The new home for the Tampa Bay Rays looks incredible! And to answer the most commonly asked question, yes there will be a roof. We love our AC as much as we do the Rays.
Rendering courtesy of GenslerTropicana Field in St. Pete is showing its age. The debate of where to put a new stadium has been debated for years, but it seems a decision has finally been made. The Tampa Bay Rays and the City of St. Petersburg held a joint news conference this morning to announce their deal for a new ballpark. It'll be built next to The Trop.
The big thing that has held up the process for years is ... who will pay for this? It looks like the Rays and the city struck close to a 50/50 deal. The Rays will pay for half of the $1.3 billion cost. The city and county will pitch in about the same.
The new stadium will hold about 30,000 for Rays games. An additional 5,000 seats will be able to be used for other events. The redevelopment isn't limited to the baseball stadium. There will be new residential units, senior housing, space for businesses, hotels, and even a new museum. Where Tropicana Field is now will be converted to parking space.
So what will the new neighborhood look like once the work is done in about 5 years? Global architecture, design, and planning firm Gensler shared these photos with us. Looks incredible!
City of St. PetersburgInside the new stadium, which will seat about 30,000 for baseball games. About 5,000 more will fit in for things like concerts and other events.
City of St. PetersburgYes, there will be a roof. Otherwise we'd have rain delays extending the season to January.
Rendering courtesy of GenslerNew retailers, living spaces and other new offerings will definitely brighten up the area. I don't think many hang around The Trop for a few hours before or after the game right now. Hopefully this can change that.
Rendering courtesy of GenslerI loved the idea of putting the new stadium in Tampa, but if they can make the neighborhood look like this, I'm all in. It looks like all the improvements made near the St. Pete Pier in the past decade or so.
Rendering courtesy of GenslerLots of beautiful walkways will make the area fun to pass through on non-game days. Plus one of my favorite parts about the area, the Pinellas Trail, goes right by this.
Rendering courtesy of GenslerThe new home for the Tampa Bay Rays looks incredible! And to answer the most commonly asked question, yes there will be a roof. We love our AC as much as we do the Rays.
