TAMPA, Fla. — The Hillsborough County School Board has approved a partnership with Super League Tampa Bay, the area's new top-tier women's pro soccer team.
The agreement says that Super League Tampa Bay will invest more than $4 million to expand and upgrade the waterfront stadium near Blake High School in downtown Tampa.
The stadium will be a temporary home for the team, starting in August 2024. It will host Super League Tampa Bay's home games for multiple seasons until the team moves to a permanent home.
According to a press release, Super League Tampa Bay's investment in the temporary stadium will provide permanent upgrades that will stay with the school after the team moves on.
The upgrades will include more than doubling the stadium's seating capacity, installing new turf, upgrading locker rooms, remodeling projects on the Blake High School campus, and reportedly, the creation of new opportunities for students in Performing Arts, Music, TV Production, Math, and Engineering.
Super League Tampa Bay President Christina Unkel said the team chose the stadium near Blake High School because it had several transportation connections and close proximity to a lot of fans.
"This location unlocks an entire evening of fun, with so many hubs of activity around Downtown Tampa. You can have dinner with friends, then hop on a water taxi or stroll to the Riverwalk, and ‘march to the match’ to cheer for your team,” Unkel said in a statement.
While the timeline for construction has not been set yet, team leaders are getting ready for the next steps, including meeting with students, parents and staff. They are also soliciting fan input in designing the club's name, colors, and logo, which they say will be revealed in the coming weeks.