New Citrus Park Apartment Plan

A vacant 11.66-acre property along Sheldon Road, just south of Citrus Park Drive, could become the site of a new four-story apartment community.

Velair Development Company is seeking approval to build up to 228 apartments, along with leasing space and resident amenities. Because wetlands on the property could affect the final site plan, the development could ultimately be reduced to about 186 units.

The project is still in the rezoning stage, so construction isn't approved or underway yet. The Zoning Hearing Master has recommended approval with conditions, and the next major step is a Hillsborough County Commission hearing scheduled for September 22.

Traffic could be one of the biggest issues for nearby residents. County analysis estimates the full 228-unit project could generate about 1,020 vehicle trips per day, compared with roughly 104 trips under the property's current zoning.

If approved, the project would add hundreds of new residents near Citrus Park Town Center, potentially bringing more customers to the area's restaurants, retailers and other businesses—but also more traffic to an already busy corridor.

Bottom line: This isn't a done deal yet, but it's a development worth watching. The September 22 county hearing should tell us whether up to 228 new apartments are moving one step closer to Citrus Park.

The Tampa Bay Rays have taken another major step toward building a new stadium in Tampa.

The team has released a detailed agreement covering the financing, construction and future development of a new ballpark on the Hillsborough Community College Dale Mabry campus, across Dale Mabry Highway from Raymond James Stadium and next to George M. Steinbrenner Field.

The proposed stadium is part of a much larger redevelopment that could transform the area around Dale Mabry Highway.

The proposed ballpark is expected to cost about $2.3 billion and seat roughly 30,000 fans.

The target remains Opening Day 2029, which is important because the Rays' current agreement at Tropicana Field runs through the 2028 season.

One of the biggest changes in the latest agreement is the amount the Rays themselves would contribute.

The team's private investment has increased to approximately $1.37 billion, up from the $1.27 billion contribution outlined earlier this year.

That additional $100 million would reduce the amount being sought from local governments.

The stadium would be the centerpiece of a much larger mixed-use development.

The overall project is expected to include more than 8 million square feet of development surrounding the ballpark, including housing, offices, restaurants, retail, entertainment and public spaces.

The development is being described as four connected districts:

Champions Quarter — The area surrounding the stadium, with restaurants, entertainment, housing and other uses.

Innovation Edge — The area surrounding the planned transformation of the HCC campus.

The Canopy — A mixed-use neighborhood incorporating residential, retail and public spaces.

The Row — Another mixed-use area expected to include offices, housing, restaurants, retail and entertainment.

In other words, the Rays aren't simply proposing a new ballpark. They are proposing a new neighborhood around it.

The Rays have selected a construction team made up of AECOM Hunt, Turner Construction and Horus Construction.

The selection still depends on the project receiving the necessary approvals and financing.

If those approvals come through, construction could begin as soon as September.

This remains one of the biggest questions surrounding the project.

The current agreement calls for a maximum local public contribution of roughly $976 million, divided between Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa.

The county's share has been estimated at approximately $796 million, with the city responsible for about $180 million.

The financing structure has evolved as negotiations have continued, and one of the major issues now being debated is how Tampa would finance its portion, including the use of future tax revenue generated by the development.

That's an important distinction because the proposal isn't simply about writing a check for the stadium. The financing is tied to the broader development and the future economic activity it is expected to generate.

The Rays' move to Tampa doesn't mean the Tropicana Field site will sit empty.

St. Petersburg is moving ahead with plans to redevelop the former Tropicana Field and surrounding Historic Gas Plant District.

The city has selected a redevelopment proposal for the approximately 58-acre site, meaning another major transformation is also underway on the Pinellas County side of the bay.

So Tampa Bay could soon see two massive redevelopment stories happening at once:

Tampa: A new Rays stadium and more than 8 million square feet of surrounding development.

St. Petersburg: A major redevelopment of the former Tropicana Field site and Historic Gas Plant District.

For residents of Citrus Park, Carrollwood, Westchase and surrounding areas, the project is more than a baseball story.

A new stadium and surrounding development could mean more restaurants, retail, jobs, housing and entertainment along the Dale Mabry corridor.

It could also mean more traffic.

That makes the project's impact much broader than what happens on game days. The development could change how the entire area around Dale Mabry Highway looks and operates for decades.

Not yet.

The Rays now have a detailed agreement, a proposed financing structure and a construction team.

But the project still needs final approval from Tampa and Hillsborough County.

If both votes pass, the Rays could move from years of negotiations and planning into construction as early as next month.

For Tampa Bay, this could be the beginning of one of the largest redevelopment projects the region has seen in decades.

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Cook Out appears to be nearing the finish line on Dale Mabry. The construction fence is down, the building is painted and exterior lighting is up. No opening date yet. We’ll try to get in as soon as possible.

Citrus Park is getting another recognizable restaurant brand, and this one comes with a pretty big name behind it.

Big Chicken, the fast-casual restaurant founded by basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, is coming to Elev8 Fun at Citrus Park Town Center.

The restaurant will operate inside the massive indoor entertainment complex at 7902 Citrus Park Town Center Mall, giving families another food option while they're bowling, racing go-karts, playing arcade games or enjoying the other attractions at Elev8.

The Citrus Park location is expected to open this fall.

Big Chicken is built around—you guessed it—chicken.

The menu includes chicken sandwiches, tenders, loaded fries and milkshakes, along with some of the chain's signature creations such as the Shaq Attack, featuring pepper jack cheese, slaw and chipotle barbecue sauce.

And unlike a typical standalone restaurant, this one will be part of the Elev8 experience.

Rather than relying on people making a special trip just to eat, the restaurant will be positioned inside a destination where families and groups may already be spending several hours.

Elev8 already has other food options inside the facility, and company executives have said chicken was a category they wanted to add to the lineup.

O'Neal launched Big Chicken in 2018, and the brand has been expanding through a mix of traditional restaurants and nontraditional locations.

The partnership with Elev8 is part of that strategy, bringing the brand into large family entertainment venues rather than limiting it to conventional restaurants. One More Citrus Park Addition to Watch

Big Chicken joins an already busy stretch of new retail, restaurant and entertainment activity around Citrus Park Town Center.

And with Elev8 already established as a major family entertainment destination, this new restaurant could give people one more reason to stay longer—and eat there while they're at it.

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