Gov. Ron DeSantis endorsed a proposal to build a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium on the Hillsborough College campus, casting the plan as a chance to keep Major League Baseball rooted in the region while spurring redevelopment around the school.

Speaking at Hillsborough College on Tuesday, DeSantis called baseball “a unique game” that rewards hard work and resilience, quoting Hall of Famer Ted Williams and arguing the sport still matters in an age of “instant gratification.”

“Baseball belongs in Tampa Bay. Baseball can succeed in Tampa Bay,” DeSantis said.

Under the outline described at the news conference, the state would support using the college’s HGC location as the site of a new ballpark. DeSantis said the land is owned by the state and would be conveyed to the college, which would then negotiate terms with the Rays.

He also pointed to nearby state facilities that could be moved over time, including a Department of Juvenile Justice building that he said was already planning to leave the area. DeSantis said the broader vision resembles mixed-use districts built around new stadiums elsewhere, with shops, restaurants and hotels designed to draw visitors beyond game days.

“I’m a baseball purist. I think people should just want to come watch baseball, but the reality is, you do need other things to draw people,” DeSantis said.

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Rays representative Ken Babby said the first renderings of the development and ballpark will be revealed soon, with more visuals to follow as the group begins community meetings.

“We will go far and wide to ask questions, to learn, to take feedback and have community huddles throughout the region. To learn how to make our project the right, perfect, public-private partnership,” said Babby.