The Hillsborough College District Board of Trustees voted unanimously this week to approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing the college to explore a potential partnership tied to the redevelopment of a new ballpark on a portion of its Dale Mabry campus.
Board Chairman Greg Celestan said the vote reflects a shared vision for long-term community impact that extends beyond professional sports.
“This is about so much more than a ballpark,” Celestan said. “It’s about economic development, opportunity for our students and creating something meaningful that benefits Tampa Bay for generations. Welcoming the Rays home to this site while creating a live, work, play and learn district is an extraordinary opportunity, and we’re ready to help get this project in motion.”
Under the agreement, Hillsborough College would continue operating on the Dale Mabry campus throughout any planning or construction phases. Instruction and student services would remain uninterrupted, with temporary on-campus facilities utilized as needed to ensure academic continuity. Long-term plans call for the development of new academic buildings and the reconfiguration of existing spaces to integrate into a shared, mixed-use campus environment.
Hillsborough College President Dr. Ken Atwater described the proposal as a transformational opportunity centered on enhancing the student experience.
“A project of this scale and vision creates new pathways for learning, workforce development, internships and career-connected education,” Atwater said. “By reimagining the Dale Mabry campus within a dynamic, mixed-use district, we are strengthening our role as an economic and civic anchor while expanding opportunity for our students, faculty and staff.”
College officials emphasized that the MOU does not obligate Hillsborough College to move forward with the project. The agreement allows the institution to explore feasibility and collaboration while preserving the board’s authority to terminate the MOU at any time.
Hillsborough College serves more than 46,000 students annually across five campuses throughout Tampa Bay, offering associate and baccalaureate degrees as well as certificates and diplomas at approved levels. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
For more information about Hillsborough College, visit www.hcfl.edu.
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