Tampa Bay Rays Forever Home in Tampa: 31,000-Seat Stadium, Champions Quarter & Ticket Guide
The Tampa Bay Rays just locked in the long-awaited “Forever Home.” After the Tampa City Council approved the financing plan 4–3 on Aug. 27 and the Hillsborough County Commission followed with a 5–2 vote on Aug. 28, the club can move toward groundbreaking on a new ~31,000-seat ballpark and mixed-use district in Tampa — with a target Opening Day of 2029.
Until then, the Rays still play at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg through the 2028 season. That makes the next three years the last stretch of Trop baseball — and the smart window to grab cheap 2026 tickets while staking a claim on future seats.
This guide covers the deal, the 31,000-seat design, Champions Quarter, remaining Tropicana Field games, and where to buy tickets now.
The deal: Rays stay in Tampa Bay
The project is a $2.3–$2.36 billion enclosed ballpark plus a privately financed neighborhood on Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus, across Dale Mabry Highway from Raymond James Stadium and next to George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Reported funding mix:
- Rays: about $1.37 billion plus cost overruns
- Hillsborough County: about $796 million
- City of Tampa: about $80 million
The county is expected to own the ballpark. The Rays would lease it for an initial 35-year term with a non-relocation commitment and pay roughly $4 million a year in rent. No new taxes were part of the approved framework. Official project details live at newballpark.raysbaseball.com.
CEO Ken Babby’s line after the county vote: by making the Forever Home a reality, “the Rays are now home forever in Tampa Bay.” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred called the agreement a foundation for baseball in the region “for generations to come.”
Groundbreaking was targeted for later in 2026 so the building can be ready by March 2029. The Tropicana Field use agreement still runs through 2028.
31,000 seats: MLB’s most intimate permanent park
The new ballpark is designed for about 31,000 fans — the smallest permanent home in the majors by design, not by accident. The goal is proximity: a tight seating bowl, clubs at multiple price points, sky views from most sections, a center-field plaza entrance, a bar over a retractable batter’s eye, and two of the largest video boards in baseball. Populous is the stadium design lead; Gensler is shaping the district.
Other planned features:
- Climate-controlled, enclosed building with a translucent roof and an “outdoor baseball” feel
- Return of a larger Rays Touch Tank
- Club spaces next to both bullpens
- Convertible layout for concerts, conventions, and other events (the team pitches it as the region’s largest indoor special-event venue)
- Year-round activation so the site is not dark on off days
Interior and event renderings are posted on the official Forever Home site and in MLB.com’s Rays news.
Champions Quarter and the “Work, Live, Learn, Play” district
The ballpark is the anchor, not the whole project. The mixed-use neighborhood — often described as Champions Quarter plus Innovation Edge, The Canopy, and The Row — is meant to work like Atlanta’s Battery: restaurants, retail, hotels, offices, housing, and a rebuilt Hillsborough College campus. The mixed-use piece is slated to be 100% privately financed.
Team materials cite an independent RCLCO analysis projecting tens of billions in long-term economic impact, about 11,900 permanent jobs, and up to 10 million annual visitors once the district is built out. Treat those as project estimates, not guarantees.
For fans, the practical pitch is simple: a walkable sports district next to the Buccaneers, Yankees spring training, and Tampa International Airport — instead of a standalone dome in St. Pete.
What this means for tickets right now
2029 seats are not on general sale yet. The Rays have been collecting deposits and interest lists at newballpark.raysbaseball.com. A deposit does not lock a specific seat; it puts you in line for early access when inventory is released. If you want club, suite, or prime infield inventory in a 31,000-seat park, get on that list now. Intimate parks sell the best seats first.
2026–2028 baseball is still at Tropicana Field. That inventory is on sale. Home tickets remain among the more affordable in MLB on many weeknights, with $10-style offers in play for some regular-season games and get-in prices often in the teens on secondary markets depending on opponent. Weekend series vs. Boston and other marquee clubs run higher.
