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MEMORABLE MOMENTS AT TROPICANA FIELD

World Series: 2008

Wade Boggs' 3,000th hit on August 7, 1999.

Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove Award winner Evan Longoria in 2008.

Franchise 46 homeruns by
Carlos Pena in 2007.

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View from left field. View from down the third base grandstand. Picture: Anthony Lorenzo View from the upper deck. Picture: Anthony Lorenzo View from left field. Picture: Anthony Lorenzo View from right field. Picture: Anthony Lorenzo Picture: Ross@FloridaTropicana Field
St. Petersburg, FL

Nearly a decade after its completion Tampa Bay finally was awarded a baseball team to play at Tropicana Field in 1998. Wanting to attract a major league baseball team to the area, construction began on a dome stadium in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area on November 22, 1986. A dome stadium was chosen because of the rain that the area receives throughout the year. Originally named the Florida Suncoast Dome, the stadium opened on March 3, 1990. Once the stadium opened officials began trying to lure several teams (San Francisco, Chicago, and Seattle) to the area. However this was unsuccessful. Although the stadium did not have a baseball team it was used for basketball, hockey and many other events. Finally in 1995 Major League Baseball awarded the area a franchise. The team called the Tampa Bay Rays would begin playing at the dome in 1998. Although the stadium had originally been built for baseball, the organization decided to renovate the stadium to make it more like a ballpark. It was the last stadium built with a dome and looks similar to a cookie cutter stadium. The stadium was closed for 17 months while it was renovated. In 1996 the stadium was renamed Tropicana Field after Tropicana Juice purchased the naming rights. Part of the $85 million renovations included wider concourses, installation of Astroturf, clubhouses, dugouts, additional luxury suites, restrooms, elevators, escalators and administrative offices. The seating capacity was reduced from 48,000 to 45,000.

The Tampa Bay Rays played their first game on March 31, 1998 when fans filled Tropicana Field to see professional baseball for the first time. Fans enter the main entrance of Tropicana Field through a giant rotunda reminiscent of Brooklyn's Ebbets Field. Once inside the stadium, visitors find themselves in a location known as Centerfield Street. Found here is the Center Field Street Brewhouse, the Rays team store, the Capitan Morgan Deck and the Hitters Hall-of-Fame featuring artifacts of some of the greatest hitters in baseball. One of the most unique features at Tropicana Field is the Rays Touch Tank, a 35-foot, 10,000 gallon tank, where fans can touch rays. It is located just beyong the fence in right-center field. Upon entering the field area, fans view a sea of blue seats. The lower level of seats extend from right center field to homeplate and around to left center field. The upper level of seats extend down the base lines. An area of seats above the lower level in left field is a place called the Beach. This is a section with beach decor and tropical foliage. Tropicana Field's outfield wall has many nooks and crannies that provides interesting plays off the wall. Beyond the centerfield wall is the Batter’s Eye Restaurant. The main scoreboard is located beyond the right centerfield seats. After the 1999 season, the Astroturf was removed and replaced by Field Turf, a plastic grass. Since 2007, the Rays have been exploring the possibility of building a new ballpark in Tampa. Obstacles blocking potential construction include funding and location issues, however, the Rays are focused on building a new ballpark in the future. Although the Rays struggled for a decade on the field, in 2008 the team's and fan's fortunes changed as the team won the 2008 American League pennant.

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TROPICANA FIELD MERCHANDISE

Tropicana Field Ticket Frame - Rays - Click to Buy!
Tropicana Field Ticket Frame
16"x20" Framed
Tropicana Field Signature Collection Ballpark Poster
2010 Opening Day Tropicana Field Poster with Signatures - NEW!
12"x20" Limited to 2,010

Safeco Field Photomint with Infield Dirt
Tropicana Field Infield Dirt Photomint
by Highland Mint
13"x16" Limited to 5,000

Tropicana Field Poster - Click to Buy!
Tropicana Field Poster
Sizes Vary


More Tropicana Field Items
Other Ballpark Items


 

TROPICANA FIELD FACTS AND FIGURES

2010 RAYS SCHEDULE

  • Tenant: Tampa Bay Rays
  • Capacity: 43,772
  • Surface: Fieldturf
  • Cost: $115 Million (original) $85 Million (renovations)
  • Opened: March 31, 1998 (MLB)
  • Dimensions: 315-L, 404-C, 322-R
  • Architect: DLR Group Sports
  • Owner: City of St. Petersburg
  • Former Name(s): Suncoast Dome (1986-'93), Thunderdome (1993-'97)
  • Naming Rights: Tropicana Juice, $1.5 million through 2019

TROPICANA FIELD PICTURES

Tropican Field in 1998. Submitted by Dan Davis. View from the first base grandstand. View from the "Beach" Tropicana sign. Picture: Anthony Lorenzo Looking toward left field. Picture: Anthony Lorenzo
 Click to Enlarge Pictures/Some Pictures Courtesy of Anthony Lorenzo

PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO TAMPA AND TROPICANA FIELD

HOTELS NEAR TROPICANA FIELD

1

DIRECTIONS TO THE BALLPARK

LIST YOUR HOTEL, RESTAURANT OR BUSINESS HERE

WEATHER FORECAST

 

 
FROM:
Address or Intersection:
City:
State: ZIP Code:
Country:

ADDRESS:
1 Stadium Drive
St. Petersburg, Florida 33705

DIRECTIONS AND PARKING INFORMATION

 

TROPICANA FIELD AND THE TAMPA BAY RAYS BY THE NUMBERS

  Total Attendance Average Attendance per Game MLB Rank Team Wins Average Ticket Price MLB Rank
2009 1,874,962 23,147 23 84 18.35 27
2008 1,811,986 22,370 26 97 17.23 27
2007 1,389,106 17,149 29 66 17.23 23
2006 1,369,031 16,902 29 61 17.09 24
2005 1,124,189 13,879 30 67 13.70 30

Attendance Figures 1890-2009*

Tampa Bay Rays Tickets

UPCOMING
GAMES

Monday, July 26, 2010
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Tropicana Field

Tuesday, July 27, 2010
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Tropicana Field

Wednesday, July 28, 2010
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Tropicana Field

Thursday, July 29, 2010
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Tropicana Field

Friday, July 30, 2010
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Tropicana Field

Saturday, July 31, 2010
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Tropicana Field

Sunday, August 1, 2010
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Tropicana Field

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