Hillsborough College to Split Campus Operations by March

The college will relocate services to three Tampa locations to accommodate construction projects.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Higher Education

Gouache-painted illustration featuring modular geometric shapes and directional arrows, depicting a campus transition in a warm, muted palette. — Hillsborough College will relocate campus operations to three temporary sites in Tampa by March 2027 to accommodate local stadium construction projects. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you believe temporary campus relocation plans for construction projects effectively support student learning needs?

Hillsborough College will shift operations from its Dale Mabry campus to three alternative sites by mid-March 2027. This move facilitates upcoming stadium construction and campus development.

Why it matters

The relocation allows for the construction of a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium and major improvements to the college infrastructure. These changes aim to maintain student services despite large-scale building projects.

Operations will move across three distinct locations, including the USF Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation at 124 S Franklin Street and the Tampa Bay Park office buildings. Portable trailers at the existing campus will house administrative staff.

The players

Hillsborough College

This is a public community college system that provides various academic and vocational programs to residents throughout Tampa.

USF Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation

This facility is a high-tech training center used by the University of South Florida for medical education and clinical simulation.

Tampa Bay Rays

This is the professional Major League Baseball team currently coordinating the development of a new stadium in the Tampa area.

The details

Arts and sciences classes will move to Tampa Bay Park, while health science programs will utilize the USF facility. The college will also operate a temporary trailer campus called The Nest and provide a dedicated shuttle service for students and staff.

Construction of the new campus buildings begins between January and March 2027.
Relocation to the USF building and The Nest is expected to be finished by mid-March 2027.
The Rays stadium is scheduled to be ready by April 2029.
Construction of the new college buildings is set to conclude by 2030.

Baseball
Oct. 19
Tampa Council Seeks Validation for Stadium Bonds
City Hall
Oct. 21
Luis Viera to Vacate Tampa City Council Seat
Employment
Oct. 26
Tampa Ranks Fourth in High-Wage Job Growth

Culture Shift

The college's multi-site transition mirrors broader trends where educational institutions integrate with large-scale urban sports and infrastructure projects. This follows the schedule established by the Tampa Bay Rays stadium development project.

Students and faculty will need to adjust their daily commutes to account for the new class locations and the inter-site shuttle service. Administrative services will be accessible via portable trailers, requiring students to verify office locations before visiting.

The takeaway

The multi-site transition requires students to stay updated on schedule changes and shuttle routes to navigate the semester effectively. Planning ahead will be essential for those balancing classes across these different Tampa facilities.