The Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday released a proposed Community Benefits and Legacy Plan tied to the Forever Home ballpark partnership with Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa. The proposal is subject to county and city feedback, along with additional input, before final obligations and implementation terms are established. It is designed to address benefits connected to the new ballpark, the reimagined Hillsborough College Dale Mabry campus and a privately financed mixed-use district.
The plan prioritizes affordable and attainable housing, anti-displacement efforts, public safety engagement, transportation improvements, local hiring, minority- and women-owned business enterprise participation, youth sports, literacy, workforce development, veterans engagement, family ticket access and public accountability. Under the definitive documents, 65% of the benefits provided through the plan would be directed to Hillsborough County and 35% would be directed to the City of Tampa. The proposal also calls for annual planning and public reporting to show where programs are operating, who is being served and what progress is being made.
Ken Babby says Forever Home must extend beyond baseball
Tampa Bay Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby said the proposal reflects the goal of making the Forever Home project serve the broader Tampa Bay community. He said the plan was driven by the Rays and Hillsborough County, with significant support from the City of Tampa. The proposal remains a framework for continued community engagement while the parties work toward definitive documents.
“A constant and important theme over the past year has been that the Forever Home must be about more than baseball,” said Tampa Bay Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby. “Specifically, it must also be about how this project can serve the Tampa Bay community the Rays have called home since 1998, and plan to call home forever.”
Babby said the plan, as proposed, would add regional benefits beyond those produced by the ballpark, the reimagined Hillsborough College campus and the privately financed mixed-use district. He described the proposal as a lasting investment and commitment to the region. He also said the Rays would continue community engagement as the proposal moves through the process.
Housing and transportation are central priorities
The proposed housing commitments include support for affordable and attainable housing initiatives outside the ballpark district. They also include anti-displacement, home-repair, tenant-stability and property-retention efforts that can serve existing residents in nearby neighborhoods. The Tampa Bay Rays would work with Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa and qualified community partners on housing and neighborhood initiatives.
The transportation component includes roadway, signal, pedestrian, bicycle, safety and first/last-mile planning. The Tampa Bay Rays would work with Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, the State of Florida, the Florida Department of Transportation, HART and other partners on transportation and mobility efforts. The plan also includes efforts to pursue available state and federal transportation funding.
Workforce and community programs included
The workforce-development commitments would connect residents, students, returning citizens and people facing barriers to employment with career pathways in sports, hospitality, construction, technology, media and business operations. The plan also includes opportunities for small, local, economically disadvantaged and minority- and women-owned business enterprises. Those priorities are part of the proposed framework for economic opportunity connected to the broader partnership.
The proposal includes expanded youth sports programming, community field improvements and Reading with the Rays literacy initiatives. It also includes affordable and complimentary ticket access for families and community organizations, veterans and disabled veterans engagement, health and wellness partnerships, and communication with public safety and labor partners. The plan therefore addresses community programs and access alongside the ballpark, campus and mixed-use district.
Advisory committee and report card would track progress
The Tampa Bay Rays would establish a Community Benefits Advisory Committee under the proposed plan. The organization would also publish regular public reporting, including a Community Report Card tracking progress against final commitments. Those reports would show where programs are operating, who is being served and what progress is being made.
The Community Benefits and Legacy Plan is a proposed public framework rather than a final set of enforceable obligations. Final obligations, definitions, implementation schedules, reporting requirements and enforceable terms will be governed by the definitive documents. County and city feedback, along with additional input, remains part of the process.
FSB Take
The Tampa Bay Rays proposal places the Forever Home partnership in a wider community context, with priorities that include housing, mobility, employment, business participation, youth programming, literacy and public accountability. The proposed 65%-35% allocation between Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa provides a defined structure for evaluating how benefits would be directed. The planned Community Benefits Advisory Committee and Community Report Card would add a public reporting mechanism if included in the final commitments.
The next stage is continued engagement with Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa and qualified community partners. The definitive documents will determine the final obligations, implementation schedules, reporting requirements and enforceable terms.
Source: Original report