The Rays are going to play in Tropicana Field for at least three more seasons, but talks of more time in the stadium may come to fruition.
As the Tampa Bay Rays prepare to move back into Tropicana Field, it appears the club may have an extended future in the stadium it has called home since its inaugural season in 1998.
According to St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, the city and the Rays may be open to extending the team’s lease beyond the 2028, the cutoff of the Rays’ 30-year lease with the city.
"Mayor Welch has previously stated that he looks forward to engaging in conversations with the new Rays owners regarding the team’s future in the Tampa Bay Region, which could include extending the current use agreement past 2028, and that he anticipates having ongoing conversations with the new owners as we learn more about their plans for the team," a spokesperson told WTSP, Tampa Bay’s CBS affiliate.
The Rays are finally moving back into Tropicana Field after damage from Hurricane Milton last October left the stadium unfit to host the 2025 season. As a result, the Rays played their home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
Moving to a temporary home was not the only organizational shift that occurred this year, as former principal owner Stuart Sternberg finalized the sale of the team to a group led by Jacksonville-based homebuilder Patrick Zalupski. Zalupski’s group has made it clear that they want to have the team in a new stadium defined by a work-play-live environment in time for the 2029 season.
Before selling the team, Sternberg attempted to replace Tropicana Field with a new $1.3 billion 30,000-seat stadium as part of a $6.5 billion project to breathe new life into the Historic Gas Plant District. However, Sternberg announced in March that the plan would not move forward, citing hurricanes and financial delays.
Local government had approved the sale of the bonds to pay their share, but the Rays failed to meet their conditions to gain public financing by the March 31 deadline.
In taking over ownership, Zalupski said the group is encompassing all of Tampa Bay for a new location. WTSP reported that the city is not currently in any discussions with Zalupski’s group regarding a lease extension.
Mark Ferguson, owner of the iconic Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill adjacent to Tropicana Field, suffered a 30% loss in business last season without the team next door.
"I believe we have everything they want right here," Ferguson said.
Ferg’s hosted a massive event Wednesday in which new Rays CEO Ken Babby spoke about the future of the team and bought hundreds of patrons a beer as a sign of gratitude and celebration. During the event, Babby reiterated the ownership group’s stance.
“We're doing feasibility analysis on a lot of sites throughout the region,” Babby said. “And right now, we're focused on getting ready on opening day."