The Tampa Bay Rowdies would like one more year at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, their home pitch since 2011.
Representatives from the Rowdies recently met with Beth Herendeen, St. Petersburg’s city development administration and finance managing director. Through a city spokesperson, Herendeen said the Rowdies requested a one-year extension that would keep the team at Al Lang through the 2027 season.
Any extension at the waterfront stadium must be approved by the St. Petersburg City Council. The council approved a one-year extension last August. The Rowdies had to let the city know by May 1 whether it wanted another extension.
Rowdies President Ryan Helfrick said in a written statement that the club is excited to stay at Al Lang for another year.
“Al Lang is more than just our home; it’s where our fans create one of the best atmospheres in the [United Soccer League]. Their passion, energy, and unwavering support make matchdays in St. Petersburg truly special. This extension allows us to continue building on that connection, celebrating our history, and delivering unforgettable experiences for our supporters as we look ahead to celebrating our Home Opener next Saturday.”
The Rowdies’ future at Al Lang has been in doubt since the new owners of the Tampa Bay Rays, which own the Rowdies, want to build a baseball stadium in Tampa. The Rowdies have been seen as a bargaining chip amid securing a stadium deal.
The new Rays owners and officials in Hillsborough County and Tampa are penciling out a deal to build a baseball stadium at Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus, with the Rays hoping to have it ready by 2029.
In the meantime, the Rays return April 6 to a repaired Tropicana Field, where they are contractually obligated to stay through the 2028 season. The Rays have not discussed extending their stay at the Trop.
St. Petersburg would also like to move on with development plans.
Following the Rays’ announcement that it would not move forward with a deal to build its new stadium in St. Petersburg, Mayor Ken Welch swore off ever negotiating with then-owner Stuart Sternberg again.
The city at the time was working on a two-year lease renewal for the Rowdies. The city soon thereafter unveiled renderings that suggested demolishing Al Lang Stadium to make way for an amphitheater.
The city has long sought to remake the downtown waterfront into a cohesive Center for the Arts with the neighboring Mahaffey Theater and the Dalí Museum.
But council members objected to the idea of demolishing Al Lang. In December, city officials presented council members with an idea to instead upgrade the stadium, including building a three-story addition for lockers, year-round concessions and a rooftop restaurant and bar. Herendeen said then that the city hoped making those upgrades would keep the Rowdies in St. Petersburg long term.
That change in course offered a glimpse into relations between St. Petersburg and the Rays under new ownership.
That city presentation also floated the idea that Al Lang could be a future spring training location “should the Rays depart.” The Rays played spring training games at Al Lang from 1998 to 2008.
Industry standards now call for spring training complexes to have a considerable amount of land Al Lang likely can’t offer.
The Rowdies’ home opener at Al Lang is March 21.