Tampa Bay Rays officials believe that returning home to St. Petersburg deserves a celebration at Tropicana Field, which will boast several upgrades by opening day.
An area along 16th Street South and just outside of the stadium will host a “Fan Fest Block Party” from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14. The Rays also announced a new all-inclusive seating area at the Trop, which is currently undergoing storm repairs stemming from Hurricane Milton.
“I think it was really, really important for us to bring fans back to Tropicana Field,” said Bill Walsh, chief baseball officer. “There’s so much work happening there. This is a real reason to celebrate.”
Approximately 20,000 people attended the previous Fan Fest, held at the St. Pete Pier before the displaced Rays spent their 2025 season in Tampa. Walsh noted the Trop now has a new roof and no longer symbolizes the devastating impact the 2024 hurricane season had on the area.
He said storm repair progress highlights “our resilience as an organization, and certainly as a community.” What better place to host a free homecoming event, team leadership thought.
“This is a setback turning into a comeback,” Walsh added. “And we want to celebrate that.”
A map of the Fan Fest Block Party. Image provided.
While the block party is outdoors, myriad Trop upgrades are occurring behind the scenes. Walsh said the team continues discovering areas that need attention and new opportunities for enhancements.
The overarching goal is to bolster the fan experience. “We’re starting to get tight on time, but we’re really doing everything we possibly can to not just come back, but be better than ever,” Walsh said.
He said the Rays have refreshed every area of the stadium in a “very impactful way.” The team previously announced new premium seating and suite designs.
A new MaintenX SkyDeck will cater to more frugal and social fans. Tickets to the open area above left field start at $49 and include “ballpark fare,” soft drinks, beer and wine, which the team expects “to be really popular,” Walsh said.
A “challenging experience” in a minor league stadium forced and allowed the Rays to experiment with new concepts. Walsh said the team realized the demand for an all-inclusive, social space “at an accessible price point.”
The MaintenX SkyDeck will feature new furniture, graphics of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and unique LED lighting. Walsh said the area’s lights will dim, brighten, strobe, change colors and sync with those typically used to celebrate home runs and other in-game scenarios.
A rendering of the all-inclusive MaitenX SkyDeck. Image provided.
While he couldn’t provide a cost estimate for the upgrades, Walsh said the number “keeps going up.” He also pledged that there is “more to come.”
The city, as contractually obligated, is completing $59 million worth of storm repairs. New team ownership is searching for another stadium site and reportedly prefers a return to Tampa in 2029. However, Walsh said St. Petersburg is still “our home.”
“It’s where the franchise was born – it’s an incredibly special place for us,” Walsh said of the Trop. “There’s life still left in this building, and we look forward to really celebrating that.
“This is a new era in Rays baseball, and we’re excited to help provide that and create that for our fans.”
The new era will officially begin for fans Feb. 14. Attendees can expect player autograph signings, family-friendly games, food and drinks, a panel discussion with team leadership and a charity yard sale featuring memorabilia and game-used merchandise.
Walsh credited city officials for supporting the event by removing some construction fencing between Gates 3 and 5. St. Petersburg police will close the area to traffic. The event also coincides with Localtopia, a massive annual showcase for small businesses and organizations.
The Rays timed Fan Fest to accommodate people who want to attend Localtopia before moving west to the Trop.
“There is, obviously, a lot to coordinate with the city,” Walsh added. “They, again, have been such a huge help.”
Attendees must register for the free event, and parking is complimentary. Walsh called hosting Fan Fest next to and in the Trop’s shadow “really special,” particularly for those who haven’t kept up with the repair process.
“It’s really impressive, the work that’s been done,” he said. “And this gets us kind of one step closer to everybody being able to see it.”