ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Edge District business owners in downtown are excited for the upcoming Tampa Bay Rays season in St. Petersburg, after collectively losing millions last year when the major league baseball team played home games in Tampa, according to the neighborhood association.
What You Need To Know
Edge District hospitality business owners collectively lost millions while the Rays played in Tampa last year
Mark Ferguson, owner of Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill, said his business was down 30 percent
Ferguson was excited to see an official Tampa Bay Rays team store pop up in the Edge District
The Rays’ opening day at the Trop is scheduled for April 6 against the Chicago Cubs
Mark Ferguson, owner of Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill, said that from April through August of last year his business was down 30 percent.
“That hurt, but we didn’t have to lay anybody off,” he said. “We just gave people less hours and tried to make sure it worked for everybody.”
Ferg’s is located right across the street from Tropicana Field. Many other hospitality businesses in the Edge District also saw a dip while the team was away.
“All of downtown from here, all the way to the water, missed baseball,” said Ferguson. “They’ve all been crying to city council.”
Signs of life that the Rays will be back in St. Petersburg for the 2026 season began showing up last November. That’s when the Trop roof was completed ahead of schedule and an official Tampa Bay Rays team store popped up in the Edge District. Ferguson said he is looking forward to a rebound.
“Everybody’s excited,” he said. “For them to move the Ray store over here helps get everybody thinking about baseball.”
The Rays store will be moved back into the Trop once all the renovations have been completed. The Rays’ opening day at the Trop is scheduled for April 6 against the Chicago Cubs.