Tampa Bay Rays have concept for new ballpark but nothing else

The Tampa Bay Rays know what they want for a new ballpark. The problem now involves figuring out how to pay for it, securing a location, or really everything else.

Even before the Tampa Bay Rays came into existence, their ballpark was outdated. Tropicana Field was once an ideal baseball option, almost tempting the San Francisco Giants to relocate to the east coast. However, with the modern ballparks, the Trop became an outdated dinosaur, and a convenient whipping boy for the Rays inability to draw fans to home games.

It has been a matter of time before a new stadium came into being. The Rays have been seeking a location, targeting Ybor City in Tampa as their ideal location. While they do not have that location just yet, they know what the ballpark will look like, at least in theory.

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There are certainly a lot of interesting characteristics to the ballpark. While it will be a fixed dome, the roof will be translucent, and evoke the imagery of the manta ray that gave the franchise its name. Even though the roof would be fixed, the ballpark would feature sliding glass walls to let in the elements. The new stadium would still have artificial turf, as they could not find a way to make grass work in that environment, but that has become a defining characteristic for the Rays.

It would also be the smallest ballpark in the majors, with 28,216 fixed seats, and a maximum capacity of fans with standing room included. The upper deck would only extend as far as first and third base, giving the stadium a more intimate feel. And, if the Rays continue to draw poorly, that low number of available seats would make it look better.

However, there are plenty of issues. The concept is nice, but the Rays still do not have a location for the stadium itself. Meanwhile, the Rays also do not know how this stadium will be paid for, calling it an “investment opportunity,” and are open to “creative funding.”

The only thing that is certain is that the Rays have no intention of paying for most of the stadium. With an expected price tag of close to $900 million, this will not be a drop in the bucket. Considering the disaster that the stadium situation involving the Marlins became, it may be a difficult sell to have the people or Florida, or the Tampa Bay area, foot the bill for another ballpark. What would the Rays contingency plan be in that case?

Next: Rays Mount Rushmore

The Tampa Bay Rays have a concept for their new ballpark, and some nice visuals. However, that is all they have.