Advent and Rays to open ballpark experience center in 2027

Advent is partnering with the Tampa Bay Rays on a Rays Ballpark Experience Center set to open in early 2027 at Westshore City Center in Tampa. The nearly 15,000-square-foot venue is meant to preview the team’s planned 2029 ballpark and surrounding mixed-use district for fans, sponsors and premium partners.

Why it matters: - The Experience Center gives fans, sponsors and premium partners a way to preview the Rays’ future ballpark and district two years before the stadium is scheduled to open. - The project is designed to support both public engagement and sales outreach as the Rays prepare for a new venue and surrounding mixed-use development. - The center arrives after local approval of the new ballpark financing and as construction is scheduled to begin in October.

What happened: - Advent partnered with the Tampa Bay Rays to design the Rays Ballpark Experience Center. - The center is set to open in early 2027 at Westshore City Center in Tampa. - The Rays announced the Experience Center on Tuesday after last month’s approval of new ballpark financing by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and Tampa City Council. - Construction on the new ballpark is scheduled to begin in October.

The details: - The center will be located at 1111 North Westshore Boulevard. - The space will cover nearly 15,000 square feet. - About one-third of the center will be open to the public. - The public area will include retail, family-friendly experiences, Rays memorabilia and exhibits about the new ballpark and surrounding district. - Fans will be able to explore a digital preview of the ballpark and campus. - Visitors will also be able to create a personalized baseball card. - The public experience will highlight Rays offerings tied to the past, present and future. - The remaining space will operate by appointment only. - That area will target prospective season ticket members, premium clients and partners. - Visitors will be able to explore seating viewpoints, hospitality options, premium offerings, group areas and other parts of the future ballpark and district. - Advent is using advanced technology to help visitors visualize the venue experience before it is built.

Between the lines: - The center is part showroom, part sales tool. - The public-facing side is meant to build fan excitement. - The appointment-only side is built to help convert interest into ticket sales and partnership commitments. - The project also shows how teams are increasingly using immersive previews to sell major venue developments before construction is complete. - Advent has been positioning its venue preview centers as tailored to each team’s identity, not just to the technology inside them.

What's next: - Additional details on public hours and appointment scheduling will be announced later. - The Rays plan to begin building the new ballpark in October. - The ballpark is still scheduled to open in 2029. - More information is available at the Rays' ballpark site.