AECOM Hunt-Turner-HORUS JV Tapped for $2.3B Tampa Bay Rays Stadium
A joint venture of AECOM Hunt, Turner Construction and HORUS Construction Services has been ranked the top choice to build the Tampa Bay Rays’ $2.3 billion stadium, Construction Dive reports, citing a Monday posting on the franchise’s stadium RFQ page.
The selection still hinges on approval of a financing plan by the city of Tampa and the Hillsborough County Commission in the coming weeks, according to the Tampa Bay Times. If the JV’s price is rejected, the Rays will negotiate with other firms that competed for the job, including a JV of Mortenson, Beck and Envision; a JV of Gilbane and Barton Malow; and H.J. Russell and Co.
Market Impact
The city and county are currently on the hook for $960 million of the project cost, per the Times, with the Rays covering the remainder and any cost overruns. The stadium is planned for a 130-acre site in Tampa’s Westshore District and Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus, and will seat 31,000 with capacity to host concerts and other events, according to the franchise’s website.
AECOM Hunt and Turner have a growing track record on major sports venues. The pair won a $1.5 billion contract in October to build a shared arena for the NHL’s Flyers and NBA’s 76ers in Philadelphia, and broke ground in April on the $2.4 billion Huntington Bank Field in Brook Park, Ohio, for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. AECOM Hunt also previously rebuilt the roof of Tropicana Field, the Rays’ current home, after Hurricane Milton damaged the structure. Tampa-based HORUS Construction Services, with offices in St. Petersburg, Gainesville and Orlando, brings civil, government, aviation and healthcare project experience to the team, according to its website.
The Rays’ path to a new stadium has been long and rocky, including a scuttled $1.3 billion deal in neighboring Pinellas County in March 2025 that fell apart over financing delays. The team issued renderings on March 2, 2026, and released the CMAR RFQ on June 29.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Civil, structural steel and MEP subcontractors in the Tampa Bay area should watch for subcontract packages once the city and Hillsborough County finalize financing approval, expected within weeks.
- Local trades, including electrical and mechanical firms familiar with HORUS Construction Services’ Florida footprint (St. Petersburg, Gainesville, Orlando offices), may have an edge given the JV’s regional ties.
- Firms with sports-venue experience should note AECOM Hunt and Turner’s recent pipeline, the $1.5 billion Philadelphia Flyers/76ers arena and the $2.4 billion Huntington Bank Field project in Brook Park, Ohio, as both a track record and a sign of upcoming bid opportunities with this GC team.
- Subcontractors should monitor the Rays’ RFQ page and Tampa Bay Times coverage for updates on the financing vote, since the $2.3 billion contract remains contingent on that approval before packages move forward.
- Roofing and structural repair contractors may find relevant precedent in AECOM Hunt’s prior Tropicana Field roof rebuild after Hurricane Milton, which could inform scope expectations for the new build’s resilience requirements.
