Tropicana Field Tropicana Field is a domed stadium in St . Petersburg , Florida , which has been the home of Major League Baseball ' s Tampa Bay Rays since the team ' s inaugural season in 1998 , when they were the " Devil Rays " . It has also served as the host stadium for the Beef ' O ' Brady ' s Bowl , an NCAA - sanctioned college football bowl game since December 2008 . It is currently the only domed stadium in Major League Baseball which is not retractable . History . 1980s . After Tampa was awarded the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Rowdies in the 1970s , St . Petersburg decided it wanted a share of the professional sports scene in Tampa Bay . It was decided early on that the city would attempt to attract Major League Baseball . Possible designs for a baseball park or multi - purpose stadium were proposed as early as 1983 . One such design , in the same location where Tropicana Field would ultimately be built , called for an open - air stadium with a circus tent - like covering . It took several design cues from Kauffman Stadium , including fountain s beyond the outfield wall . Ultimately , it was decided that a stadium with a fixed permanent dome was necessary for a prospective major league team to be viable in the area , due to its hot , humid summers and frequent thunderstorms . The ballpark began construction in 1986 in the hope that it would lure a Major League Baseball team to the facility . The stadium , built originally as the Florida Suncoast Dome , was first used in an attempt to entice the Chicago White Sox to relocate if a new ballpark were not built to replace the aging Comiskey Park . The governments of Chicago and Illinois eventually agreed to build a New Comiskey Park ( now known as U . S . Cellular Field ) in 1989 . 1990s . The stadium was finished in 1990 , but still had no tenants . The venue made St . Petersburg a finalist in the MLB expansion for 1993 , but they lost out to Miami and Denver . There were rumors of the Seattle Mariners moving in the early part of the 1990s , and the San Francisco Giants came close to moving to the area , with Tampa Bay investors even announcing they were in a press conference in 1992 . However , the sale was blocked by National League owners who voted against the sale and move in November 1992 under pressure from San Francisco officials and the then - owner of the Florida Marlins , Blockbuster Video Chairman H . Wayne Huizenga . A local boycott of Blockbuster Video stores occurred for several years thereafter . The Suncoast Dome finally got a regular tenant in 1991 , when the Arena Football League ' s Tampa Bay Storm made their debut . Two years later , the National Hockey League ' s Tampa Bay Lightning made the stadium its home for three seasons . In the process , the Suncoast Dome was renamed the Thunderdome . Because of the large capacity of what was basically a park built for baseball , several NHL and AFL attendance records were set during their times there . Finally , in 1995 , the dome received a baseball team when MLB expanded to the Tampa Bay area . Changes were made to the stadium and the name , which was changed due to the sale of naming rights to Tropicana Products , thus renaming it Tropicana Field in 1996 . The completion of the Ice Palace in downtown Tampa permitted " The Trop " to be vacated for preparation for its intended purpose , as the Lightning and Storm moved into the facility that was built for them . A US $ 70 million renovation then took place — to upgrade a stadium that had cost $ 130 million to complete only 8 years earlier . Ebbets Field was the model for the renovations , which included a replica of the famous rotunda that greeted Dodger fans for many years . The first regular season baseball game took place at the park on March 31 , 1998 , when the Devil Rays faced the Detroit Tigers , losing 11 – 6 . An SCCA Trans - Am Series race was held from 1996 – 1997 on a temporary course encompassing the parking lot and surrounding streets . Although Tropicana was purchased by PepsiCo in 1998 , PepsiCo did not elect to make any changes to Tropicana ' s naming rights . Tropicana Field played host to the 1999 NCAA Men ' s Basketball Final Four which saw the Connecticut Huskies beat the Duke Blue Devils 77 – 74 for the championship . Since then , there has been no NCAA basketball game played at Tropicana Field . 2000s . The park was initially built with an AstroTurf surface , but it was replaced in 2000 by softer FieldTurf , becoming the first major professional facility to use it . A new version of FieldTurf , FieldTurf Duo , was installed prior to the 2007 season . Unlike other artificial turf fields used in baseball , the field at Tropicana has full dirt basepaths and pitching mound as opposed to having only dirt " sliding pits " around the bases . Since Tropicana Field does not need to convert between baseball and football , sliding pits , designed to save re - configuration time , were unnecessary . On August 6 , 2007 , the astro turf warning track was replaced by brown - colored stone filled FieldTurf Duo . Tropicana Field underwent a further $ 25 - million facelift prior to the 2006 season . Another $ 10 million in improvements was added during the season . In 2006 , the Devil Rays added a live Cownose ray tank to Tropicana Field . The tank is located just behind the center field wall , in clear view of the play on the field . People can go up to the tank to touch the creatures . Further improvements prior to the 2007 offseason , in addition to the new FieldTurf , include additional family features in the right field area , the creation of a new premium club , and several new video boards including