Hillsborough County ponders an indoor sports complex on MOSI property
By Steve Newborn
May 27, 2025 at 10:22 AM EDT
The plan, which would include several basketball and volleyball courts, will be discussed at a future workshop.
Hillsborough County will look into building a major indoor sports complex on property shared by the Museum of Science and Industry in north Tampa.
The 175,000-square-foot complex would include 12 indoor basketball courts and 24 volleyball courts at the MOSI property, which is owned by the county.
Commissioner Ken Hagan is pushing for this, as well as a separate outdoor recreation area, which would likely be built elsewhere in the county.
There's no question that both the indoor and outdoor facilities will be highly successful," Hagan said during a May 21 county commission meeting. "Frankly, I want to do both and plan on pursuing both."
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Hagan said it could be a big economic engine when paired with the outdoor recreation area.
"This will be the catalyst for what I believe most transformative economic development project Hillsborough County has ever been associated with, and it's estimated to be, I believe, a $2 billion project," Hagan said.
That could be the economic benefit, but the actual cost of the project would be much less.
The county would pay to build it with settlement money from the 2010 BP oil spill and tourist bed taxes.
Commissioners will discuss the plan at their workshop on June 11.
The 175,000-square-foot complex would include 12 indoor basketball courts and 24 volleyball courts at the MOSI property, which is owned by the county.
Commissioner Ken Hagan is pushing for this, as well as a separate outdoor recreation area, which would likely be built elsewhere in the county.
There's no question that both the indoor and outdoor facilities will be highly successful," Hagan said during a May 21 county commission meeting. "Frankly, I want to do both and plan on pursuing both."
ALSO READ: The second largest planetarium in the U.S. has opened in Tampa. This is what it looks like
Hagan said it could be a big economic engine when paired with the outdoor recreation area.
"This will be the catalyst for what I believe most transformative economic development project Hillsborough County has ever been associated with, and it's estimated to be, I believe, a $2 billion project," Hagan said.
That could be the economic benefit, but the actual cost of the project would be much less.
The county would pay to build it with settlement money from the 2010 BP oil spill and tourist bed taxes.
Commissioners will discuss the plan at their workshop on June 11.