Inside the Rays' Tropicana Field homecoming
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The view from home plate. Photo: Kathryn Varn/Axios
Five hundred sixty-one days had passed since the Tampa Bay Rays played America's pastime under the dome of Tropicana Field.
Why it matters: At Monday's home opener, it all felt like just a blip.
State of play: Thousands of fans cheered from the air-conditioned stands as mascots Raymond and DJ Kitty pranced on the field and posed for photos.
- Kids dipped their hands into the field-side aquarium, hoping to graze one of the real-life stingrays gliding through the tank.
- "I'm beyond thrilled," said Diana Lichtenwalter, a Rays super fan (according to the blue-and-yellow cape she wore), standing among a gaggle of season ticket holders who greeted each other like old friends.
Driving the news: The buzzing scene was the point of the last year's labor, as crews poured countless hours and the city of St. Pete invested millions of dollars into repairing the Hurricane Milton-ravaged stadium.
- "Welcome home," Rays radio broadcaster Andy Freed announced during the pre-game ceremonies.
The big picture: The homecoming was a grounding moment for a team that's otherwise in flux.
- It was the first regular-season home game for the Rays' new owners, who bought the team last year from longtime owner Stuart Sternberg after a deal to build a new stadium in St. Petersburg fell apart.
- With the lease at the Trop set to expire in 2028, team leaders recently announced plans to build a new stadium across the bay at Hillsborough College's North Dale Mabry Highway campus.
Zoom in: Both St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch, whose administration oversaw $60 million in Trop repairs, and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, whose city will likely become the Rays' future home, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
- Also spotted in attendance were Tampa City Council chair Alan Clendenin, Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
On the diamond: The Rays christened their new old stadium with a victory, as two of the team's core trio, Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda, homered to lead a 6-4 win over the Chicago Cubs.
- At 5-5, the Rays sit second in the AL East, with dozens more nights beneath the dome yet to play.
The bottom line: A homecoming is always sweeter with a W.
