Hillsborough College changes plans for North Dale Mabry campus as Rays stadium moves forward

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - Hillsborough College is overhauling its plans for the North Dale Mabry campus, which is expected to be demolished to make way for the proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium.

Tampa Bay Rays stadium

What we know:

Under the original plan, the college intended to move classes into temporary mobile buildings at a location known as "The Nest" during construction.

But during a City Council meeting Thursday, HCC President Dr. Ken Atwater unveiled new renderings and announced that no classes would be held at The Nest.

Instead, classes will take place at the University of South Florida's Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation in downtown Tampa and in office buildings at Tampa Bay Park, less than a mile from the current campus.

The Nest will still serve as a temporary location for administrative and student services, the library and bookstore.

Atwater said the decision was made to avoid putting students in portable classrooms next to a major construction project.

"You're going to [have] portables. You're going to be right next to a big construction project that's going on. How will that negatively impact our learning?" Atwater told council members.

The college also plans to provide shuttle services to help students navigate transportation, scheduling and parking challenges.

Hillsborough student concerns

The other side:

The revised plans are drawing mixed reactions from students and families. Some students say they're willing to adapt as long as they can continue accessing the courses and resources they need.

"As all the courses are still available, and we're able to have access to everything that we need, I don't see it as a problem," said HCC student Theresa Rodriguez.

But other families remain concerned about the impact on students' education.

Laura Lawson, whose daughter attends the college, said she believes the school should have been rebuilt before the stadium project moved forward.

"Reconstruction of the college should have happened before the stadium gets built, but instead they've got it backwards," Lawson said, adding she worries the college's educational mission is taking a back seat to the stadium plans. "I believe that that core mission of the college is being compromised because it has become subordinate subject to this RAYS stadium plan."

Modern college facilities

Why you should care:

Between 22,000 and 27,000 students take classes at Hillsborough College's North Dale Mabry campus.

The changes will affect where students attend classes, how they get to campus and how they access college services during construction.

Atwater says the long-term plan will give the college an opportunity to create modern learning spaces.

"The opportunity to actually have brand new 21st century learning spaces, I mean, I like to say this, it's a generational opportunity for us to do that," Atwater said.

City Council stadium package

What's next:

The college's revised plans come as the Rays stadium proposal continues moving forward.

During Thursday's City Council meeting, council members also approved a $21 million community benefits package required for the stadium deal to continue advancing. The Rays will provide that money to the community over the next five years.

Meanwhile, HCC will continue working through the logistics of relocating classes and services, including its plans for shuttle transportation to accommodate students.

Tampa Bay Rays