays fan Ron Weaver pointed to the project\u2019s projected economic impact.<\/p>

“All these businesses around Drew Park desperately need these 11,000 permanent jobs and they need this $55 billion economy that baseball can bring,” Weaver said.<\/p>

Stadium funding vote<\/h2>

What’s next:<\/p>

A key vote scheduled for Thursday at Tampa City Hall now appears likely to be delayed until late July. Local leaders say they need more time to review a property tax measure that could go before Florida voters this November.<\/p>

Read more Lakeland considers 12-month data center moratorium after \u2018Project Swan\u2019 backlash<\/a><\/p> <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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