The Tampa Bay Rays’ new ownership group has made one thing unmistakably clear: securing a new stadium in the Tampa Bay region is their top priority. Rays CEO Ken Babby emphasized that the organization is “working quickly” and spending “days, nights and late evenings” evaluating potential stadium sites and feasibility studies. Managing partner Patrick Zalupski has stated the goal is a fixed‑roof, mixed‑use ballpark ready by Opening Day 2029, though the team believes 2028 remains possible if partnerships fall into place quickly.

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The Rays currently have a lease to play at Tropicana Field through the 2028 season, extended after repairs were required due to Hurricane Milton’s damage in 2024. Babby has expressed confidence that if the team finalizes a public‑private partnership soon, construction could begin in time to meet the 2029 target. The urgency is real, but so is the optimism.

The Two Most Talked‑About Stadium Sites: Ybor City and Dale Mabry/HCC

While the Rays have not publicly confirmed their shortlist, local reporting and regional speculation continue to center on two leading candidates: Ybor City and the Dale Mabry/Hillsborough Community College corridor. Babby acknowledged the team is evaluating “a handful” of sites that meet their criteria, though he declined to name them. Still, these two locations have dominated public discussion due to their size, accessibility, and development potential.

Ybor City has long been floated as a prime destination for a downtown‑adjacent ballpark, while the Dale Mabry/HCC area offers central access, major roadways, and proximity to Raymond James Stadium. Both sites align with the Rays’ stated desire for at least 100 acres to support a “world‑class live/work/play experience” surrounding the stadium.

Making the Case for Each Site

Why Ybor City Works

Ybor City offers a historic, urban setting with built‑in cultural appeal. Its proximity to downtown Tampa, walkability, and nightlife make it ideal for the Rays’ vision of a vibrant mixed‑use district. A stadium here could anchor redevelopment, attract tourists, and energize local businesses. The area’s character and density also align with MLB’s preference for urban ballparks that drive year‑round activity.

Why Dale Mabry/HCC Works

The Dale Mabry/HCC site provides unmatched accessibility. Located near major highways and adjacent to existing sports infrastructure, it offers ample space for parking, development, and transportation upgrades. Its central location within Hillsborough County could draw fans from across the region more easily than Ybor. For a team seeking a “forever home” with room to grow, the acreage and logistics of Dale Mabry may be the most practical option.

Strong Tampa–Rays Relations and Why Time May Be on Their Side

Despite years of stadium uncertainty, the Rays and the City of Tampa maintain a strong working relationship. Local leaders and the new ownership group have repeatedly emphasized collaboration and shared goals for keeping the team in the region long‑term. With MLB facing potential labor turbulence—including a possible 2027 lockout that some analysts fear could last an entire season—the Rays may ultimately have more time than expected to finalize plans and begin construction.

A prolonged league shutdown would be damaging for baseball, but it could inadvertently ease the Rays’ timeline pressure. With Tropicana Field secured through 2028 and both sides committed to finding a solution, Tampa and the Rays appear aligned, patient, and determined to get the next ballpark right.

A Growing Trend in Lower-Division Soccer

Across the country, a wave of new stadiums is rising for United Soccer League Tier Two and Tier Three franchises. These are not massive arenas, but smaller venues designed to seat a few thousand fans. While they may look modest, their price tags are not. Taxpayers often cover a significant portion of the construction costs. These stadiums usually anchor larger “stadium-village” developments that include retail, restaurants, offices, and housing.

Local leaders often promote these projects as economic engines. They argue that stadium-villages will create jobs, generate new tax revenue, and revitalize struggling districts. In reality, the results rarely match the promises.

The Economic Reality Behind Stadium-Villages

Most of the jobs created inside these districts are part-time, per diem, or minimum-wage positions. Concessions, retail shops, and event staffing do not produce stable, long-term employment. Meanwhile, the way cities finance these projects creates another major issue.