a new x Daktronics LED main video board that is four times larger than the original video board . The 2007 renovation also added built - in high - definition television capabilities to the ballpark , with Fox Sports Florida and WXPX airing at least a quarter of the schedule in HD in 2007 and accommodating the new video board ' s 16x9 aspect ratio . On September 3 , 2008 , in a game between the Rays and the New York Yankees , Tropicana Field saw the first official use of instant replay in the history of Major League Baseball . The disputed play involved a home run hit above the left field foul pole by Yankee Alex Rodriguez . The ball was called a home run on the field , but was close enough that the umpires opted to view the replay to verify the call . Later , the Trop saw the first case of a call being overturned by instant replay , when a fly ball by Carlos Peña originally ruled a ground - rule double due to fan interference , was overturned and made a home run on September 19 . The umpires determined that the fan in question , originally believed to have reached over the right field wall , did not reach over the wall . In October 2008 , Tropicana Field hosted its first ever baseball postseason games as the Rays met the Chicago White Sox in the American League Division Series , the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series , and the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series . It hosted the on - field trophy presentations for the Rays when they became the American League Champions on October 19 , following Game 7 of the ALCS . Chase Utley hit the first ever World Series home run at Tropicana Field during the first inning of Game 1 of the 2008 World Series . The Rays ended up losing the game 3 – 2 and eventually the World Series to the Phillies 4 games to 1 . On December 20 , 2008 , Tropicana Field was converted into a football stadium for the day to host the St . Petersburg Bowl ( now known as the Beef ' O ' Brady ' s Bowl ) , a college football bowl game sanctioned by the NCAA . This makes Tropicana Field one of the few venues to host the " big four " major North American sports : baseball , basketball , football and hockey ( and arena football , as well ) . The Trop returned to a football configuration on October 30 , 2009 , to host one of the three home games of the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League , which the Rays had invested in . In 2011 , East - West Shrine Game officials announced that the 2012 edition and beyond will be held at Tropicana Field . 2010s . The first no - hitter pitched at Tropicana Field took place on June 25 , 2010 , thrown by Edwin Jackson of the Arizona Diamondbacks . Jackson was a member of the Rays from 2006 – 2008 . The first no - hitter at the Trop tossed by a Rays pitcher came just one month later on July 26 , 2010 , by Matt Garza in front of an announced crowd of 17 , 009 . This was also the first no - hitter in Rays history . Garza faced the minimum 27 batters as the only batter to reach base was erased by a double play hit by the next batter . Features . Architectural . The most recognizable exterior feature of Tropicana Field is the slanted roof . It was designed at an angle to reduce the interior volume in order to reduce cooling costs , and to better protect the stadium from hurricane s . The dome is supported by a tensegrity structure and is lit up with orange lights after the Rays win a home game . With the Minnesota Twins vacating the Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome following the 2009 season and moving into Target Field in 2010 , Tropicana Field is the only active Major League Baseball stadium with a fixed ( i . e . , not retractable ) roof . The main rotunda , on the east end of the stadium , resembles the Ebbets Field rotunda on the interior . The walkway to the main entrance of the park features a long ceramic tile mosaic , made of 1 , 849 , 091 one - inch - square tiles . It is the largest outdoor tile mosaic in Florida , and the fifth - largest in the United States . It was sponsored by Florida Power Corporation , which is now a part of Progress Energy . The primary 100 - level concourse is at street level , with elevators , escalators and stairs separating the outfield and infield sections , since the ground is at different grades on either side . The 200 - level loge box concourse is further separated , and is carpeted , as it includes the entrances to most of the luxury suites . The 300 - level concourse is the highest of the concourses . Seating and amenities . The seating is arranged with odd sections on the left field side , and even sections on the right field side . 100 - level seating wraps around the entire field , broken at center field by the Batter ' s Eye Restaurant , with loge boxes along the infield from foul pole to foul pole . 200 - level seating is the luxury boxes along the foul lines , broken by the press box behind home plate , with the luxury boxes directly behind and above them . 300 - level seating wraps around the infield along the lines , and also features the " tbt * Party Deck " , a small - capacity seating area above the left field outfield seats with separate concessions inside . Rows are lettered starting closest to home plate and rise further away . There are a total of 70 luxury suites . 