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NewsSt. Pete CatalystOctober 30, 2026Pinellas County

Community Voices commentary reflects on the history of Tropicana Field and St. Petersburg sports heritage

Photo: St. Pete Catalyst

An opinion commentary published on the Catalyst’s Community Voices platform reflects on the history of Tropicana Field, the displacement of the historic Gas Plant District, and the planned relocation of the Tampa Bay Rays to Tampa by 2029. The author emphasizes that despite franchise and area code changes, the city's cultural history and the memories of displaced residents remain permanent.

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Why It Matters

Residents experience ongoing civic impacts stemming from the original clearance of the and Laurel Park neighborhoods, alongside the cultural and economic transitions accompanying the impending departure of the city's professional baseball franchise.

Key Facts

  • The Tampa Bay Rays lost Game 5 of the 2026 World Series to the Milwaukee Brewers 4-1 at Tropicana Field.
  • Tropicana Field was built on land formerly occupied by the historic Gas Plant District and Laurel Park housing projects, displacing over 500 families.
  • Before becoming the home of the Rays, the stadium was known as the ThunderDome and hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team from 1993 to 1996.
  • The Tampa Bay Devil Rays played their first regular-season game at the stadium on March 31, 1998, before an audience of more than 45,000 people.
  • Hurricane Milton damaged the roof of Tropicana Field on October 9, 2024, leading the Rays to play the 2025 season in Tampa before returning in April 2026 following repairs.
  • The Tampa Bay Rays have an approved plan to relocate from St. Petersburg to a new stadium in Tampa by 2029, with an expected stay in St. Petersburg through 2028.
  • St. Petersburg and Pinellas County originally shared the 813 area code until a 1998 area-code split assigned the 727 area code to St. Petersburg.

Who's Mentioned

locationGas Plant District“Historic Black community cleared to build the stadium.”OrganizationTampa Bay Lightning“Professional hockey team that formerly played in St. Petersburg.”OrganizationTampa Bay Rays“Professional baseball team that played at Tropicana Field.”OrganizationMilwaukee Brewers“Professional baseball team that played in the 2026 World Series.”locationSt. Petersburg“City in Florida where Tropicana Field is located.”locationLaurel Park“Housing project torn down alongside the Gas Plant District.”OrganizationTropicana Field“Stadium located in downtown St. Petersburg, formerly known as the ThunderDome.”locationPinellas County“County that shared the 813 area code before the 1998 split.”otherHurricane Milton“Hurricane that damaged the roof of Tropicana Field in October 2024.”locationTampa“Neighboring city receiving the relocated hockey and baseball teams.”OrganizationTampa Bay Devil Rays“Original name of the St. Petersburg baseball franchise.”