The Rays’ new stadium will be part of a megaproject

(St. Petersburg) The Tampa Bay Rays were busy putting the finishing touches on Tuesday on a deal that will allow them to build a 30,000-seat stadium that will be part of a mega-real estate project worth $6.5 billion in St. Petersburg and which will include low-income housing, shops, bars, restaurants and a black history museum.

This 34 hectare plot of land is located close to the current Campo Tropicana. This dome-equipped stadium will be demolished after construction of the new building, which will open its doors in time for the start of the 2028 season, Rays co-president Brian Auld said in an interview Monday. .

The plan, which will still have to overcome several political and financial obstacles to obtain the green light for its construction, would allow the Rays to remain in St. Petersburg in the medium or long term, after numerous rumors have circulated in recent years about a possible shared custody in Montreal or moving to Tampa or Nashville, Tennessee.

“We’re going to be here a long time,” Auld noted. We are all very pleased that, for the first time since this process began, the path is finally being paved to allow the Rays to remain in Tampa Bay for generations to come. »

The announcement of the construction of a new baseball stadium, and the mega real estate project, was made Tuesday on the grounds of Tropicana Field.

“I’m so happy the Rays are here to stay. Finally!, exclaimed Janet Long, president of the Pinellas County Commission, who said that this was the largest economic development project in the county’s history. This project is a circuit that goes beyond sport. »

The Rays have played in St. Petersburg since their first major league season in 1998. The “Trop”, the nickname for the Rays’ current home, is criticized for being damp, outdated and for having roof support beams that are sometimes impacted by balloons . It cost 138 million to build in 1990, with the aim of attracting a major baseball franchise.

The new stadium alone will cost $1.3 billion, executives said, and nearly half of the bill will be covered by the Rays — the other half will be covered by the city and local governments — according to co-president Matt Silverman. The structure will have a roof to protect against rain and Florida heat, but will be discreet and equipped with doors and windows to allow air circulation in the colder months of the season.

“It will be the smallest stadium in Major League Baseball. A roof is necessary, although we also want to maintain some privacy,” noted Silverman.

Pinellas County leaders have indicated that their share of the bill will be absorbed by a hotel tax that will be charged to tourists.

The Rays (92-59, second in the American League East) qualified for the playoffs on Saturday. This will be their fifth consecutive appearance in the playoffs, despite having the worst average crowd in the major leagues, with 17,778 fans per game, according to MLB.