The original Tropicana Field

Click for larger photo

Tropicana Field might have looked like this.

The St. Petersburg Times has unearthed a preliminary design for Tropicana Field that included outdoor seating with a tent roof to shield both the field and fans from the weather.

The black-and-white picture above was taken by Times photographer Fraser Hale in early 1983. (You should be able to click on the photo to make it larger). In the distance is the old Bayfront Arena. On the right is Interstate 175. A fabric roof stretches over a boomerang shaped baseball stadium, anchored to the upper deck on one end, and at the ground on the other. Fountains shoot up from center field.

That stadium, of course, was never built.

The plan, the work of the Pinellas Sports Authority, was shelved after city and county leaders pressed for a multipurpose dome to attract activities other than baseball.

The Tampa Bay Rays now want to level that dome for a stadium, shown at right, very much like the one local leaders first contemplated. The Rays had never seen the 1983 picture before, they say.

"People were really impressed with it," recalled former sports authority chairman Cecil Engelbert, one of the few living people still associated with the original design. "It would have sure been attractive."

If the Rays get their way, we still may get to see it.

Comments

[JudyToo]

"Sure. Let them go elsewhere. Keep your heads in the sand. What a bunch of losers. St. Pete? Hah. Tampa West. Or just Tampa. Just get it over with now. You are just a bunch of losers anyway."

Please, just one factual reason why we should do this. No poppycock, now. Just facts.

[sue]

"Sure. Let them go elsewhere. Keep your heads in the sand. What a bunch of losers. St. Pete? Hah. Tampa West. Or just Tampa. Just get it over with now. You are just a bunch of losers anyway."

You are the loser, Lana. You make no sense, not go to school today?

[st. pete resident]

I say build the stadium then at night the tent dwelling homeless can use the outfield for their tents. they can be in charge of cleaning the stadium after games for there place in the lawn. Hey st. pete im looking for a new home how about a loan that will get payed back, oops what am I saying the people in charge dont care about us they want to give to a corporation that has been reaping in the profits by putting misfits on the field instead of spending it on REAL baseball players. when is the name going to back the city that backs them? tampa rays? im not a tampon.

[Concerned]

I'm siding with Paul on this one, the man has taken the time to document valid points, some of the same thoughts that I have but don't have the time to type. I say, let them follow the contract they signed. If they do that I'll go to several games a year.

If they move out of the A/C and couple the traffic problems that will arise. Let's put it this way, "I will never you to another Rays game unless it is at the Trop".

[Jimmy Mack]

One factual reason? Nobody wants to see a baseball game in an air conditioned warehouse... Evidence? Attendence figures. The way the Rays are playing now, they should have 30,000 for each home game...

[Concerned]

Sorry about that, the phone rang and I was typing and talking at the same time. What I meant to say is that,

I "I will never go to another Rays game unless it is at the Trop".

[Paul]

Do you have an opinion Lana? Sounds like you don't even live in St Pete, so even if you did have an opinion, it doesn't count, because you can't vote in St Pete on this issue. I'll rephrase my comment... this project should be killed now. We have wasted way too much City time and money on this boondoggle. No vote, no new stadium, no destruction of our beautiful waterfront with this boom box, WalMart style building.

[No Minor League City in My Lifetime]

this blog is exhibit A of what happens when a bunch of whiney simpletons attempt to ruin progress and turn this town back into a minor league city

thank God there are enough people to squash their petty jealousy for the ownership group and those who aren't afraid to put their neck on the line to make some money in the process

It will be with great joy that I watch these same whiners piss & moan when the stadium is APPROVED by the majority!

[Paul]

Lana: you're not allowed to have an opinion unless it agrees with mine and those of the other limp-wristed pansies who'd rather have a row of green park benches than a REAL major league stadium to be proud of!

[Ian]

Why are people who oppose this plan whiners?
If you look at this blog several opponents have voiced well thought out,logical reasons why we dont need a new stadium . It seems like all the proponents can do is insult people (many of whom are Rays fans including myself) who dont happen to subscribe to thier viewpoint.
As for an 'air conditioned warehouse' I would much prefer that to a humid, hot, wet tent. If you guys want to go camping do it on your own dime.

