Philadelphia Phillies Plan $300M BayCare Ballpark Renovation

Plans for a $300 million makeover of BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida, are in the works. County Administrator Barry Burton shared this news at a Sept. 11 meeting between Pinellas County Commissioners and the Tourist Development Council.

"They're looking for a major improvement for a facility that hasn't had those major improvements in many, many years," Burton said, according to St. Pete Catalyst. "They've done a lot of work to really get serious and zero in on the project needs."

The spring training site needs better food service areas. "It's kind of hard to have $300 million players eat at their locker," Burton pointed out. Right now, players dine under a makeshift tent.

Storm damage has hit the stadium hard. Water rose three to four feet high after back-to-back hurricanes, according to Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector. Workers rushed to fix the damage just in time for spring games.

"They were still painting when the players arrived for spring training," Rector said. The city spent $85 million on fixes, while the Phillies added significant funds of their own.

Since 2019, the upgrade plans have kept changing. At first, the team wanted $40 million from local hotel taxes for $80 million in fixes. By 2022, they added plans for a year-round training center.

Last November, the team bought 13 acres next to the stadium for $22.5 million. This led to plans for a $250 million Ballpark Village. But when ownership changed in 2024, everything stopped.

Burton spoke about these shifts at the workshop. "It's been on your agenda because it's changed as many times as it's been on your agenda," he said. "Now they're very specific."

Mayor Rector stressed the site's value to Clearwater. "It's about the City of Clearwater, our community and maintaining this long-term history. And improving our city's asset to be a leading spring training city," he said.

The field serves both spring training and the Clearwater Threshers minor league team. County leaders will soon get detailed building plans and cost breakdowns.