The Tampa Bay Rays are nixing their upper-level section at Tropicana Field and installing a system of LED lights, according to newly revealed designs meant to make the ballpark more “intimate.”
The renovations come as part of a new series of capital improvements that include reconfiguring the park’s seating capacity from roughly 42,000 down to about 25,000.
In place of the upper 300 level, the MLB franchise will open more social gathering places and center fans closer to the field. In the lower seating bowl, replacing what used to be tarped seats above the left field crosswalk, the Rays will launch a new area called Left Field Ledge that will feature premium seating for small groups and social spaces with views of the field, a full-service bar and tablets for electronic ordering. The redesign will open up access between the Budweiser Porch and Ballpark & Rec areas to the Outfielder bar behind center field and create an external entrance to the food and beverage space.
At the entrance (gates four and five), the franchise will install “wayfinding features” to improve the flow of traffic into the stadium and to help fans navigate. The plans additionally include the installation of LED lights throughout the stadium and concourses, which will help lower Tropicana’s energy consumption.
“Together, in concert with the reduction in seating capacity, these investments will help create a more intimate, entertaining and appealing experience for our fans,” said Rays President Matt Silverman in a statement.
The Rays have invested more than $50 million in Tropicana Field renovations since 2005, including more than $15 million in the last two years. The 2019 capital improvements will also include the installation of new turf by Shaw Sports Turf meant to better withstand the myriad of events (from sports to concerts) held throughout the year at Tropicana Field.
SportTechie Takeaway
Professional sports teams are increasingly reducing seating capacity and building more social gathering places as they work to appeal to the next generation of sports fan. At Tropicana Field, the Rays are hoping that access to intimate experiences, tablet technology, LED lighting and closer field views will create a more all-encompassing experience.
In 2000, a futurist named Watts Wacker told me that in the near future stadiums would be turned into sound stages with a couple thousand seats optimized for TV. He’s getting closer. https://t.co/O0TS28DLGx
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) January 4, 2019