Rays make it official: New stadium will be part of a redeveloped Trop site in St. Pete (2024)

A 16-year odyssey that reached near, far and wide will end a long home run away from where it started.

The Tampa Bay Rays and the city of St. Petersburg officially announced Tuesday that they will build a new roofed stadium near their current home, Tropicana Field.

“Today we celebrate coming to terms with an agreement to make that plan a reality. Major League Baseball is here to stay,” Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg said at a gathering at Tropicana Field.

The 30,000-seat facility will be part of the 86-acre historic Gas Plant District redevelopment project and will open in time for the 2028 season. There will be three seating levels, artificial turf, operable walls, a pavilion design.

“This is a project we will all be proud of,” Sternberg said.

Rays make it official: New stadium will be part of a redeveloped Trop site in St. Pete (1)

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The stadium is estimated to cost about $1.3 billion. Sternberg has said the team would pay at least half, with the rest covered by the city through bonds and Pinellas County through its tourist development tax, a hotel bed tax for tourism-related projects.

There is still a public approval process that must take place over the next few months. If the agreement is approved, as expected, stadium construction would begin in late 2024 and be completed by late 2027, the Rays said.

Mayor Ken Welch said he believes the deal meets collective community needs and honors the historic Gas Plant District residents who were forced off the land in the 1980s to build Tropicana Field.

“The jobs, housing, office space, along with the opportunities for partnering with businesses that drive our economy, as well as the new businesses that will be attracted to this world class development will fuel our economy, create inclusive business opportunities and be a catalyst for progress in St Petersburg and Pinellas county for years to come," said Welch.

New affordable housing and jobs are part of the redevelopment.

Pinellas County Commission Chair Janet Long said the proposal will create 15,000 annual jobs for the area.

“The hotel bed tax investing in projects like this new stadium has an impact throughout the entire county by creating jobs, new county sales tax and additional hotel bed taxes,” said Long, who noted that “this is the largest economic development project in this county's history.”

Approximately 15 to 20 acres, including the stadium and two parking garages, would be owned by the county, leased to St. Petersburg and subleased to the Rays on a 30-year agreement with options to extend it to 40 years, according to the team.

“Today, we take a significant step towards honoring the promises made to the gas plant community some 40 years ago when I was a young man,” said Welch, who grew up in the neighborhood.

“As your mayor, I've never doubted that this day would come first because of my faith that was nurtured in this very place. But secondly, because I believe in our community and in the quality and vision of our leadership and our partners, we are so much stronger when we can work together.”

The playoff-bound franchise has fielded competitive teams over the past several years but struggled to draw fans to Tropicana Field, widely-regarded as one of the most outmoded facilities in Major League Baseball. This year, they are averaging 17,778 per game this season, 27th among the 30 teams.

That made the Rays, who also consistently have had one of the lowest player payrolls in the majors, a constant source of relocation rumors as the expiration of their lease approached after the end of the 2027.

The new facility is expected to lead to a stronger cash flow for the team that will help the Rays increase payroll and improve baseball-related facilities.

“It has not been an easy road while our commitment to remain in Tampa Bay has been steadfast,” Sternberg said. “The journey has been a bumpy one."

Regarding the decision to build in a location that has not drawn fans over the years, Rays president Brian Auld said the overall $6 billion Gas Plant District redevelopment will help attendance.

“We think there’s a number of things that are going to allow us to materially increase attendance going forward,” Auld said. “The first is that we’re going to have a better ballpark surrounded by a world-class destination, so we expect more people to come to enjoy that incredible ballpark and all the wonderful things we’re going to have around it.”

After not being allowed to negotiate outside of St. Petersburg for years due to league restrictions, the team was allowed to talk with Hillsborough County in 2016. While studies have shown Hillsborough is closer to more potential fans, efforts to get financing for a stadium in Tampa’s Ybor City area failed.

Hillsborough County Commission Chair Ken Hagan, who worked on trying to bring the Rays across the bay for 13 years, told WDAE 95.3 FM on Tuesday that Hillsborough officials had been making regular “viable” verbal offers to the Rays, but the team stopped responding in July.

“I’m a little disappointed, but not surprised. The reality is it’s an easier deal in St. Pete. They have the land, they have the development partner in place. But we are very fortunate to be one of 30 Major League Baseball communities. The most important thing is for the team to remain in Tampa Bay.”

Rays make it official: New stadium will be part of a redeveloped Trop site in St. Pete (2)

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Hagan said he believes a key part of the decision was that Hillsborough was unable to match the $60 million that St. Petersburg offered the Rays up front, because the county did not want to put that “burden on the taxpayer.”

However, Hagan said that, long-term, the Rays would have made “significantly” more money in Hillsborough County.

Other cities have also been mentioned as possible relocation homes, including Orlando, Nashville, Portland and Charlotte. All have expressed interest in getting an existing or expansion team.

At one point, Sternberg said the market could not support a team for a complete season and floated a plan to split games between the Tampa Bay area and Montreal. Major League Baseball eventually rejected that plan, insisting the team remain in the current market.

This led to more intense negotiations between the team and local governments that ended with Tuesday’s announcement.

