Today, the Tampa Bay Rays unveiled the long-awaited plans for a new $892 million stadium they plan to build in the historic Ybor City neighborhood, a stadium that has been a decade in the making.
The proposed ballpark would have 28,216 seats, with a total capacity would be 30,842–making it the smallest stadium in baseball. It will have a translucent roof priced at $244 million, as 61% of home games are affected by rain. Plans also include a sliding glass exterior walls to “bring the outside in.”
“This is not a stadium. This is a ballpark,” Rays’ Sr. Vice President Melanie Lenz said.
Tampa Bay’s future ballpark. https://t.co/d1hyjfsnxK
#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/jPDlNDD6cs— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 10, 2018
According to ABC, “seating areas would include swivel seats, picnic suites, a sand berm, a touch tank and family table seating. Plus, there will be room for about 2,600 to stand.” And fountain seats!
And there are “fountain seats” #Rays pic.twitter.com/2EhSkUFzLf
— Justin Granit (@JustinWTSP) July 10, 2018
Like Tropicana Field, the ballpark will be climate controlled and include artificial turf.
View from behind home plate #Rays pic.twitter.com/1Jv24h0jQO
— Justin Granit (@JustinWTSP) July 10, 2018
There is one itsy bitsy problem: no one knows how the hell its going to get paid for.
#Rays Prez Brian Auld says team has no answers on how to pay for $892 million ballpark tab. Says its a "very compelling investment opportunity" for everyone in the room and is open to creative funding.
— Noah Pransky (@noahpransky) July 10, 2018
Small problem.