48 are accessible from the 200 - level , while the other 15 are located on the 100 - level . There are a total of 2 , 776 club seats at Tropicana Field . The Home Plate Club , sponsored by Kane ' s Furniture until 2007 , features its own entrance , recliner seats and a premium buffet with in - seat service . The second club section , the Hancock Bank Club , is along the first - base side in the 100 section , at the Loge Box level . It features its own premium buffet and premium seating . Field - level party sections were installed in the corners in 2006 . The left field party section is named " 162 Landing " , in reference to Evan Longoria ' s walk - off home run in the 162nd and final regular season game of the season that landed in that section , which clinched the American League wild card for the Rays . The right field party section is the " Papa John ' s Bullpen Box . " When the right field corner was sponsored by the fast food chain Checkers , tickets to the " Checkers Bullpen Cafe " included a free meal at the Checkers kiosk immediately adjacent to the section . As of 2008 , both party sections feature all - you - can - eat buffet s . In 2008 , the Rays also set aside a section of the Press Boxes on the right field side as an all - you - can - eat buffet section with typical ballpark fare . It is usually available for group parties , but it is available for individual ticketing on select dates . Currently , the top 1 / 3 of the upper deck seating is tarped over , artificially reducing the stadium ' s capacity to 36 , 048 for the 2008 regular season . It was further reduced to 35 , 041 for the 2008 postseason since the tbt * Party Deck has been reserved by Major League Baseball as an auxiliary press area . On October 14 , 2008 , the Rays announced that the upper deck tarps would be removed for the remainder of the postseason , starting with a Game 6 of the 2008 American League Championship Series . This increased the capacity of the stadium to nearly 41 , 000 , depending on standing - room - only tickets sold . The Rays Touch Tank . Just over the right - center field fence is the Rays Touch Tank . This 35 - foot , 10 , 000 gallon tank is filled with cownose ray s that were taken from Tampa Bay waters . Admission to the tank area is free for all fans attending home games , but there is a limit of 50 people in the area at any given time . Not only do fans get to see the rays up close and get an education about them , but they are allowed to feed them as well . The tank helps to create an awareness of the Florida Aquarium , and educates people about rays and other aquatic life . The tank also helps raise money for various charities in the Tampa Bay area . Proceeds from the sale of " ray food " goes to the Florida Aquarium and the team ' s charitable foundation . Additionally , for every ball hit into the tank during a game by a Rays player , the Rays will donate $ 5 , 000 to charity with $ 2 , 500 going to the Florida Aquarium and $ 2 , 500 going to that player ' s charity of choice . To date , Luis Gonzalez is the only player to have launched a home run into the touch tank , doing so as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 24 , 2007 . Concessions . There are two sit - down restaurants at Tropicana Field : The Brewhouse ( located on the outfield 100 - level concourse ; formerly sponsored by Budweiser ) and the Everglades BBQ Smokehouse , formerly the Batter ' s Eye Restaurant , ( accessible via escalator / elevator from the main rotunda ) . The Brewhouse has typical restaurant fare , while the Everglades has a more elegant feel . The Cuesta - Rey Cigar Bar is located across from the Everglades , and offers a large selection of cigar s , many produced by a company founded in Tampa . It is the only indoor location at Tropicana Field where smoking is permitted . In addition to various generic vendors and Checkers , there are also concession stands for Outback Steakhouse and Papa John ' s Pizza . Both Checkers and Outback are Tampa Bay - based establishments . To compete with established stadiums ' hot dog traditions , the Trop introduced the " Sting ' Em " Dog in 2007 . This consists of a regular hot dog topped with chili and cheese . It was renamed " The Heater " in 2008 . Ted Williams Museum / Hitters Hall of Fame . The Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame opened in February 1994 , in Hernando , Florida , in Citrus County — just a few blocks from the place where Williams lived in his later years . In 2006 , the museum and hall of fame were moved to Tropicana Field after its original facility in Hernando went bankrupt . A new upstairs wing was opened in 2007 , which now houses the exhibits on Ted Williams ' careers with the Boston Red Sox and with the United States Marine Corps during World War II and the Korean War , as well as the monuments to the members of the Hitters Hall of Fame complete with memorabilia , with donated authentic memorabilia wherever possible and many of Williams ' own personal mementos from his career and post - playing life . Williams did not induct himself into his own Hitters Hall of Fame , and was inducted in 2003 only after he died . The museum also includes a " Pitching Wall of Great Achievement " , the Negro Leagues wing — including an exhibit about John Jordan " Buck " O ' Neil ( a " son " of Sarasota , Florida ) — the " 500 Homerun Club " exhibit , and exhibits about other topics , including the All - American Girls Professional Baseball League and the Tampa Bay Rays . The museum often hosts autograph signings and charity auctions during or before games . The museum is open during game days , opening at the same time as the park and closing after the seventh inning with the concession stands . Admission is free , and the museum is open to all ticketholders . In 2012 the museum is open until the ninth inning , but still open only on game days . As of the last week of the 2012 season the museum was back to closing BY the seventh inning ( beginning of , not after the seventh inning ) and