Tampa Bay Rays win final approval for new $1.2 billion stadium

Pinellas commissioners approved use of tourism money to fund the county's portion of a new stadium for the Rays.

By Louis Llovio
| 4:55 p.m. July 30, 2024
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With the Pinellas County commission approving the use of tourism tax money, the Tampa Bay Rays can move forward with a new stadium.

Tampa Bay-Lakeland

The Pinellas County Commission agreed Tuesday to dedicate about $312.5 million in bed tax revenue to the construction of a new ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays.

The 5-2 vote brings to an end a yearslong effort by the team to win support in order to build a new baseball stadium replacing Tropicana Field.

What the county approved Tuesday was to move money from the tourism tax — which is earmarked for use in the industry and to benefit quality of life — to help fund a portion of the $1.2 billion stadium. The city and the team will fund the rest, with half of the money — and all the cost overruns — paid by the Rays.