Current:Home > MyTampa Bay Rays set to announce new stadium in St. Petersburg, which will open in 2028 season-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Tampa Bay Rays set to announce new stadium in St. Petersburg, which will open in 2028 season
View Date:2024-12-23 22:56:35
The Tampa Bay Rays are going to have a new home, and no, it won't be in Montreal.
After over a decade of attempting to fix the Rays' problem of finding a long-term home, it appears the baseball team is close to finding a solution. According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays will soon announce a deal for a new stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Topkin notes that the stadium will seat around 30,000 and cost over $1.2 billion to build. The team will "pay for half or more" of the cost, according to Rays owner Stuart Sternberg, with the city of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County paying for the rest.
The new stadium will be built near Tropicana Field and is estimated to be ready by the 2028 season. Its construction will be part of the redevelopment of St. Petersburg's Historic Gas Plant District.
Tropicana Field:Stadium to host WWE Royal Rumble 2024
FOLLOW THE MONEY: MLB player salaries and payrolls for every major league team
Tampa Bay Rays stadium plans
One of the biggest drivers for the Rays to complete a new ballpark was to bring in increased attendance to home games.
Despite having made the playoffs for four straight years, the team is averaging fewer than 18,000 fans in attendance at their home games this year, according to ESPN's MLB Attendance Report. That's the fourth-lowest mark in baseball and better than only Oakland, Miami and Kansas City.
In Jan. 2022, MLB officials nixed a plan the Rays had been working on for over two years that would see the team split home games between new stadiums in Montreal and Tampa to drive attendance. It was MLB's rejection that forced the Rays to look for solutions in and around Tampa.
Tampa Bay Rays ballpark issues
Since the Rays joined MLB as an expansion team in 1998, they've played their home games at Tropicana Field, and for years, the stadium and its location have drawn the ire of MLB players and fans.
Despite "Tampa Bay" being in the name of the baseball team, Tropicana Field (or "The Trop") is located across the bay in St. Petersburg. The only way for a sizable part of its fanbase — those living in Tampa proper — to get to their team's home games is by crossing a bridge.
Without traffic, Google Maps estimates a 26-minute drive from downtown Tampa to the field. For those without a car, public transportation could take anywhere between 45-90 minutes.
"Nobody wants to come over the bridge and sit in traffic for three hours," Rays starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow once said of the commute.
MLB power rankings:Orioles stand strong in showdown series - and playoffs are next
In addition to the distance from the park to downtown, there has been much criticism over the design of the park itself.
Four catwalks hang from the ceiling of the tilted dome at Tropicana Field. Since the dome is tilted, the catwalks are lower in some places. More specifically, they're lower in the outfield.
The unique design quirk of Tropicana Field has forced MLB to institute ground rules regarding whether batted balls are in play when they hit the catwalks. On several occasions, balls have hit the catwalk and resulted in a controversial play that determined a game's outcome.
The Rays' 30-year lease with Tropicana Field is set to end in 2027.
Chaim Bloom:Former Rays official fired by Red Sox
veryGood! (7)
Related
- The Army’s answer to a lack of recruits is a prep course to boost low scores. It’s working
- Karol G Accuses Magazine of Photoshopping Her Face and Body
- Ukraine troops admit counteroffensive against Russia very difficult, but they keep going
- Floods threaten to shut down a quarter of U.S. roads and critical buildings
- College football Week 12 expert picks for every Top 25 game include SEC showdowns
- Divers Are Investigating The Source Of Oil Spill Off The Coast Of Louisiana
- How Todd Chrisley's Kids Savannah, Chase and Lindsie Celebrated His Birthday Amid Prison Stay
- U.S. Envoy Kerry Says China Is Crucial To Handling The Climate Crisis
- Singles' Day vs. Black Friday: Which Has the Best Deals for Smart Shoppers?
- Sheltering Inside May Not Protect You From The Dangers Of Wildfire Smoke
Ranking
- Quincy Jones' Cause of Death Revealed
- How Marlon Wayans Is Healing Days After His Dad Howell Wayans' Death
- We need to talk about your gas stove, your health and climate change
- Biden's Iran envoy on leave, says his security clearance is under review
- Seattle man faces 5 assault charges in random sidewalk stabbings
- 9 in 10 cars now being sold in Norway are electric or hybrid
- Should The Lawns In Vegas, Stay In Vegas?
- Monkey torture video ring with suspects and customers in U.S. exposed by BBC investigation
Recommendation
-
Kevin Costner says he hasn't watched John Dutton's fate on 'Yellowstone': 'Swear to God'
-
Summertime And Vacationing Isn't Easy. Blame It On Climate Change
-
Water In The West: Bankrupt?
-
Wagner Group prison recruits back in Russia from Ukraine front lines accused of murder and sexual assault
-
Monument erected in Tulsa for victims of 1921 Race Massacre
-
Ava Phillippe's New Blunt Bangs Make Her Look Even More Like Mom Reese Witherspoon
-
Heavy Rains Lead To Flash Flooding In Eastern Nebraska
-
Thousands Of People Flee A Wildfire Near The French Riviera During Vacation Season