Rays Stadium looking for a New Edge in Tampa with HCC

• Hillsborough Community College Board of Trustees approve MOU with Rays
• MOU is a non-binding framework to explore possibilities.
• Discussion of campus location and its proximity to:
  • Raymond James Stadium (Buccaneers)
  • Steinbrenner Field (Yankees)
  • Amalie Arena (Lightning)
• Community reactions, faculty concerns & housing cost questions.
• 180-day timeline for the Rays to return with details.
• Governor comments on infrastructure support (but not direct stadium funding)
• Why this site could help build a centralized Tampa sports district similar to Atlanta’s Battery

Transportation, Development & Big-Picture Vision

• Traffic & parking comparisons vs. Tropicana Field
• Transportation planning 
• Innovation Edge concept & mixed-use development potential
• Broader impact beyond baseball: events, tourism, NCAA tournaments, & international visibility
• Differentiating Tampa Bay from Orlando and other Florida destinations.

Rays FanFest Block Party (Valentine’s Day)

• FanFest to be held in the Parking Lot of the Tropicana Field outdoors
• Block Party - Free parking, block party atmosphere, and fan-player interaction.
• Favorite FanFest memories:  
  • Player scavenger hunts
  • Ping-pong with Rays player 
  • Photo ops with Blake Snell & Tyler Glasnow
• Fans will be excited to meet this year at FanFest: Gavin Lux, Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz, Cedric Mullins, Steven Matz, Steven Wilson, Richie Palacios, & Justin Henry Malloy

Rays Roster & Player Development

• More “team-centric” Rays roster
• Ken Waldichuk - Pitch mix comparisons to Garrett Cleavinger
• Trade speculation: Johnny DeLuca, Taylor Walls, & White Sox connections

MLB Free Agency & Trades

• Cody Bellinger -  signs with the Yankees (5 years, $167M):
• Concerns about Cody's age, cost, & long-term value.
• Mets trade for Luis Robert Jr.:
  • Younger, cheaper, high-upside move
  • Risk-mitigated contract structure
• Why the Mets’ move may age better than the Yankees’
• Yankees’ roster flexibility and potential follow-up trades

Hall of Fame Talk

• Congrats to: Andruw Jones, Carlos Beltrán, Jeff Kent
• Rare moment: 2 elite center fielders entering together
• Looking to 2027 ballot: Buster Posey, John Lester, Chase Utley. Bobby Abreu
• Vote dynamics shift as names fall off the ballot

MLB Parity & CBA Discussion

• Tim Dierkes’ article:
   “MLB Parity Possible Without a Salary Cap” (MLB Trade Rumors)
  https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/author/tim-dierkes 
• Why this matters heading into the next Collective Bargaining Agreement

Final Thoughts

• Rays expectations may be more grounded than in recent years—but opportunity remains
• New ownership energy, patience in baseball operations & long-term vision
• The next 180 days could shape the future of baseball in Tampa Bay

Join the conversation!
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