In January, Welch announced he had accepted a proposal by the Hines Co. development group in partnership with the Rays to redevelop the Tropicana Field site and surrounding Gas Plant District.

The neighborhood was once home to a historical Black community that was displaced by the expansion of the interstate and construction in the 1980s of what was then known as the Florida Suncoast Dome.

The final proposal was selected after Welch scrapped former mayor Rick Kriseman's preferred plan and requested a new wave of proposals, requiring developers to address the city’s need for affordable housing in the redevelopment.

The Hines-Rays proposal includes plans for 5,700 residential units with almost a quarter dedicated to affordable housing. The team's affordable housing lead is CEO of Dantes Partners Buwa Binitie, who is proposing 850 on-site affordable and workforce housing units and another 600 off-site residences.

“We're excited to say that the Rays are here to stay,” Welch said. “We also honor the history of this place. Behind me is the very place where I as a young man worshiped at prayer tower, Church of God and Christ, attended Sunday school, learned to be a decent musician.

“My story is a story of thousands who lived and worked and worshiped in this place in this neighborhood, that community was promised a stake in the economic benefits that would come from the redevelopment of this land."

In addition to the housing, the mixed-use redevelopment plan will have office and medical space, retail space, hotel rooms, senior living residences, a 4,000 seat entertainment venue, conference and meeting space, the Woodson African American Museum of Florida and parking.

Rays make it official: New stadium will be part of a redeveloped Trop site in St. Pete (3)

Tampa Bay Rays

“I am inspired by the cooperation of a city and county determined to jointly see this project through,” Sternberg said. “I am inspired by a team of caring experts that has assembled this incredible plan for our shared future together. The legacy of this project will last long after many of us are gone.

“But I promise you this, we will work diligently and thoughtfully to make certain that this is a project of which we will all be proud of.”

Tuesday's announcement also came with a timeline that ends with the Rays opening the 2028 season in the new park:

  • October 2023: First Committee of the Whole with St. Petersburg City Council
  • Fall 2023: Community Benefits Agreement and government approval process begins
  • Early 2024: St. Petersburg City Council votes on stadium and development agreements.
  • Fall 2024: Construction to begin on infrastructure and phase one development.
  • Fall 2027: Phase one development opens alongside the new Rays ballpark
  • Opening Day 2028

Business owners around Tropicana Field expressed delight with the news. The city has been looking to redevelop the Gas Plant site since 2016.

Edel Fernandez owns a small sandwich shop on Central Avenue, two blocks from Tropicana Field. He says about half of his business on game days comes from fans.

"The business that we make here, it's about 50%. When we got real good games, it’s even more," Fernandez says.

Just down the block is Waleed Kaleel, the owner of Zaytoon Grill. He's run the restaurant since 2015. He says making a stadium part of the new development is a good thing.

"It would help with a lot. It would help a lot. I just want my rent to stay down a little bit. It's getting really expensive," Kaleel says.

Megan Ann manages the Peace of Mind Smoke Shop on Central Avenue.

"Yes, a lot of foot traffic, a lot of people walking around on Central, which is where we are located, 16th and Central (Avenue). Usually no parking. Usually people come in, it's usually busy in here, too. People want to get their supplies."

Local lawmakers and other figures were quick to weigh in on the new plan on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and former Mayor Bob Buckhorn, who had both expressed interest in bringing the Rays to their city, spoke positively of the proposal.

A win for St. Pete is a win for all of Tampa Bay! I'm thrilled to see @RaysBaseball stay in our region - for economic success, for sports history in the making, and for the future generations of Tampanians who will get to enjoy the great game of baseball with our home team.

— Jane Castor (@JaneCastor) September 19, 2023

Congrats to ⁦@MayorKenWelch⁩ and Pinellas County. Keeping the Rays in the Bay Area is a big deal and has always been the goal for all of us. Rays confident of closing deal for $1.3B downtown St. Petersburg stadium https://t.co/JeMCtWyY5H

— Bob Buckhorn (@BobBuckhorn) September 19, 2023

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa) hailed the decision, saying she was "committed to lifting our neighborhoods with better infrastructure, transit and investment."

As Tampa Bay’s Congresswoman, I couldn’t be more excited for the future and am committed to lifting our neighborhoods with better infrastructure, transit and investment.

My full statement on the @RaysBaseball & @StPeteFL deal for a new stadium: https://t.co/MdvmRAXzoD pic.twitter.com/pqIPVycNlj

— US Rep Kathy Castor (@USRepKCastor) September 19, 2023

And the Tampa Bay Chamber, Tampa Bay Sports Commission Executive Director Rob Higgins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also posted congratulatory messages.

This historic decision keeps @RaysBaseball in our community, which is a win for everyone in Tampa Bay! We at the Tampa Bay Chamber have long supported the process of keeping the Rays in our region. For more than 100 years, baseball has been a part of Tampa Bay history,

— Tampa Bay Chamber (@TB_Chamber) September 19, 2023

Here to stay! Today is a transformative and historic day for our region. Congratulations and thank you to all involved! https://t.co/vY7V9ZzgVf

— Rob Higgins (@RHiggins_TBSC) September 19, 2023

Congratulations @RaysBaseball & @StPeteFL 👏 pic.twitter.com/RQ9jbHdy0o

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) September 19, 2023

WUSF's Gabriella Paul, Steve Newborn, Matthew Peddie, Mary Shedden and Mark Schreiner contributed to this report.

