Photo by Sofía García Vargas | The Crow’s Nest
By Kendall Bulkiewicz
The Tampa Bay Rays will play at George M. Steinbrenner Field for the 2025 MLB season due to the damage Hurricane Milton has caused to Tropicana Field .
Hurricane Milton, on Oct. 9 2024, rendered Tropicana Field non-operational, and the repairs are unlikely to be finished until 2026. The City of St. Petersburg will be the one’s responsible for repairing the damages. During Hurricane Milton’s landfall, winds clocked at 101 mph tore apart large portions of the stadium’s fiberglass roof. While no injuries occurred at the site, the stadium had been prepped as a staging area for utility workers.
Tropicana Field was opened on Mar. 3 in 1990. The stadiums named has been changed a total of three times. Originally named the Suncoast Dome in 1990, then in 1993 it was named the ThunderDome, to then sticking with Tropicana Field since 1996. The stadiums capacity is 42,735 but the seating was reduced to 31,000 as 3,000 seats were removed due to seat that were covered in the upper decks. There are 57 total suites that range in price depending on how big a room is needed.
With the destruction that the storm brought, it was essential that the team remained near its fan base in the Tampa Bay area to help maintain continuity for the community during the recovery process.
George M. Steinbrenner Field is next to Raymond James Stadium — a middle location that works well for the fan base. It is the spring training home of the New York Yankees and the regular-season home of the Tampa Tarpons of the Florida State League. It has 11,026 seats, with 13 luxury suites. Its field dimensions are very similar to Tropicana Field, so the team has to make very few adjustments.
Being an open-air stadium does mean there is always a possibility of rain delays, which often occur during the summer months in Florida.
According to the Tampa Bay Ray’s website, some significant renovations are planned at Steinbrenner Field to ready the stadium for the MLB regular season games, including expanding and refurbishing clubhouse facilities, improved lighting in a few places, and expansions in the training area. . This sets up the changes that will afford players, staff, and fans a decent experience while the Rays await repairs at Tropicana Field.
The Yankees will conclude its spring training at Steinbrenner Field; and then turn the ballpark over to the Rays. The Tampa Tarpons will relocate within the Minor League complex for the Yankees during this phase.
The organization said it is expecting to return to Tropicana Field for the 2026 season as they complete repairs. Beyond that, the Rays look to 2028, when they will open a state-of-the-art $1.3 billion ballpark in St. Petersburg’s Historic Gas Plant District .
The Rays open their 2025 season with a home game against the Colorado Rockies on Mar. 28 at 4:15 p.m. Fans can buy tickets for this seasons games provided from this link.
