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Trop Notch

Official Review by Jim Dietrich, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

I'm a fan of the Tampa Bay Rays. There, that's now out of the way. The last review I wrote of their home in St. Petersburg, Tropicana Field, had a decidedly homer feel to it. So, I decided to step back from what I knew after years of wins, losses, joy, and pain under the 2nd-largest cable-stayed dome in the world (behind only the Georgia Dome) and look at it from an outsider's perspective. Forget all the little things I've learned throughout the years and just soak in whatever may happen.

Opened in 1990, the Florida Suncoast Dome was used as leverage to build new ballparks in Chicago, Seattle, and San Francisco, with each case so close that shirts and hats were made (St. Petersburg Giants), and time was rewritten by state officials (the Illinois Senate approved a stadium package 15 minutes after the 12:01am deadline passed, but all in attendance agreed to reset the chamber clock to 11:55pm before signing), although none of the moves ever happened (obviously). Even sports magnates hindered final occupancy of the Suncoast Dome; Wayne Huizenga, then-owner of the Miami Dolphins, convinced MLB to give him the Marlins instead of the group in St. Pete.

The forgotten dome with the funny tilt didn't sit idle, though, as new teams in the NHL (Lightning) and the AFL (Storm) needed a home, and St. Pete was more-than-eager to oblige. Renamed the Thunderdome, it was home to ArenaBowl XI in 1995, as well as hosting games in the 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs, along with the first few years of each team (Storm from 1991, Lightning from 1993-94). Then, in 1995, MLB announced the dream would finally be realized, as the Devil Rays were officially given to the city.

The Tampa Bay Times Forum was built across the Bay in Tampa, so after their 1996 seasons, the Lightning and Storm vacated, and the newly-renamed Tropicana Field was closed for two years to bring in its originally-intended tenant, Major League Baseball. And while the first decade of the Devil Rays seemed bleak, with a fresh name (exorcising the "devil") and new look, they brought the city its baseball dream - from spring training mecca and home of Al Lang Stadium to major league city - full-circle with a trip to the World Series in 2008.

And, as an added bonus, the Trop was the host of the 1999 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four and, since 2009, has been the home of the St. Petersburg Bowl.

Food & Beverage    4

There are more gastronomical delights than you can shake a hot dog at. With everything from gourmet burgers, gluten-free food and beer, and even an Outback Steakhouse and Everglades BBQ in the outfield Batter's Eye Restaurant, and everything in-between, you won't go hungry.

You might go broke, though, as the prices are a little high. Not prohibitively so, but food for four will probably set you back about $80. The counter to this, though, outside food IS allowed, so long as all food is wrapped in its original packaging, and bottled water (only water) is still sealed; all food and water must be in a backpack or soft-sided cooler.

Atmosphere    3

As bad of a rep the Trop gets (more on that in a little bit), the atmosphere is surprisingly good, even when management tries to stymie that. You see, back in 2006, owner Stu Sternberg - a noted fan of Saturday Night Live - wanted to include the Will Ferrell "More Cowbell" skit at some point during a game. It went over so well, that it became a regular occurrence and the infamous cowbells came into existence.

Some people didn't know how to behave with cowbells, though, so the ushers would give unruly patrons a "Cowbell Etiquette" card before warning them about ejection. Apparently, this year, however, the ushers have been told to be precautionary instead of reactionary and give cards out to everyone with a bell, regardless of their level of use.

Otherwise, the Trop is really a unique experience: the famous cownose ray tank, the carnival atmosphere in the lower concourse level, and the beautiful caricatures of the history of baseball in St. Pete and Tampa.

Neighborhood    5

The immediate area adjacent to the Trop is going through a revitalization, with apartments, shops, and condos all going in around the Trop where old businesses tried and - sadly, thanks to little attendance for 10+ years - died. This time, however, with a winning team and real residences being placed next to those same shops, the neighborhood has a much better chance of longevity.

I highly recommend parking along Tampa Bay, either at the parking lot near Al Lang Stadium for $4 all day, or at any of the numerous public garages (rates vary) and making the mile or so walk to the ballpark down Central Avenue. This allows you to walk through one of the most vibrant MLB neighborhoods and enjoy everything St. Pete has to offer, which is plenty. From a slew of bars for all walks of life, a burgeoning and relatively-new club scene, and more restaurants than you can physically eat at in a week, you will not be bored before and after the game.