Municipalities often establish special stadium tax districts. Under these arrangements, sales tax revenue that would normally flow into a city’s general fund gets redirected to the stadium-village developer. Instead of supporting schools, public safety, or infrastructure citywide, that money goes toward paying off construction costs for a privately controlled project.

Sports ownership has increasingly become a real estate business. At both the major league and minor league levels, owners now seek profits not just from ticket sales, but from the surrounding development. The stadium becomes a tool to unlock public subsidies for private real estate ventures.

Omaha’s Proposed USL Stadium Plan

Omaha, Nebraska may soon become the next example. The owners of Union Omaha plan to partner with the city to build a 7,000-seat soccer stadium. The venue would anchor a 20-acre development that includes retail space, shopping, and housing.

Team ownership estimates the stadium alone could cost $114 million. That figure does not include infrastructure upgrades such as roads, utilities, or public transit improvements. Those additional costs would fall on taxpayers through a municipal taxing mechanism designed to support the project.

Familiar Promises, Familiar Risks

Omaha Mayor John Ewing echoed the language used by many city leaders who back stadium-villages. He said the project would give people another reason to live, work, and play downtown while strengthening the urban core. He also described the development as an engine for jobs, housing, entertainment, and urban living.

History suggests caution. Similar projects in other cities have failed to deliver broad economic benefits. Instead, they often shift public resources toward private interests, while cities assume long-term financial risk. Stadium-villages sound attractive, but the economic math rarely works out in favor of taxpayers.

Evan Weiner’s books are available at iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/author/evan-weiner/id595575191

Evan can be reached at evan_weiner@hotmail.com

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Momentum Builds for an MLS Stadium Plan

Plans to build a Major League Soccer stadium in Indianapolis appear to be gaining traction, despite significant uncertainty surrounding whether the city will ever land an MLS expansion franchise. The Capital Improvement Board has approved moving forward with pre-construction planning on a parcel of city-owned land, signaling renewed political interest in a project that has stalled before.

A key step came in 2025, when the Indianapolis Airport Authority Board agreed to sell its downtown heliport site to the city. That property has emerged as a potential location for a soccer-specific stadium. City officials view the site as strategically located and suitable for large-scale redevelopment tied to professional sports.

Expansion Questions Remain

While local momentum has increased, Major League Soccer has not signaled similar urgency. In July 2024, MLS Commissioner Don Garber stated that San Diego marked the end of league expansion for “a period of time.” That statement directly conflicted with the efforts of Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, who continued pushing for an MLS franchise despite the league’s public stance.

Those efforts also created friction locally. The mayor sought to position Indianapolis for MLS by backing a stadium plan that effectively displaced the United Soccer League’s Indy Eleven ownership group from land where they had hoped to build their own venue. The move underscored a broader shift in city priorities toward chasing a top-tier franchise, even without assurances from the league.

The Indy Eleven Fallout

On June 3, 2024, the Indianapolis City-County Council approved a new special taxing district designed to support a potential MLS stadium. In doing so, the council withdrew financial backing previously tied to the Indy Eleven’s stadium plans. The Indy Eleven ownership group believed it had reached an agreement with city leaders to develop a stadium-village project supported by a special tax district.

That project carried an estimated price tag approaching $1 billion and would have relied on redirected tax revenues to offset construction costs. In late June 2024, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission granted final approval for a stadium tied to that plan. Shortly thereafter, the project went dormant, leaving the Indy Eleven without a clear path forward.

A Stadium Without a Team

Garber visited Indianapolis in February 2025, but he offered no indication that the city would move to the front of the line if MLS resumes expansion. No ownership group has emerged to bid for an Indianapolis franchise, a critical requirement for league consideration.

Despite that reality, the city now controls a parcel of land suitable for a stadium. Indianapolis finds itself in a familiar position: advancing public planning and financial mechanisms for a professional sports venue without a confirmed team, owner, or league commitment. Whether that strategy leads to an MLS franchise—or another stalled stadium proposal—remains unresolved.

Evan Weiner’s books are available at iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/author/evan-weiner/id595575191

Evan can be reached at evan_weiner@hotmail.com