[Lee]

The Rays are going to get a new stadium. It's only a question of when. It's only going to get more expensive as the years go by. LOOK AT THE BAYWAY BRIDGE FIASCO.

[Paul]

Thanks Paul, for pretending to be me. Remember if you are not a registered voter in St Pete, you do not get to vote on this ... and thus your opinion is not that important to the issue. As for the green benches, we don't have any, guess you wouldn't know that because you don't live here nor do you actually go downtown. This should not be put on a ballot at the Rays don't drive the City, the citizens do and last time I checked, us citizens want Al Lang to be yes, another beautiful addition to our waterfront park system. Our Council is bobble heading in bafflement at this Rays proposal, as soon as they wise up, which is anyday now, Council will reject this plan all together.

Thanks, I'm here all week. Feel free to pretend to be me anytime you want.

[Dr_Dug]

Re: Parking

I live in (N.E.)St.Pete and parking can be quite a hassle. The streets are decades old and DESIGNED decades ago. It's a residential area with parks and bike paths. The speed limit in areas is 15 mph. With a finite amount of space available, why squeeze in more people? The upside to a successful stadium is filling the seats;the downside is the neighborhood can't handle a full stadium. No one is going to park and then walk 15-20 minutes in the Florida Sun to sit in an open-air stadium. The parking on Beach Drive and other areas have "time limit" parking, and in combination with the Vinoy, a (one day full) New Condos on Beach Drive, the Pier, Baywalk, Museum and First Night, I don't see where the people are going to park.
The best idea for the waterfront is to bulid a shopping area with a circus theme like Coney Island. Shopping ALWAYS brings the people and with the right design, St.Pete would be the next unique Family Waterfront Shopping experience.
Back to the Rays and parking..... There isn't enough room for a Ballpark on the water, and if there was one and it was full, where would all the people fit????
NO WATERFRONT STADIUM

[Reality]

Right or wrong, the fact is that the popularity of professional sports allows teams to receive special considerations from the communities they represent. Believe me, other large businesses receive tax incentives from local governments all the time for things like relocating corporate offices to their city. If you want to be a "major league city" then you deal with it. For what you give, you get back in the marketing of the city which draws more visitors and new residents (and their tax dollars) to the city.

[Tina]

I don't know why this has to turn into a mindless game oof insults w/i this forum. Everyone against the stadium aren't elderly, nor simpletons. Many wonderful points were brought up agains teh stadium and I agree. Beyond the obvious destruction of what's left of our beautiful waterfront, I can't IMAGINE sitting in 100% humidity in August outside with thousands of people. Traffic on those narrow downtown streets (and I used to work across from Al Lang for years) will be treacherous (I can't even IMAGINE rush hour...). If the trop area is "redeveloped", it is questionable whether there will be a market for it (especially given the economic situation, property taxes, etc.). Also, there are a lot of blighted areas in that region adn surrounding areas. That may detract buyers (it would me as I have a child). Not to mention, IF they found a market, the added burden on our infrastructure will be trying and the tax base won't be there to assist. And I am NOT against progress. I also think downtown has become a beautiful place over the last decade. I love it and I am quite proud of it. I am not elderly, I am not a "simpleton", and I am not short-sighted. I simply think that serious consideration needs to be given to the reality of our climate, what fans are willing to deal with to see a game (I agree about the poor odds of Tampa residents driving, parking and taking a boat across the bay to see a game), the added burden to our city and our citizens.

[Lana]

Other teams have outdoor stadiums in the heat. All it comes down to are a bunch of people who do not want the city to be considered "big league" but a has been. A city that cannot support a team. Do you think other business will not look at that? Who wants to be associated with a bunch of losers. The city is dying. Just pull the plug and be done with it.

Oh wait - St. Petersburg does not have free speech. People think that 1-I do not live there and 2-I cannot comment. My mistake.

[Dr_Dug]

Tina is correct. The question is can the Waterfront area support a Baseball teams parking .... the answer is NO.
The streets aren't updated.PERIOD.The ratio of AVAILABLE parking places after factoring other places of business and ownership brings the number into the low hundreds. If someone is expected to walk 15-20 mins., then that puts them right back at the TROP. The real question is, where EXACTLY will people be parking and what roads will be impacted?(Not everyone travels I-275)

[Dr_Dug]

Lana...you feeling alright?

