Tampa Bay Rays Stadium

The Tampa Bay Rays are a representative of the American League (AL) in Major League Baseball (MLB). The team has won the AL East Division Championships four times so far and have also gained the AL pennant twice till now. However, they have not won the World Series Championships yet. Additionally, they contest the Citrus series with the Miami Marlins. They also share notable rivalries with the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankeees.

Stuart Sternberg presently owns the Tampa Bay Rays while Matt Silverman and Brian Auld serve as the co-Presidents of the team. Erik Meaner serves as the President of baseball operations. Additionally, Kevin Cash is continuing his role as the manager of the team in the 2024 MLB season. In the 2023 MLB season, the team ranked #2 in AL East Division and achieved a record of 99-63-0.

What is the name of the Tampa Bay Rays’ Stadium?

Tropicana Field is the official stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays in Major League Baseball (MLB). Also known as “The Trop”, it is based in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. The Tampa Bay Rays have been using the stadium for their home games since they were established in 1998.

Tropicana Field’s History/ Tropicana Field Construction and Cost

The preparations for the construction of Tropicana Field started in 1966 after a campaign by Jack Lake, the owner of the Tampa Bay Times. Tampa, the largest city in the area, got the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL. Therefore, St. Petersburg, the second largest city of the area welcomed the MLB to relocate there. They proposed the construction of a new baseball stadium in the city in 1983. The construction work of the stadium started in 1986 and the stadium, then known as The Florida Suncoast Dome was opened to the public on March 3, 1990. After the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL moved in the area in 1993, it was renamed to The ThunderDome. In 1996, Tropicana Products, a fruit juice company in Bradenton, Florida, United States purchased the naming rights of the stadium for 30 years for $30 million and the stadium was renamed to Tropicana Field. The first baseball game was played eight years later on March 31, 1998 after the Tampa Bay Rays were formed.

Tropicana Field is one of the most loved MLB baseball stadiums for the fans. It is unique for its fixed slanted dome which can protect the players and fans from hot humid weather and thunderstorms. The structure of the stadium can also withstand hurricanes. Tropicana Field has six gates The Rotunda near Gate 1 is 270 meters and it is the largest outdoor tile mosaic in the state. There are elevators, staircases and 15 loge boxes alongside the infield at 100-level. There are 48 luxury suites in the 200-level. There is also a suite for caring babies in the 300-level. There is an area called “The Porch'' near the center field that has open seating and standing facilities. The St. Anthony’s Health Medical staff looks after the players and the fans and provide them with first aid services if needed. There are also team apparel and gear stores along the first floor walkway of the stadium. The team merchandise store is also available here and fans can purchase various souvenirs from here.

Tropicana Field also has several interactive experiences for the fans like Grand Slam Alley, Topps, Speed Pitch, Interactive Playground and Raymond’s Art Studio. The most attractive area of the stadium is The Rays Touch Tank, which is a 35 feet and 10,000 gallons tank. It consists of three different species of rays including Cownose Rays. This is maintained by Florida Aquarium and for every ball hit into the tank, the team donates $2,500 to the Florida Aquarium and to the hitter’s selected charity organization. 40 fans are allowed at a time and they can feed these rays. The tank remains open for 60 minutes after the first pitch of the game. The stadium has also undergone major renovations to include premium renovations for fans, extra large video boards and better facilities for families coming to see the games.

The field surface was initially made up of AstroTurf (1998-1999), FieldTurf (2000-2010) and AstroTurf GameDay Grass from 2011-2017. From 2017 onwards, it was changed to Shaw Sports Turf. The left field is 315 feet and the left center field is 370 feet. The right field is 322 feet and the right center field is 370 feet. The center field is 404 feet and the backstop is 50 feet. The construction of Tropicana Field cost $130 million in 1990, which was equal to $291 million as of 2022. HOK Sports, Lescher & Mahoney and Criswell, Blizzard & Blouin Architects did the construction work for the stadium.

Tropicana Field’s Capacity

Tropicana Field has the capacity to support 25,000 fans for baseball games as of 2024. However, it can be increased to 42,735 fans with tarp covered seats.

This is a look at the capacity of the stadium from the beginning till now:

Tropicana Field Seating Chart

The following is the seating chart for fans for a baseball game at Tropicana Field:

The Tampa Bay Rays have informed their fans that they have added netting for their protection from Sections 101-126. The height and coverage of netting varies. However, fans are still at risk of injuries from bats and bat fragments or from balls thrown or hit. They should contact the Tampa Bay Rays ticket office for getting better seating coverage and better netting information.

What is the parking cost at Tropicana Field? Parking Map

The following is the parking map for fans for a baseball game at Tropicana Field:

Tropicana Field has different kinds of parking facilities. Lots 1,2,5 and 6 can be gained through prepaid purchase. Purchase must be done at least 6 hours before the first pitch of the game.

There are also Game Day Drive-Up Parking, Wheelchair accessible parking and Overflow Parking options. The parking prices vary depending on the type of games. Payments can only be made through credit/debit cards and cash payments are not accepted.

Tropicana Field’s Notable Events

Being the home stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, Tropicana Field has witnessed many notable events related to baseball. Few of those notable events have been mentioned below:

Other Sports

Collegiate Basketball

Tropicana Field has been the home of collegiate basketball under NCAA. The 1999 Final Four was hosted at the stadium. The Connecticut Huskies defeated the Duke Blue Devils 77-74.

Football

Tropicana Field was the home to ArenaBowl IX of the Arena Football League (AFL) in 1995. In 2008, the postseason college bowl game named Gasparilla Bowl was played on the field. It continued until 2017.

The Florida Tuskers of the United Football League (UFL) played a game at the field on October 30, 2009.

Between 2012-2019, Tropicana Field was the home to The East-West Shrine game.

NHL

Tropicana Field was the home to the Stanley Cup playoff games on April 23, 1996. It was attended by 28,183 fans.

Motorsports

Tropicana Field was the home to the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars from February 7, 1992 to February 9, 1992.

From 1996-1997, SCCA Trans-Am Series races were held at the stadium.

WWE

WWE hosted the 2024 Royal Rumble at Tropicana Field on January 27, 2024. Cody Rhodes won the men’s Royal Rumble while Bayley won the Women’s Royal Rumble. The stadium saw a record attendance of 48,044 fans at the stadium.

Previously, the WWE has also aired episodes of Raw, Smackdown, Main Event and PPV’s from this stadium during the Covid-19 pandemic in WWE ThunderDome, a bio-secured bubble.

Music Concerts

Tropicana Field has also been the home of music concerts by notable artists like Don Henley (1990). Other notable artists who performed at the stadium include Eric Clapton, David Bowie, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, Billy Joel, the Eagles, Rod Stewart and Van Halen.