CEO Ken Babby spoke to fans about what’s on the horizon for the baseball team.
SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla. — On Wednesday night, Tampa Bay Rays fans officially welcomed Rays CEO Ken Babby to town as repairs continue on Tropicana Field to prepare the stadium for next baseball season.
Babby was greeted by loyal fans at the popular St. Pete sports bar, Ferg’s, where he spoke about what’s ahead for the Rays.
“To see 21 panels up on that roof, and to know that in 145 days, Major League Baseball will be back in Saint Petersburg, it’s really exciting,” Babby said.
With only three panels left to replace on the Trop after storm damage from Hurricane Milton, Babby says the stadium will be back with all new upgrades.
“Brand new roof, expanded video board, new audio system, we’re renovating some of the suites,” he said. “We really want to see the experience terrific for our fans.”
When it comes to whether the Rays will continue to call St. Pete home, Babby didn’t give much away.
“We’re doing feasibility analysis on a lot of sites throughout the region, and right now, we’re focused on opening day,” he said.
While the future of the Rays is uncertain, fans at the meet and greet believe the right answer is on this side of the bay.
“St. Pete deserves it, we really do,” one fan told 10 Tampa Bay News. “There’s enough going on in Tampa! Stay in St. Pete.”