FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — For many of the nearly 28 years since the Tampa Bay Rays held their inaugural game in St. Petersburg’s domed stadium, they have been looking for a bigger, better deal.
Tropicana Field’s location, across Tampa Bay from the much-larger population base in Tampa, attributed to low attendance through most of those years.
kAm%96 %2>A2 q2J s6G:= #2JD 3682? 2D E96 >@DE C646?E @7 |2;@C {628F6 q2D632==VD 6IA2?D:@? E62>D[ 2=@?8 H:E9 E96 pC:K@?2 s:2>@?5324 E96 E62>VD ?2>6 2?5 92G6 42CG65 2 72:C=J DF446DD7F= A2E9 2D 2 D>2==\>2C<6E E62> 56DA:E6 2 =@H A2JC@== 2?5 A@@C 2EE6?52?46]k^Am
kAmtG6CJ 76H J62CD[ E2= E@ C6A=246 E96 28:?8 %C@A 6G@=G65 2?5 5:DD@=G65[ :?4=F5:?8 2 72:=65 AC@A@D2= E@ >@G6 E@ %2>A2VD *3@C r:EJ 5:DEC:4E 2?5 2? 677@CE E@ C6>2:? 😕 $E] !6E6CD3FC8 E92E D66>65 @? EC24< F?E:= wFCC:42?6 |:=E@? 😕 a_ac D9:7E65 =@42= AC:@C:E:6D] {2DE |2C49 E96 #2JD k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^E2>A2\32J\C2JD\32==A2C<\426fag`a4d7h5_cg_c4`bh6_efec2_cgQmH:E95C6H 7C@> 2 S`]b 3:==:@? DE25:F> 562=k^2m H:E9 $E] !6E6CD3FC8]k^Am
kAm}@H DE25:F> E2=[ H9:49 92D 2 ?6H @H?6CD9:A 8C@FA H:E9 ?6H A=2?D 7@C E96 7FEFC6]k^Am
kAm%96 #2JD D:8?65 2 ?@?3:?5:?8 >6>@C2?5F> @7 28C66>6?E =2DE H66< H:E9 %2>A2VD w:==D3@C@F89 r@==686 E@ 3F:=5 2 >F=E:FD6 724:=:EJ @? 2 “b\24C6 D:E6 2=@?8 s2=6 |23CJ q@F=6G2C5] %96 D:E6 😀 24C@DD E96 DEC66E 7C@> #2J>@?5 y2>6D $E25:F>[ H96C6 E96 %2>A2 q2J qF442?66CD A=2J[ 2?5 😕 E96 D925@HD @7 v6@C86 |] $E6:?3C6??6C u:6=5[ H9:49 😀 E96 DAC:?8 EC2:?:?8 9@>6 E@ E96 }6H *@C< *2?<66D]k^Am
k9am(96? H@F=5 E96 DE25:F> 36 3F:=Enk^9am
kAmu6H 56E2:=D 23@FE E96 DE25:F>[ :?4=F5:?8 H96E96C :E H:== 92G6 2 C@@7[ 92G6 366? C6=62D65 3J E96 E62>] xE 92D D2:5 :E H2?ED 2 C@@7[ H9:49 😀 2=>@DE 6DD6?E:2= E@ 2G@:5 =@?8 56=2JD 5FC:?8 u=@C:52VD C2:?J D62D@? 2?5 DA2C6 72?D E96 DE:4>6C 9F>:5:EJ]k^Am
kAm%96 E62> 😀 4@?E:?F:?8 E2=A2 E@ 86E E96 562= 4@>A=6E65] %96 28C66>6?E H:E9 w:==D3@C@F89 r@==686 :?4=F56D 2 D:I\>@?E9 H:?5@H 7@C ?68@E:2E:@?D]k^Am
kAm%96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^E2>A2\32J\C2JD\?6H\@H?6CD\EC@A:42?2\4gf`32656ha276a35_445564ed2`g7abQm#2JD 925 366? ?68@E:2E:?8k^2m H:E9 $E] !6E6CD3FC8 2?5 !:?6==2D r@F?EJ 7@C 2 ?6H 32==A2C< E@ 36 3F:=E 25;246?E E@ %C@A:42?2 u:6=5] qFE E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^E2>A2\32J\C2JD\D2=6\6c`b5bd3eg7b567eag`6g7e65g`hhedbQmE62> 😕 |2C49 H:E95C6Hk^2m 7C@> 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^E2>A2\32J\C2JD\?6H\DE25:F>\A=2?D\_2_c`5b_a5eaaa7“`2c5746e3675442QmS`]b 3:==:@? AC@;64Ek^2m E@ 4@?DECF4E E96 ?6H DE25:F>[ 4:E:?8 E96 9FCC:42?6 2?5 56=2JD E92E =:<6=J 5C@G6 FA E96 AC@A@D2=’D 4@DE]k^Am