Fans    3

They are an easy target for the late-night talk shows, the sports programs, and cities that are chomping at the bit for a team. On the night I went, there were about 15,000 in the stands, an average attendance, as unfortunate as it may be. Blame it on a lack of mass transit options to and from the park, a perceived-bad location, a perceived-bad stadium, a population stretched to its budgetary limits, or general apathy toward baseball, but one thing's for certain: the fans just are not coming.

However, that all said, the ones that were there were louder than those at my first trip (a Memorial Day sellout) to Citizens Bank Park. The roof definitely helps the sound reverb and makes for a much louder crowd than they should have been, quite frankly, and that helps make them even better.

Access    3

Being conveniently located next to Interstate 275 - the main thoroughfare connecting Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Bradenton to each other and Interstates 75 and 4 - makes for very easy ingress/egress for all patrons, no matter your point of origin in the Tampa Bay Area. There is plenty of on-site parking (which, sadly, can be expensive, depending on which day of the week it is - literally). With even more parking available downtown, traffic is never an issue. A lack of mass transit, however, does hurt the ability to attract people without other forms of transport, like college kids.

Once inside, there are plenty of restrooms and the corridors are of average width, especially on the main concourse, but with a good-sized crowd (25,000+) that stays until the end of the night, they can get jammed very quickly, thus easily making this the Trop's main weakness.

Return on Investment    5

They have won two of the last three AL East championships, and won the 2008 American League pennant, yet due to budgetary constraints the team has only five big names: Evan Longoria, David Price, James Shields, B.J. Upton, and Johnny Damon. Everyone predicted they were going to finish third or worse in the AL East. As of this posting (Sept. 23, 2011), however, they are two games out of the wild card race, and have been fighting with the Yankees and Red Sox all season. And the fact the tickets are as cheap as they are means you can't go wrong going to a game. Even when they lose, they put on a great show.

Extras    5

Everyone knows of the cownose rays in the touch tank in deep right-centerfield, but if you don't, you really should take the kids there; it's free to touch the rays, $5 to feed them, but on days with a lot of kids, plan on waiting in line for up to an hour.

The Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame was moved here from Citrus County a few years ago, and showcases some of the greatest players to pick up a bat with one-of-a-kind memorabilia and displays; admission is also free (with a game ticket).

The Cuesta Rey Cigar Bar, which has to be the most un-PC thing in a stadium anywhere in America, and is located above the team store in a veritable man-cave; from plush leather couches, top-shelf brandies and scotches (and every other liquor you can imagine), and the finest cigars to not come out of Cuba, it's probably the last place you can smoke in a stadium anywhere in America - but no cigarettes are allowed, as only the finest tobacco is allowed up there.

Another thing I can suggest to see in the Trop before the first pitch is the murals commemorating the history of baseball in Tampa Bay - a picture of which can be seen in the scrolling slide show of pics above. From Mayor Al Lang's successful attempt to bring spring training here, to Joltin' Joe's and Marilyn's glory days, to the days of the Cardinals, it's all documented in beautifully-colored and illustrated caricature.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Trop - like Tampa Bay as a whole and St. Pete in particular - is quirky, but in a very lovable way. It has the same features as other great ballparks around the league, just in a form in which you may not be used to seeing. In fact, when I took myself out of fan mode, I actually saw a better Trop than I had seen before. There might be some hope for this park yet, if you get past the bad press from the talking heads, that is.

You learn going to the Trop that, even in Florida, you don't need fresh air and sunshine to play baseball, considering during the time most games start in the summer, there's usually a lightning storm and 91˚ temps outside. The Trop proves you really can have just as much fun in a dome, and to miss this based on a silly bias for sunburn and "the elements" is a crying shame. You'll be pleasantly surprised with what you find under the roof in the Sunshine City.

Arriving at Tropicana Field is a must to see the Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame. You can easily spend 45 minutes to an hour looking at all the memorbilia.This is the only stadium I've seen that offers free refills on pop.Buy a large souvenir cup an thats what you get.Having 2 kids we certainly made out on this deal.Some of the outfield seats in rightfield have obstructed views of deep centerfield due to the ray tank. If you end up with one of these there are plenty of empty ones to choose from.

by mattyb | Feb 14, 2011 12:42 PM

TROPICANA FIELD BILLBOARD AND FUTURE LOCATION...

