Tropicana Field

Tampa Bay Rays

About Stadium

An indoor domed stadium located in St. Petersburg, Florida, Tropicana Field serves primarily as the home field for Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays of the American league East division.

Tropicana Field, also commonly referred to as “The Trop,” has been the home of the Tampa Bay Rays since their inaugural season in 1998.

The field is the only ballpark in Major League Baseball that is fitted with a non-retractable dome roof.

In addition to being the home of the Tampa Bay Rays, the dome has also played host to a number of other major sporting events such as various College Football Bowl games, particularly the St. Petersburg Bowl.

• One Tropicana Drive
St. Petersburg, Florida 33705

• Capacity: 31,042

• Opened: March 3, 1990

History

• Since Tampa Bay attracted the National Football League’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the early 1970s, the city has been interested in drawling a Major League Baseball team to the area, as well. Multiple stadium ideas were proposed in as early as 1983.

• The construction of the domed stadium took over three years to complete. Ground was originally broken on the project on November 22, 1986, and the official opening of the stadium was held on March 3, 1990.

• The stadium opened in 1990 and hosted a number of major events such as the 1990 Davis Cup Finals, and many music concerts, but the Tampa Bay Rays didn’t move into the stadium until 1993 when Tampa Bay originally received them as an MLB expansion team.

• The field was originally fitted with AstroTurf for the playing surface but it’s since been changed over to FieldTurf, making it the first major league park to use the artificial surface.

Current and Past Teams
Tampa Bay Storm (AFL) (1991–1996)
Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) (1993–1996)
Tampa Bay Rays (MLB) (1998–present)