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Tropicana Field /
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Let's get this right out of the way: Tropicana Field is not the worst facility in the major leagues. The Metrodome clearly is. By far. Now, having said that, it's also clear that Tropicana Field is the second-worst facility in the majors, just barely behind Shea Stadium. In many ways it's directly comparable to the Metrodome, as both hated domes exist for very good reasons: weather. Some protection from the elements is needed in Minnesota in April and late September, and outdoor baseball in Florida during those hot summer months can be unbearable. And when both facilities were designed, a dome was considered state of the art. Even though Tampa Bay is the youngest team in the American League, Tropicana Field is not a newer facility: it originally opened in 1990, less than a year after the unveiling of the first retractable-roof ballpark, SkyDome. We take retractable roofs for granted, but back then they were still considered unproven technology, and St. Petersburg took the safe path in commissioning a fiberglass roof, especially when there was no guarantee of landing a major-league team. The roof was considered an engineering marvel of source, and today it’s still one of the largest cable-supported domes in the world – Atlanta’s Georgia Dome is larger.
And we will give the new Devil Rays ownership a lot of credit for making changes to Tropicana Field for the 2006 season. A sorely needed new sound system was installed, and the whole ballpark received a good washing -- seats, aisles, floors, concourses and all. The bathrooms were renovated, and the many public areas received new paint. But some things remain the same, including the playing field. If you go, look up at the catwalks, part of the support system for the fiberglass roof. It’s not uncommon for a ball to end up clanging off a support or a light, leading to some of the most detailed ground rules in the majors. Basically, a ball hitting a catwalk or a light in foul territory will be judged first by where it hits (a ball hitting in foul territory is immediately a strike; play goes on for a ball that hits in fair territory) and then by where it lands. If it lands foul, it’s a strike; if it lands fair, it’s in play. If it stays on the catwalk it’s a ground-rule double. However, a ball hitting either of the lower two catwalks, lights or suspended objects in fair territory is a home run. For the future of baseball to thrive in Tampa-St. Pete, some sort of retractable-roof ballpark with climate control (like Chase Field) is needed: 90 degree temperatures coupled with high humidity and a late-afternoon rainstorm led to the building of a dome in the first place, and those elements are still present as the Rays look to their future. In the meantime, Tropicana Field will do.
Concessions And, generally, the concession offerings are pretty decent, with a local favorites on the menu. A local outpost of the popular Columbia Restaurant chain offers Cuban fare, and Tropicana Field is the only major-league ballpark offering boiled peanuts. You can find these in the Taste of Tampa Bay area in Center Field Street. There are also four restaurants and bars within Tropicana Field. The most politically incorrect of them is Cuesta-Rey Cigar Bar, located in center field. It’s the only cigar bar in a major-league park, and although the cigar craze has diminished, the bar is a definite selling point for the D-Rays, especially in cigar-happy Tampa. This is most definitely not just a smoking lounge – in fact, pipes and cigarettes are expressly prohibited – but a clubby cigar lounge complete with leather seats and big-screen TVs for watching the game. Those enjoying cigars will probably enjoy the Budweiser Brew House, offering microbrewed specialties.
Also located in center field: the Batter’s Eye Restaurant, located behind the batter’s eye. A special window tinting presents a black background to batters while allowing fans eating at the restaurant to view the game. In left field you’ll find the Beach at Tropicana Field, a place designed for those who prefer to casually hang around and watch a game: the area has its own concessions and an outdoor patio. Finally, the Checkers Bullpen Café, located next to the Devil Rays’ bullpen in right field, offers the fine cuisine you’ve come to expect from the Checkers Drive-In chain. It does seem a little odd to go indoors to eat food meant to be eaten outdoors in a car, but then again everything at Tropicana Field is a little odd. |
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