Rays' new ballpark approved in county vote

The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners approved plans for a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium at Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus on Friday, winning 5-2. The vote followed a day after Tampa’s city council backed the project 4-3. The Rays have called Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg home since 1998, with a use agreement expiring after the 2028 season. County ownership is central to the plan: the project is projected to cost about $2.36 billion, with the city contributing $80 million, the county $796 million, and the Rays about $1.37 billion plus any cost overruns. Construction must start this fall for a pre-2029 opening.