k9am(92E 92AA6?65 E@ %C@A:42?2 u:6=5nk^9am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^9FCC:42?6\>:=E@?\?32\eecf`ed2ge22g65c245g4_6`e253ah57QmwFCC:42?6 |:=E@?k^2m DECF4< u=@C:52VD vF=7 r@2DE 😕 ~4E@36C a_ac[ C:AA:?8 %C@A:42?2 u:6=5VD C@@7 E@ D9C65D]k^Am
kAm%96 D:8?:7:42?E 52>286 7@C465 E96 E62> E@ A=2J E96 6?E:C6 a_ad D62D@? 2E $E6:?3C6??6C u:6=5 😕 %2>A2[ H9:49 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^C2JD\DE6:?3C6??6C\7:6=5\>2<6@G6C\`agbb576hdf43fb6`cbgg3g6a_h7ba`gQmF?56CH6?E 2 `a_\9@FC >2<6@G6Ck^2m 7@==@H:?8 E96 *2?<66DV 7:?2= DAC:?8 EC2:?:?8 82>6 E@ AC6A2C6 7@C E96 #2JDV @A6?:?8 52J]k^Am
kAm|62?E:>6[ C6A2:CD 8@E F?56CH2J 2E E96 %C@A[ 2?5 E96 E62> 😀 6IA64E65 E@ 36 324< 😕 $E] !6E6CD3FC8 7@C E96 a_ae D62D@?] %96 #2JD 2C6 F?56C =62D6 2E E96 %C@A E9C@F89 2E =62DE E96 a_ag 32D632== D62D@?]k^Am
kAm%96 56DECF4E:@? 42FD65 3J E96 9FCC:42?6 2?5 C:D:?8 4@DED @7 C6A2:CD 2?5 ?6H 4@?DECF4E:@? 😕 A2CE =65 $EF2CE $E6C?36C8 E@ AF== @FE @7 2 AC@A@D65 DE25:F> 562= H:E9 $E] !6E6CD3FC8 =2DE J62C 2?5 D6== E96 E62>]k^Am
kAm%96 DE25:F> @A6?65 😕 `hh_ 2E 2? :?:E:2= 4@DE @7 S`bg >:==:@? 2?5 762EFC65 H92E E96 E62> D2:5 H2D E96 H@C=5’D =2C86DE 423=6\DFAA@CE65 5@>65 C@@7[ H:E9 E96 A2?6=D >256 @7 “EC2?D=F46?E[ %67=@?\4@2E65 7:36C8=2DD” DFAA@CE65 3J `g_ >:=6D @7 423=6D 4@??64E65 3J DECFED]k^Am
kAm!=2J:?8 2E $E6:?3C6??6C u:6=5[ H9:49 92D 2 42A24:EJ @7 `_[_ce[ E96 #2JD 925 e` D6==@FED 2?5 5C6H fge[fd_[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^>=3\2EE6?52?46\7d_a26f7d2_hgae_`4`6d`fcbf__4dg7Qm5@H? 7C@> `[bbf[fbh 😕 a_ack^2m[ H96? E96J H6C6 agE9 2>@?8 E96 b_ |{q E62>D 2?5 29625 @7 @?=J |:2>: 2?5 ~2<=2?5] x? a_ad[ E96 #2JD H6C6 ahE9 😕 2EE6?52?46[ 658:?8 @FE E96 pE9=6E:4D[ H9@ 2C6 A=2J:?8 9@>6 82>6D 2E 2 >:?@C =628F6 32==A2C< 😕 (6DE $24C2>6?E@[ r2=:7@C?:2[ H9:=6 2 ?6H DE25:F> 6IA64E65 E@ @A6? 😕 a_ag 😀 3F:=E 😕 {2D ‘682D] %96 pD 5C6H feg[cec 72?D 😕 a_ad]k^Am
k9am(92E 5@ H6 @H 23@FE E96 AC@A@D65 DE25:F>nk^9am
kAm$@ 72C[ ?@E 2 =@E] }@E9:?8 92D 366? >256 AF3=:4 23@FE 9@H >F49 >@?6J E96 E62>’D @H?6CD9:A A=2?D E@ 4@?EC:3FE6[ @C 9@H >F49 @C 6G6? H92E E96J 2C6 2D<:?8 7C@> E96 4:EJ[ 4@F?EJ 2?5 DE2E6]k^Am
