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Tampa city leaders look at cost for possible Rays stadium
Dan Matics reports
TAMPA, Fla. - As the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County continue to push for the Tampa Bay Rays to move to Ybor City with a new ballpark, the cost of a new stadium is coming into focus.
Commissioner Ken Hagan told FOX 13 about the framework of the deal. According to a contracted study, paid for by the Tampa Sports Authority, it would cost $799 million to build a new stadium on Palm Avenue in Ybor City.
That number is scaled back from the $900 million pitch from the Rays in 2018.
The study found that a roof, which many says is needed because of the rainy summer months, would likely add another $160 to $180 million to the project.
MORE: Mayor Castor 'all in' for possibility of Rays split-season, multi-use Ybor City stadium
The stadium would fit more than 27,000 people with more than 23,000 seats -- much smaller than Tropicana Field which can fit more than 42,000 people.
The money brought into the region would be around $6 million for a full season, growing to more than $7.5 million by 2032.
The study says the ballpark would bring more than $20 million in real estate growth to the region.
The Tampa Bay Rays organization recently did a similar study, but it was modeled after the split season concept with Montreal, which isn’t going to happen.