Tropicana Field was severely damaged by Hurricane Milton last week. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times says the Trop will not be ready for opening day.
“Where the Rays play, how long they are displaced, and what repairs beyond a new custom roof are needed to return to Tropicana Field — until the planned 2028 opening of their new stadium on an adjacent site — are among myriad things they don’t know, but hope to address in the coming weeks,” wrote Topkin.
The Rays have already announced plans for their new ballpark, which is set to open in 2028. It is understandable that the money it would take to restore Tropicana Field would not be a wise investment, considering a new ballpark is in the works.
The field was originally the Florida Suncoast Dome in 1990. In 1993 it became the ThunderDome and the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning called it home. In 1998, it opened as the home of the Rays.
In 1996, an $85 million investment turned the stadium into a functional MLB ballpark. Since 2005, the Rays have invested over $37 million in renovations for Tropicana Field.
With Tropicana Field’s future in doubt, the Rays will need a new home for at least the 2025 season. In a situation surrounded by uncertainty, one thing is certain: The Rays will not be playing at Tropicana Field on March 27, as they originally planned.
____
WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
Photo Credit: Generic view of Tropicana Field before the Chicago White Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays game. (Getty Images)
