Rays Baseball: New Stadium Finally Approved

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Tampa Bay Rays fans do not have to hold their breath any longer for two reasons. The first one is that the trade deadline is over. Erin Neander, the Rays general manager, said he had to make some tough decisions, but he believes the team that is here can be competitive. Tampa is currently in the race for the final playoff spot in the American League. The other reason is that the team is staying here as the new stadium which has been needed since 2008. The city voted 5-3 and county commissioners voted 5-2 in approval. This is huge for the St. Pete area and Mayor Ken Welch. Within the framework, the Rays and owner Stuart Sternberg will pay $700 million. Pinellas County will contribute 312.5 million and St. Petersburg will kick in the remaining 287.5 million.

The county will be using the bed and tourist tax for their portion. Many wanted the new stadium to be in Tampa. There was a spot near Ybor City, but the city and county could not come up with the money. Now that the stadium has been approved, the shovels will hit the ground in January 2025. This will allow the Rays fan base to grow. They have also avoided a messy situation like what happened in Oakland. The Athletics like the Rays also needed a new stadium. The A’s are moving to Las Vegas and the fan base in Oakland has lost all their major league teams. The Golden State Warriors and Oakland Raiders have moved the Raiders have already moved to Vegas. The Warriors moved to San Francisco. Tampa fans will not have to worry about losing their baseball team.

The new stadium will open in 2028. The current lease on the old stadium expires in 2027. The Rays will continue to play at Tropicana Field until the new stadium opens. The new agreement covers 30 years that begins in 2028. After the 30-year agreement, there are two five-year renewals in place. This is good news because the fans and future fans do not have to worry about the ballpark. The franchise can only grow as they have one of the best farm systems in MLB. With the many trades that the team currently made, some of those prospects could be in the starting lineup when the stadium opens in 2028. The stadium is part of what is going to be a huge redevelopment that will include hotels, restaurants, and museums.

The new stadium will seat roughly 30,000 people but it could reach between 33,000-34,000 people. It will be a fixed roof, unlike the one that is currently at Tropicana Field. We will see no more catwalks or rings affecting the balls that fly up there. It will once again have three levels for seating. The field will be artificial turf just like the Trop is now. It will have a very small foul area bringing the fans closer to the action. The fixed roof will be tiered with a high roof over the field and a lower ceiling over the seats. The Tampa Bay Rays signed a non-relocation agreement barring them from relocating for 30 years. So Rays fans can breathe because your team is here to stay.

How big is the stadium agreement for the Tampa Bay Rays? Leave a comment below.

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