the open only on game days policy is still in effect . Criticisms . Catwalks . Among the most cited criticisms about the stadium are the four catwalk s that hang from the ceiling . The catwalks are part of the dome ' s support structure . The stadium was built with cable - stayed technology similar to that of the Georgia Dome . It also supports the lighting and speaker systems . Because the dome is tilted toward the outfield , the catwalks are lower in the outfield . The catwalks are lettered , with the highest inner ring being the A Ring , out to the farthest and lowest , the D Ring . The A Ring is entirely in play , while the B , C , and D Rings have yellow posts bolted to them to delineate the relative position of the foul lines . Any ball touching the A Ring , or the in - play portion of the B Ring , can drop for a hit or be caught for an out . The C and D Rings are out of play ; if they are struck between the foul poles , then the ball is ruled a home run . On August 5 , 2010 , Jason Kubel of the Minnesota Twins hit a sky - high infield pop - up that would have ended the inning in a 6 – 6 game if caught , but the ball struck the A ring and fell safely onto the infield allowing the Twins to score the go - ahead run and extend the inning in a controversial 8 – 6 win . As a result , on October 4 , 2010 , Major League Baseball approved a change in the ground rules for the A and B rings , making it so that a batted ball striking either of the two rings was automatically ruled a dead ball , regardless of whether the ball strikes in fair or foul territory . The rules pertaining to the C and D rings remained the same . This change lasted for just the 2010 postseason . On the other hand , several potential hits have been lost as a result of the catwalks . For example , Devil Ray Jonny Gomes was called out during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 12 , 2006 , when a ball he hit landed in the B Ring and rolled off to be caught by Toronto shortstop John McDonald . By the time it was caught , Gomes was already headed for home plate . Although Rays manager Joe Maddon tried to argue that it should have been at least a ground rule double since it stayed in the B Ring for a while before coming loose , umpires eventually ruled against the Rays and called Gomes out . On May 26 , 2008 , Carlos Peña hit a pop - fly to center field that likely would have been caught by Texas Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton . The ball instead hit the B ring catwalk and did not come down . Peña was mistakenly given a home run , but after deliberation the umpires awarded him a ground rule double . This was the second time this had happened , as José Canseco hit a ball that stuck in the same catwalk on May 2 , 1999 . Many players have hit the C and D rings for home runs . The first player ever to hit the rings for a home run was Edgar Martínez of the Seattle Mariners on May 29 , 1998 . Martinez ' s home run went off the D ring . Three players before him hit balls that went into the C ring , however at the time , balls hitting the C ring were not ruled a home run . Two days prior to Martinez ' s home run , the ground rules were changed so that if a ball hit the C ring , it would be called a home run . The first player to hit the rings for a home run in postseason play was Rays third baseman Evan Longoria , who hit the C ring off Javier Vázquez of the Chicago White Sox on October 2 , 2008 , in the third inning of Game 1 of the 2008 American League Division Series . On July 17 , 2011 , during a nationally televised game against the Red Sox , Rays batter Sean Rodriguez hit a high foul popup that shattered a lightbulb on a catwalk . Pieces of the broken bulb fell to the turf near the third base coach ' s box . After a quick cleaning delay in which the Tropicana Field PA system played the theme to " The Natural " , the game resumed . Bullpens . The bullpens are located along ( and close to ) the left and right field foul lines and there are no barriers that separate them from the field of play . In fact , fly balls hit into the bullpens are in play . The bullpen players and the pitching mounds are obstacles for fielders chasing fly balls into the pen . Teams have to station a batboy behind the catchers in the bullpens to prevent them from being hit by foul balls from behind . This style of bullpen used to be common in the Major Leagues , and is still in use in a number of other stadiums . Interior . Another criticism of the stadium is the drab interior environment , especially early in the ( Devil ) Rays existence , when the stark concrete interior was compared to a large warehouse . However , since it was designed specifically with baseball in mind , it is somewhat smaller and the atmosphere is somewhat more intimate than in other domed stadiums , which often are built to accommodate football games also . The current Rays ' Stuart Sternberg - led ownership group has invested several million dollars in recent years to add various amenities and decorations including a larger scoreboard , video wall , catwalk sleeves , an outfield touch - tank featuring cownose ray s , the Mountain Dew Extreme Zone featuring a massive sound system and numerous baseball video games , and other miscellaneous improvements to make the facility more attractive and " fan friendly " . Location . The dome was built on the former site of a coal gasification plant and in 1987 , hazardous chemicals were found in the soil around the construction site . The city spent millions of dollars to remove the chemicals from the area . It is often criticized as being located away from the Tampa Bay area ' s largest population base in Tampa .