The Tampa Bay Rays are planning to stay at Tropicana Field for the 2026 season while they repair damage from Hurricane Milton.
Their lease, however, ends in 2027, leaving questions about their future location.
These uncertainties are stirring concerns in Southwest Florida, particularly regarding the team’s spring training site.
Sean Walter, the business development director for the Charlotte County Visitors Bureau, highlighted the economic impact. “Just last year, spring training brought in more than $11 million to Charlotte County,” he said.
Rebecca McDermott, an employee at Twisted Fork, a restaurant near Charlotte Sports Park, sees a noticeable difference on game days.
“We see a lot of out-of-towners, and we see a lot of people who haven’t been here before, just because they’re coming here for the spring training games, for sure,” said McDermott.
On Thursday, Rays owner Stu Sternberg announced the team will not pursue a new $1.3 billion ballpark in St. Petersburg. Instead, they will remain at Tropicana Field through 2026.
Beau Blizman from Sarasota expressed his hopes for the team’s future. “The first thing I would ask is, where are they headed to?” he said. “I would hope both locations, spring training and regular season, could stay in the cities that they’re in. That would be ideal.”
Despite the possibility of a move or sale, Walter remains optimistic. The county expects the Rays to continue using Charlotte Sports Park for spring training.
That’s welcome news for businesses like Twisted Fork. “On game days, it’s noticeably different,” said McDermott. “People will come down, and they’ll come and stay in a nice little Airbnb for the week, stop in, go to the spring training game, come here, go to the beach, and then it’s like a little staycation for them.”
The Rays’ agreement to use Charlotte Sports Park for spring training extends through the 2028 season, with a possibility of renewal.
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