First of all, the owners of that god-awful Tropicana electronic billboard should be ashamed of themselves, and I hope they realize that no one reads the advertisements on the board. The board is too crammed with tiny ads for anyone to pay attention to. Next, YOU COULD AT LEAST POST A QUICK SCHEDULE OF FUTURE EVENTS/GAMES on the board. And ESPECIALLY when there is a game going on (HOME OR AWAY), POST THE CURRENT SCORE!!! Get people interested in the game!! The billboard's owner is just interested in useless junk ads (visual pollution of the worst kind); and I'm telling you, the junk advertised is a waste of whomever's money is being spent on such garbage. Hasn't anyone noticed this? All the board is now, is a gawdy advertisement; nothing else. Show some relevant *BASEBALL* information, please!
Secondly, the field should remain where it is. It adds SO MUCH ATMOSPHERE to downtown St. Petersburg. All those parks build out in the boodocks have no retention quality what-so-ever. Hop in your car and go somewhere else when the game is over. It's dangerous and ill advised. Here in downtown St. Pete, thousands of people will opt to keep their cars parked, wait for traffic to subside, and walk or shuttle, or car pool with other friends into downtown St. pete for something to eat, drink, or just people watch. It's way better than hopping in a car, (probably inebriated) and driving...where? Keep the energy downtown. It's better for everyone's safety, pleasure, and business. Thank you.

by wwwjax | Aug 05, 2011 02:25 PM

My take

That was a very good write up! I really want to go see a game at Trop Field. The cigar lounge has my name written all over it and I want to see the new neighborhood that has popped up in the area. .

by CigarBoy | Sep 23, 2011 01:01 PM

Trop Better Than Expected

People who have never been to Tropicana Field will say you overrated the venue, but I think for the most part you are right on with your assessment. As seen on TV, the place looks dark and seems to be a horrible baseball venue. One friend recently told me he was rooting for the Red Sox to win the Wild Card over the Rays, just so he won't have to watch playoff games on TV from the Trop.

The neighborhood is fun, and baseball historic, and the Ted Williams Museum is a must-see. This is certainly not one of the best MLB stadiums, but it isn't worse than middle of the pack to me.

by paul | Sep 23, 2011 01:08 PM

I love going to the Trop

The Trop may not be one of these modern marvels built in the 2000s. Someday I hope the Rays will build one of those parks. But until then the Trop works just fine thank you. It's air conditioned and no rain outs. When you have to drive all the way across the state, that is much appreciated.

by JimFolsom | Sep 23, 2011 07:14 PM

"WAREHOUSE PARK"

I lived in st.pete for 3 years its a nice place...yea if your 80 years young with a tommy bahama shirt , I been to the "Trop" 4 times its a DUMP! stop being a homer its basically a parking lot with a Roof,wow so you go and get to pet the devilrays a animal witch has nothing to do with the teams name ,it really went south when the old folks of the city of st.pete took the "Devil" out of the rays name,one more thing is that the clocks ticking "Rays" if you dont get a stadium soon you will be playing in North Carolina the Marlins allmost moved to las vegas but they have a awesome new stadium opening 2012. GOOD LUCK RAYS YOUR GONA NEED IT LOL!

by 3zer05 | Oct 06, 2011 09:47 AM

"Warehouse Park"? Far from it.

3zer05, something tells me you're either a Red Sox or Yankees fan. If you're so hateful about the city you live in, why not head back? It was the owners of the team, not the "old folks" as you claim, that dropped the "Devil," owners from New Jersey who have made the team a force to be reckoned with in the American League.

And not that I need to, but I'm going to prove those last points wrong, too: Charlotte will NEVER get a major-league team because they're having stadium controversies over their MINOR LEAGUE team, see here: http://www.stadiumjourney.com/stadiums/knights-stadium-s179/. Plus, Las Vegas will never get a major league team so long as they allow sports betting; you honestly think a league that had the Black Sox scandal and banned Pete Rose will go to a place where its players can legally bet?

Thanks for reading and getting me the clicks, despite your hate :-)

by StPeteRays | Nov 14, 2011 02:52 PM

Sometimes odd is good

I saw a game there in 2004. I like to take a picture from the farthest seat from the field but this was he only place where that was over first base, there are about ten to twelve rows of bleachers at the top of the stadium which are higher than the other side of the stadium wall because of the slanted roof. I was told it was built that way because of fast drainage during a huricane. Also the restrooms seem to have been prebuilt modular units, very strange. At that time there were also about 25 old airline seats along the back rows down the right field line, but I noticed they are not there any more. Overall, though, it was a good experience, and I still have my Don Zimmer mask that was a giveaway.

by az7886422 | Mar 21, 2012 02:05 AM

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