Tampa Bay Rays Officially Get Approval To Build New Stadium

Our long national Florida nightmare is finally nearing an end. 

The Tampa Bay Rays, long stuck in one of Major League Baseball's ugliest stadiums, have officially received approval to build a new stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida. 

READ: Tampa Bay Rays Finally Move Closer To New Stadium

On Wednesday, the team and city officials celebrated the official approval with a press conference, announcing that the new stadium is set to open in 2028. "This is a great day, a providential day, for our community," said St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch.

Construction is set to start in just a few months, January 2025, with hotel, retail, an office building, entertainment venue, and housing developments accompanying the stadium at the massive property. The Rays posted a video with renderings of the new stadium and a "Here to stay" message.

Looks much better than Tropicana Field!

St. Petersburg, Fla. - Tropicana Field. Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Rays Solve One Of MLB's Worst Stadium Problems

The Rays have long been stuck in an untenable stadium situation; Tropicana Field is an eyesore, inside and out. The stadium also sits in a now empty stretch of St. Petersburg, with little outside attraction to draw fans before games or keep them around afterwards. 

Assuming the retail operations are successful, there'll be a thriving community now, to combine with a brand new, state-of-the-art stadium. The real question for the Rays though, is whether or not they'll use the increased revenue to spend more on players. 

The 2024 Rays sold off a number of key players at the deadline such as Randy Arozarena and Isaac Parades. But they still have one of the game's best farm systems and a bright future. Will a new stadium finally provide them with the resources to keep some of those players once they develop? 

It remains to be seen. But the first part of it is getting a new stadium agreement done, and that's exactly what they've accomplished.