Upcoming 2026 Tropicana Field dates still on the board include:
- Sept. 1–2 vs. New York Mets
- Sept. 11–13 vs. Houston Astros
- Sept. 15–17 vs. Athletics
- Sept. 18–20 vs. Boston Red Sox
Official listings: mlb.com/rays/tickets.
If the Rays make the postseason, Wild Card and ALDS home games would also be at the Trop. Those tickets disappear fast.
Where to buy Tampa Bay Rays tickets
Compare official and authorized marketplaces. Prices move by opponent, day of week, and how close first pitch is.
- Official / primary
Rays single-game tickets and the MLB Ballpark app. Tickets are mobile-only. Paper, PDFs, and screenshots are not accepted. Cap is typically six tickets per game in some official sales windows. Questions: 888-FAN-RAYS or TicketServices@RaysBaseball.com. - Ticketmaster (MLB authorized marketplace)
Ticketmaster Rays tickets - SeatGeek (MLB official ticket marketplace)
SeatGeek Rays schedule - StubHub
StubHub Rays tickets - Capital City Tickets
Capital City Tickets Rays Tickets
Tip: check official inventory first for face-value $10–lower-bowl deals, then compare secondary get-in prices the week of the game. Weeknight Athletics or Mets leftovers often dip; Red Sox weekends and potential playoff dates do not.
Season tickets, groups, and suites: start at mlb.com/rays/tickets. Future Forever Home deposits: newballpark.raysbaseball.com.
Tropicana Field fan FAQ (2026 home games)
Address: 1 Tropicana Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33705
Baseball capacity: about 25,025 (upper deck closed for regular games)
Climate: indoor dome, typically around 72°F
Tickets: Mobile only via the Ballpark app. Download before you go.
Bags: Clear-bag policy. One clear bag up to 12″ x 6″ x 12″ and/or one small clutch/fanny pack up to 5″ x 7″. No backpacks. Medical and diaper-bag exceptions apply. Official rules: Rays security page.
Parking: Prepaid lots recommended at RaysBaseball.com/Parking. Lots generally open 2½ hours before first pitch on weekdays and 3 hours on weekends. Game-day lots are card-only. Rideshare drop-off is typically Gate 4 / Lot 8 depending on gate.
Gates: Usually 90 minutes before first pitch Monday–Friday; 2 hours on weekends and Opening Day.
Cash: Venue operations are largely cashless; reverse ATMs are available inside.
Re-entry: Generally not allowed.
Full ballpark guide: MLB Tropicana Field guide.
Timeline fans should actually use
| When | What it means for tickets |
|---|---|
| Now–2026 season | Buy Tropicana Field games; join Forever Home deposit list |
| 2027–2028 | Last full seasons at the Trop; demand may rise as “last years” marketing kicks in |
| Late 2026 (targeted) | Groundbreaking window if validation stays on track |
| Opening Day 2029 | Planned first pitch at the new Tampa ballpark |
Construction schedules slip. Do not wait on 2029 inventory if you want prime seats — and do not skip 2026–28 games assuming the new park is “soon.” It is still three seasons away.
Why this matters for ticket shoppers
A 31,000-seat park changes the market. Fewer seats + a new district + a 35-year lock in Tampa usually means:
- Higher average prices once the building opens
- Faster sell-through on clubs, home-plate, and first rows
- More concert/event inventory in the same building
- A multi-year window where Tropicana Field tickets can still be the value play in MLB
If you live in Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater, Lakeland, or Orlando, the drive shifts from the Trop to Westshore / Dale Mabry in 2029. Plan parking and hotels around Raymond James and Steinbrenner Field, not downtown St. Pete.
Disclaimer: The Ticket News is an independent live-events and ticket-deals site. We are not affiliated with the Tampa Bay Rays, MLB, Tropicana Field, Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, StubHub, Vivid Seats, or any venue or ticket marketplace. Some links may be affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Ticket prices, availability, policies, and construction timelines change. Always confirm details on official team and marketplace pages before you buy. Resale tickets can be above or below face value and are subject to each platform’s buyer guarantee and transfer rules.
Official starting points
Rays tickets · Forever Home project · MLB.com Rays news
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