The Hillsborough County Commission has advanced plans for an indoor sports facility at Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), approving an interlocal agreement with the Tampa Sports Authority and shifting just over $3 million into the project . Combined with $2 million from a BP oil‑spill settlement, this brings the design budget to about $5 million . County leaders intend to tap the tourist development tax fund for these dollars; some commissioners argued that tourist taxes are preferable to using general construction funds given other pressing infrastructure needs . A final vote on the funding source is expected in November.
This design work is part of a broader $70 million redevelopment of the 73‑acre MOSI property; roughly 67 acres of that land remains undeveloped . Commissioners view the sports complex as the anchor for a mixed‑use project that will reshape the Uptown district, drawing visitors and amateur tournaments to an area where MOSI currently uses only a fraction of its 74 acres . County staff say the facility would cover about 174,000 square feet, and they hope it can operate year‑round.
The $5 million allocation secures OSPORTS, a design firm with a $700 million field‑house portfolio and ties to the University of South Florida’s athletics master plan . OSPORTS proposes reusing the existing MOSI West building and situating the field house in the site’s northeast quadrant. This approach avoids rezoning, shortens pre‑construction time and could save about $15 million . The existing west building would connect to the new structure, creating a complex with 11 multipurpose courts designed primarily for volleyball and basketball tournaments, plus an entertainment park, courtyard, sports lounge, locker rooms, café and event space .
Officials envision the venue as a year‑round tournament hub that would draw youth and amateur events — and their associated tourism spending — to North Tampa . Preliminary estimates put the cost of the field house itself at about $70 million , though a final figure won’t be set until designs are 90 % complete. Plans call for the facility to open in 2028 . Beyond the sports arena, Alliant Partners Development plans to transform the MOSI site into a center for science, technology and innovation with multifamily housing, retail and a hotel . County leaders will also study whether an ice rink could be added to the 67‑acre property .
Commission chair Ken Hagan, a longtime advocate of sports tourism, believes this field house will jump‑start the redevelopment. He described the MOSI project as potentially “the most transformative economic development project Hillsborough County’s ever done” . Upcoming design meetings with the county’s master developer will address access roads, parking and how the sports complex ties into planned hotels and retail , marking the next step in turning this ambitious vision into reality.