kAm%96 ?6H #2JD @H?6CD9:A H2?ED E@ 4C62E6 2? 2E>@DA96C6 D:>:=2C E@ %CF:DE !2C<[ H96C6 E96 pE=2?E2 qC2G6D A=2J[ H9:49 762EFC6D 2 >:I @7 D9@AD[ 5:?:?8[ =:G:?8 2?5 H@C< DA246 @FED:56 E96 DE25:F>] p82:?[ 76H 56E2:=D 92G6 366? AF3=:4=J D92C65]k^Am
kAm%96 >6>@C2?5F>\@7\F?56CDE2?5:?8 H:E9 w:==D3@C@F89 r@==686 2=D@ 42==D 7@C 4C62E:@? @7 ?6H 42>AFD 724:=:E:6D 7@C E96 4@==686]k^Am
kAm#2JD rt~ z6? q233J D2:5 E96C6 😀 DE:== 2 =@E @7 H@C< E@ 36 5@?6]k^Am
kAm“(92E x 42? D2J H:E9 46CE2:?EJ 😀 E92E H6 36=:6G6 H:E9 4@?G:4E:@? E92E H6’C6 8@:?8 E@ 36 23=6 E@ 4C62E6 2 H@C=5\4=2DD H@C<\=:G6\=62C?\A=2J 56G6=@A>6?E 96C6 😕 %2>A2 q2J[ 2?5 H6’C6 G6CJ[ G6CJ 6?4@FC2865 2?5 A=62D65 3J E@52J’D @FE4@>6[” q233J D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 E62> D2:5 😕 2 DE2E6>6?E E92E E96C6 2C6 A2C<:?8 2?5 2446DD 492==6?86D 2E E96 =@42E:@?[ 3FE E96J H:== H@C< E9C@F89 2 4@>AC696?D:G6 2?5 4@==23@C2E:G6 AC@46DD H:E9 %2>A2[ w:==D3@C@F89 r@F?EJ[ =@42= =2H 6?7@C46>6?E 2?5 A=2??:?8 6IA6CED E@ AC:@C:E:K6 A2C<:?8 2?5 @G6C2== >@3:=:EJ]k^Am
kAmu=@C:52 v@G] #@? s6$2?E:D 92D D2:5 E96 DE2E6 H:== ?@E 96=A 7:?2?46 E96 DE25:F>] qFE 96 28C665 E@ 96=A 724:=:E2E6 E96 C6=@42E:@? @7 2 ;FG6?:=6 ;FDE:46 724:=:EJ @? E96 AC@A6CEJ 2?5 25565 E92E E96 DE2E6 4@F=5 =:<6=J 96=A A2J 7@C D6H6CD 2?5 C@25D 2C@F?5 E96 2C62]k^Am
k9am(9@ 2C6 E96 ?6H @H?6CD @7 E96 #2JDnk^9am
kAm{2DE $6AE6>36C[ 2 8C@FA =65 3J u=@C:52\32D65 C62= 6DE2E6 56G6=@A6C !2EC:4< +2=FAD<: 7:?2=:K65 2 562= E@ AFC492D6 E96 E62> 7C@> 7@C>6C @H?6C $EF2CE $E6C?36C8] u@C36D 6DE:>2E6D 9:D ?6E H@CE9 2E S`]c 3:==:@?]k^Am
kAm+2=FAD<:[ E96 rt~ @7 y24 u:?56CD w@>6D x?4][ 😀 E96 E62>’D 4@?EC@= A6CD@? 2?5 2 4@\492:C 2=@?8 H:E9 q:== r@D8C@G6[ H9@ 😀 rt~ @7 &?:@? w@>6 |@CE8286 😕 ~9:@]k^Am
kAm%96 E62>VD ?6H rt~ 😀 z6? q233J] q233J 😀 rt~ @7 u2DE u@CH2C5 $A@CED vC@FA[ H9:49 @H?D E96 %C:A=6\p y243@ $9C:>A[ 2 |:2>: |2C=:?D 277:=:2E6[ 2?5 E96 s@F3=6\p p E62>]k^Am
kAm$E6C?36C8 E@@< 4@?EC@= @7 E96 E62> 7C@> 7@F?5:?8 @H?6C ‘:?46 }2:>@=: 😕 }@G6>36C a__d] w6 @G6CD2H E96 C63C2?5:?8 @7 E96 E62> 7C@> E96 s6G:= #2JD 27E6C E96 a__f D62D@?]k^Am
kAm%96 #2JD H@? p{ t2DE E:E=6D 😕 a__g[ a_`_[ a_a_ 2?5 a_a` 2?5 EH:46 C624965 E96 (@C=5 $6C:6D[ =@D:?8 E@ !9:=256=A9:2 😕 a__g 2?5 E@ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^H@C=5\D6C:6D\=@D\2?86=6D\5@586CD\H:?\b7hbbgdb5d3fh_3gffgg`ca74dg2535hQm{@D p?86=6D s@586CD 😕 a_a_k^2m]k^Am
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.