[BABE]

i'm all for a downtown stadium but to quote someone above; 'It's too hot in Florida (in the summer)for outdoor baseball to thrive! (repeat)"

not to mention the hurricane season, one direct hit and kiss that sailboat roof goodbye.

[Ken P]

Has any one been to the Trop lately? It looks to me like it could last 1000 years. All that concrete and steel. There's no good excuse for tearing it down in my opinion. I think it's a great place for a game. I'm going tonight to see the Rays beat the Yankees in the air conditioning. Go Rays!

[Joel]

I am a 7 year season ticket holder and this will be my LAST year doing so. Mr. Kault, your team signed a 30 year lease on the Trop. Do the honorable thing sir, and keep your part of the bargain. Our city has done its part. I nor my family will ever patronize a Rays game again until you drop this matter. Every other house on my street including my own has a red "no new stadium" sign in the yard. You have divided the residents of our city for the last time. There will be no new stadium on our precious waterfront, period. The voters have ALREADY spoken and voted to designate Al Lang as part of our park system. PERIOD. END of STORY. Take your 150 million and tear the roof off the Trop and replace it with a sail. Problem solved. And honestly, it doesn't sound like the smartest business plan sir, turning your customers against each other so you may get richer off all of our backs. Not going to happen in my lifetime, I guarantee it.

And for those of you who oppose this plan, the first and most important thing you can do is STOP PATRONIZING THE RAYS until they drop their plan to ruin our waterfront. And tell them so!!

One last note to those of you who support this idea. What are you going to say to us in 10 years when this thing is built, the Rays still can't bring in the crowds, and Ole' Kault & Company move the team to a different market, leaving us holding the bag with a giant, empty ballpark on our waterfront and MILLIONS in debt....we were NEVER a "big league" city, and we never will be. Most of us natives like it that way. If you don't like that fact, I'll be glad to give you directions out of our town.

[Don Mott]

JudyToo at 1:45 you are pretty much right on. Proponents keep saying it is great for the city. You know what? Proponents said the same thing when the Trop was proposed. How great has that been? Can you see all of the tourists flocking downtown to see a Rays game? Do you see all of the new development going on in the area? It's really bustling there thanks to the Trop and MLB. The talk about it being a benefit for merchants is just that. Most games are on weekday nights. Who has the time to get off work and get downtown, spend 20 minutes or so looking for a parking spot, and then go to dinner or go shopping before the game starts? Once the game is over most everything will be closing and or shut down except the bars. But the bad guys will know where their money is so don't walk in the shadows. The best thing is the taxpayers get to pay for it all.

[get-smart]

You are right Joel. They already left us with an empty Al Lang stadium. I guess that was part of their plan. We need to leave some areas downtown open for the future.

[Eric62]

Attention: No one goes to a ballgame because it's in a cool stadium. OK, maybe once or twice, but people go to ballgame to see....wait for it....a ballgame. Why do you think such dumps as Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park are so hard to get into. It's the baseball, not the stadia.
(But, I gotta admit that new stadium is purty cool.)

[Nancy]

Yes 'get-smart', lets not forget what Mr. Kault and his great organization have ALREADY DONE to our fine city. St. Petersburg HAD (keyword HAD) a 90+ year tradition of Major League Spring Training @ Al Lang. NINETY YEARS!!!Guess what? Not anymore!! Why, you ask? Because the Rays MOVED THEIR SPRING TRAINING CAMP out of town in advance of this SCAM "proposal"...Nah, that's not fishy at all, is it???? The RAYS RUINED A 90 YEAR TRADITION IN OUR CITY, for their OWN BENEFIT!!! Think about the millions of fans from all over North America who came to St. Pete to spend a few weeks watching their home teams play @ Al Lang spring training games. Grapefruit leage, etc. THAT'S ALL GONE NOW, THANKS TO THE RAYS!!!! For this reason alone, they can go pound sand. I will NEVER go to another Rays game, EVER!!!