Tropicana Field is a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, that has served as the home ballpark of the Tampa Bay Rays since the franchise’s 1998 debut. Opened on March 3, 1990 as the Florida Suncoast Dome, it briefly carried the name ThunderDome before Tropicana Products acquired the naming rights in 1996.
The stadium is notable as the only fixed, non-retractable domed venue in Major League Baseball, with a slanted fiberglass roof supported in part by four catwalks that hang over the field of play and can influence batted balls. In October 2024, Hurricane Milton tore much of the roof fabric away, forcing the Rays to play their entire 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. Repairs costing roughly $55 million were completed ahead of schedule, and the team returned to a renovated Tropicana Field for its home opener on April 6, 2026.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Tampa Bay Rays (MLB, 1998-2024, 2026-present)
- Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
- Opened: March 3, 1990
- Capacity: About 25,025 (tarped configuration since 2019)
- Original Name: Florida Suncoast Dome
- Architect: HOK Sport
- Notable Fact: Only non-retractable domed stadium in MLB
The Ride Experience
Games at Tropicana Field play out under a constant, climate-controlled dome, insulating fans from Florida’s heat and rain but creating a distinctive indoor-baseball atmosphere. The four catwalks suspended above the outfield are part of the ballpark’s identity, with specific ground rules dictating how a batted ball striking them is ruled depending on which catwalk it hits.
Beyond the diamond, the ballpark has long featured a shallow touch tank behind center field stocked with cownose rays, letting fans interact with marine life between innings, a quirky nod to the team’s name.
History and the Hurricane Milton Recovery
Originally built to lure a major league franchise to the Tampa Bay area, the building hosted the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League and the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning before the Rays arrived in 1998. Capacity has shrunk from a peak of over 45,000 in the late 1990s to about 25,025 today as upper-deck sections were tarped off.
Hurricane Milton’s winds shredded much of the roof’s fiberglass membrane in October 2024, exposing the field to the elements and displacing the Rays for the entire 2025 season. A rebuilt roof, rated to withstand winds up to 165 mph, was installed ahead of schedule, and the venue reopened for the 2026 season with upgraded video boards, sound system, and suites.
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Tropicana Field FAQs
Is Tropicana Field the only domed stadium of its kind in MLB?
Yes, it is the only non-retractable domed stadium currently used in Major League Baseball; every other MLB dome or roof can open.
What happened to Tropicana Field during Hurricane Milton?
In October 2024, Hurricane Milton’s winds destroyed much of the stadium’s fiberglass roof panels, and the Rays played the entire 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field while repairs were completed.
What was Tropicana Field called before it got its current name?
It opened in 1990 as the Florida Suncoast Dome, was briefly renamed ThunderDome in 1993, and became Tropicana Field in 1996.
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Photo: Vmartin12 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.