Hillsborough College scraps temporary classroom plan for Dale Mabry campus

Hillsborough College canceled a plan to keep temporary classrooms on its Dale Mabry campus, a move that will force more than 22,000 students to attend classes at off-site locations beginning in January 2027. President Ken Atwater informed faculty and students of the change during an informational meeting on Tuesday, October 27, at the college's main campus in Tampa. The decision was made two months after the college and the Tampa Rays approved a deal to demolish the current campus for a new stadium.

Under the revised plan, mobile classroom pods will remain on the Dale Mabry site but will house only student services, not instructional classes. Medical students will move to the USF Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation in downtown Tampa, while most other programs will relocate to the Tampa Bay Park office complex. The college's health sciences building and adjacent labs will remain on the Dale Mabry site and continue to host some classes. Students with classes across multiple campuses will use a shuttle service to travel between the sites, a detail that drew loud boos from the audience.

Atwater argued that the new arrangement is superior because it places students in permanent structures rather than mobile units, citing weather and construction noise concerns. He asked the crowd, "You know it rains here in Tampa, and how do we manage the weather, having temporary modulars to where you have to go in and outside a building to go to different areas?" The college aims to complete the transition to these disparate campuses by the end of spring break in 2027. The new permanent campus is currently projected for completion in 2030.

Faculty and students raised concerns about the lack of guaranteed funding for the new building and the logistical challenges of the split campus. English professor Stephanie Lance noted that the state has only set aside $50 million for construction, while final costs could exceed $200 million. "But feelings are different than contractual agreements," Lance said after Atwater expressed confidence in securing the remaining funds. Atwater responded that he had a feasible contractual agreement with the state.

The announcement comes days before the Tampa City Council reviews the Rays' proposed community benefits agreement on Thursday. Critics, including the Tampa Monitor, have argued that the deal relies too heavily on the Rays' voluntary commitments. The college's board, appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis, previously approved a 99-year lease with the Rays that begins when construction starts. The land gifted to the college by the state in February 2026 was valued between $21.5 million and $26 million.

Atwater will present the detailed plan to the public at the Board of Trustees meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, at the college's Brandon campus located at 10451 Nancy Watkins Dr. The board workshop begins at 3 p.m., and the formal meeting starts at 4 p.m.