Rays make it official: New stadium will be part of a redeveloped Trop site in St. Pete (2024)

FAQs

Will the New Rays stadium be covered? ›

The proposed stadium would be what Silverman called “the most intimate ballpark in baseball.” Featuring a fixed, pavilion-style roof, the ballpark would have roughly 30,000 seats with the capacity for Rays games reaching around 33,000-34,000 when accounting for standing room and public spaces.

What will happen to Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg? ›

The redeveloped Tropicana Field site would include the Carter G. Woodson African American Museum of Florida. In addition to a new ballpark for the Rays, plans include affordable housing, a new facility to house the Carter G. Woodson African American Museum, green space, office and retail space, and a concert venue.

Where is the new Rays stadium going to go? ›

The Tampa Bay Rays will build an intimate new ballpark in downtown St. Petersburg that will be the centerpiece of the largest mixed-use development in the Southeast, securing the franchise's future in the city where it began play in 1998.

Is St. Pete building a new stadium? ›

Petersburg City Council voted 5-3 to approve an agreement to build a new 30,000-seat stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays and redevelop the 86-acre Historic Gas Plant District site in downtown St. Pete.

Why are the Rays staying in St. Pete? ›

Petersburg City Council members met Thursday to give final approval on a plan to revitalize the Historic Gas Plant District, which includes a brand new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. The council voted 5-3 in favor of the overall $6.5 billion redevelopment project, which guarantees the Rays stay in St.

Did the Tampa Bay Rays get approval for the new stadium? ›

Petersburg City Council voted 5-3 to approve a new stadium plan for the Tampa Bay Rays in a monumental decision to keep the Major League Baseball team in the community. Councilors approved a deal to build a stadium on the Tropicana Field site, along with billions of dollars in new economic development.

Will the Tropicana be torn down? ›

Las Vegas' Landmark Tropicana Hotel Will Be Demolished to Make Way for Baseball Stadium. Jan. 30, 2024, at 3:40 p.m.

Will New Rays stadium have a retractable roof? ›

The main design point of the proposed stadium was the "Mast and Arch" retractable roof. Instead of a solid material sliding roof panel, the "roof" would have been a fabric covering stored inside the shade to the seating. It was to be deployed by a pulley system at the top of the mast in six to eight minutes.

Are Tampa Bay Rays relocating? ›

A stringent non-relocation agreement that will legally-bind the Tampa Bay Rays to St. Petersburg was released Thursday. Image provided. In January 2023, Mayor Ken Welch compared a partnership between St.

Will the New Rays stadium be air conditioned? ›

Facility for Major League Rays' franchise will anchor $6.5B St. Petersburg, Fla., redevelopment. The 30,000-seat stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla., will be fully enclosed and air-conditioned, with transparent and mobile walls facing adjacent businesses.

Who owns the Tampa Bay Rays? ›

Principal Owner Stuart Sternberg enters his 20th season with the Tampa Bay Rays. He joined as a general partner of the franchise in 2004 and became its principal owner after the 2005 season.

Where is the new Falcons stadium? ›

Atlanta, Georgia

Did Miami Dolphins build a new stadium? ›

Construction of a brand new football stadium in Miami was the initiative of NFL team Dolphins founder Joe Robbie, who later became the building's first name-bearer. After 21 seasons at the now demolished Orange Bowl near downtown, Dolphins relocated north.

What football team is building a new stadium? ›

Highmark Stadium (also referred to as New Highmark Stadium and colloquially as The Pit) is an American football stadium that is under construction in Orchard Park, New York. It will replace the Bills' existing stadium of the same name and is expected to open in time for the 2026 NFL season.

Is Tropicana Field air conditioned? ›

Tropicana Field was designed rather differently. Nobody who has visited it can ever forget the sight of its slanted roof, for a perfectly good reason: air conditioning. The roof itself was once the world's largest cable-supported domed roof.

Is Raymond James Stadium a covered stadium? ›

It's also the premier local venue for major concerts and other special events. Like the other NFL franchises in Florida, the Bucs don't have a permanent or retractable roof at home.

Does the Rays stadium roof open? ›

The venue is the only non-retractable domed stadium in Major League Baseball, making it the only year-round indoor venue in MLB. Tropicana Field is the smallest MLB stadium by seating capacity when obstructed-view rows in the uppermost sections are covered with tarps as they are for most Rays games. Tampa Bay Rays Ltd.

Is Target stadium covered? ›

The stadium does not have a roof, but there is a canopy above the top deck.

Is Rays stadium air conditioned? ›

The stadium will seat around 30,000 (compared to the 42,735 seats currently) and have a fixed pavilion roof and artificial turf field. Florida fans, rejoice — there will be air conditioning, but also windows and “operable walls to bring the outside in.”

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