Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida is unlike anywhere else in Major League Baseball: a fixed, non-retractable dome where four suspended catwalks hang directly over the field of play and can decide the outcome of a fly ball. It’s been the home of the Tampa Bay Rays since their 1998 debut, and it recently survived the single biggest test of its 36-year existence, Hurricane Milton, which tore off most of its roof in October 2024.
This guide covers how the roof and catwalks actually work under MLB’s ground rules, what happened during the Milton repair and the Rays’ 2025 season away from the Trop, what a future outside Tropicana Field could look like, and the practical basics, tickets, parking and bag policy, for anyone planning to see a game there.
Quick Answer
Tropicana Field is MLB’s only fixed, non-retractable domed ballpark, home to the Tampa Bay Rays since 1998. Its slanted roof is partly supported by four catwalks that hang over the field and are governed by specific ground rules when a batted ball hits them. Hurricane Milton destroyed most of the roof’s membrane in October 2024; a rebuilt, higher-wind-rated roof was finished ahead of schedule, and the Rays returned for their home opener on April 6, 2026, after playing the entire 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
The Roof and the Famous Catwalks
Every other domed or roofed park in MLB can open its roof to the sky. Tropicana Field cannot: its cable-supported, slanted roof is a permanent structure, which is why it’s often called the last true dome left in the majors.
That roof is held up in part by four catwalks, ringed A, B, C and D from top to bottom, running above the outfield and infield. MLB’s ground rules treat each ring differently. A ball that strikes either lower catwalk (C-ring or D-ring), including its lights or support rods, in fair territory is a home run. A ball that hits either upper catwalk (A-ring or B-ring) in fair territory stays in play, so a fielder can catch it for an out or let it drop and keep playing. A ball that lodges on any catwalk without being ruled a homer is a ground-rule double, and any catwalk hit in foul territory is a dead ball. Those rules have swung real games, which is part of why the catwalks are as much a part of the ballpark’s identity as the dome itself.
Hurricane Milton and the Rebuilt Roof
In October 2024, Hurricane Milton’s winds shredded most of the fiberglass membrane covering Tropicana Field, tearing large sections away and exposing the field and seating bowl to the elements. With the ballpark unplayable, the Rays relocated their entire 2025 home schedule to George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ spring training facility across the bay in Tampa.
The rebuild used 24 new fiberglass-composite panels, each weighing roughly 5,000 pounds, topped with a thicker, translucent PTFE membrane engineered to withstand winds up to about 165 mph, well above the original roof’s rating. The project, which cost the city of St. Petersburg roughly $60 million, finished ahead of schedule alongside upgrades to the video boards, sound system and suites, and the Rays played their home opener back at a renovated Tropicana Field on April 6, 2026.
What’s Next: A New Ballpark by 2029?
Even with Tropicana Field freshly repaired, it isn’t necessarily the Rays’ long-term home. In January 2026 the team signed a memorandum of understanding to explore a new stadium on the Hillsborough Community College campus near Tampa International Airport, envisioned as a roughly $2.3 billion mixed-use ballpark district modeled loosely on Atlanta’s Battery development around Truist Park.
Nothing is finalized. The Rays’ lease keeps them at Tropicana Field through at least 2028, and as of mid-2026 the team, city and county officials were still negotiating financing for the new site. If a deal is reached, the earliest realistic opening for a new Tampa-side stadium is 2029.
Planning Your Visit: Tickets, Parking, and Bag Policy
Tickets are sold through the team’s official ticketing partner and resale marketplaces, with pricing that scales by seating level, opponent and day of the week rather than a single fixed price. For current pricing, seating maps, gate times (typically 60 to 90 minutes before first pitch) and the full schedule, check the Rays’ official tickets page or the official Tropicana Field ballpark information page.
Parking surrounds the stadium in city- and privately-operated lots on the west side (lots 1-4) and east side (lots 6-9), with per-game rates that vary by lot and demand. Tropicana Field enforces a clear-bag policy standard across MLB: one clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bag up to roughly 12″ x 6″ x 12″ per person, plus a small non-clear clutch or wallet; backpacks and coolers aren’t permitted. Bag rules and exact size limits can change season to season, so confirm current policy on the official ballpark page before you go.
Seating Chart and Capacity
Capacity has shrunk considerably from a late-1990s peak of more than 45,000, when the building was configured to sell out for football and hockey as well as baseball. Since 2019, the Rays have played in a tarped-off configuration that closes most of the upper deck, bringing capacity to roughly 25,025, one of the smallest footprints in MLB and part of an effort to create a more intimate atmosphere.
The lower bowl, sections in the 100 and 200 levels behind home plate and the dugouts, offers the closest sightlines, while outfield sections give a clear view of the catwalks in action. Because exact configurations can shift between seasons, use the interactive seating chart on the official ballpark page linked above when picking seats for a specific game.
Stingray Touch Tank and Other Fan Features
Behind the outfield wall sits one of the more unusual fixtures in pro sports: a roughly 10,000-gallon touch tank stocked with cownose stingrays, open since 2006 as the first hands-on marine exhibit at a major professional sports venue, a nod to the Rays’ name. Biologists from the Florida Aquarium care for the animals on-site during the season and relocate them to the aquarium’s own Stingray Beach exhibit in Tampa during the offseason, a routine that also kicked in as a precaution ahead of Hurricane Milton.
History and Name Changes
The building opened on March 3, 1990 as the Florida Suncoast Dome, built speculatively by the city of St. Petersburg to attract a major league franchise. Before the Rays existed, it hosted the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League and the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. It was briefly renamed ThunderDome in 1993 to reflect the Lightning’s tenancy, then became Tropicana Field in 1996 when Tropicana Products bought the naming rights, two years before the expansion Devil Rays played their first game there in 1998.
Tropicana Field FAQs
Is Tropicana Field the only domed stadium of its kind in MLB?
Yes. It’s the only fixed, non-retractable domed stadium currently used in Major League Baseball; every other MLB stadium with a roof, such as those in Miami, Houston, Arlington, Toronto, Seattle, Milwaukee and Phoenix, can open it.
What happens if a batted ball hits the catwalks at Tropicana Field?
It depends which catwalk it hits. A ball that strikes either lower catwalk (C-ring or D-ring) in fair territory is a home run. A ball that hits either upper catwalk (A-ring or B-ring) in fair territory stays in play. A ball that lodges on any catwalk without being ruled a homer is a ground-rule double, and any catwalk hit in foul territory is a dead ball.
What happened to Tropicana Field during Hurricane Milton?
In October 2024, Hurricane Milton’s winds tore away most of the stadium’s fiberglass roof membrane. The Rays played their entire 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa while a new, higher wind-rated roof and other repairs, costing roughly $60 million, were completed ahead of schedule for the 2026 season.
What was Tropicana Field called before its current name?
It opened in 1990 as the Florida Suncoast Dome, was renamed ThunderDome in 1993 during the NHL Lightning’s tenancy, and became Tropicana Field in 1996 after Tropicana Products acquired the naming rights.
How many people can Tropicana Field hold?
In its current tarped configuration, used since 2019, capacity is roughly 25,025. That’s down from a peak above 45,000 in the ballpark’s early years, when more of the upper deck was open for baseball, football and hockey.
Is Tropicana Field going to be replaced?
Possibly, but nothing is finalized. The Rays have a lease at Tropicana Field through at least 2028 and, as of 2026, are negotiating a roughly $2.3 billion new stadium on the Hillsborough Community College campus near Tampa International Airport, targeted for a 2029 opening if financing is approved.
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