Tropicana Field is located in St. Petersburg Florida. The domed stadium has been home to the Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball team since 1998 and offers many unique design features and fan amenities that cannot be found elsewhere. The only baseball park that features live cow nose rays, the Rays Tank opened in 2006 is located behind the right center field wall. It holds 10,000 gallons of water and is one of the 10th largest in the United States. When a player hits a homerun into the tank, the baseball organization donates $5,000 to charity, with $2,500 going to the Florida Aquarium and the rest to the charity of the player's choice.
The stadium is the first in the country to use an artificial surface and all-dirt base path. The natural-looking field turf, installed in 2007, is one of the park's many updated features. Currently, all other major league ballparks use dirt cutouts around bases and at pitcher's mounds. There have only been four other baseball parks that have featured all-dirt paths, including Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Candlestick Park in San Francisco, Houston's Astrodome and Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh.
With a number of interactive programs for children of all ages, Tropicana Field offers a fun and exciting atmosphere for families. The Left Field Street area features a baseball-themed game show in which fans can participate. Guests to the stadium also can have their pictures taken and put on a Topps baseball card and have their names inscribed on Louisville Slugger baseball bats. The Mountain Dew Extreme Zone lets fans play stickball in an area that is designed to look like a New York City street alley. Guests can enjoy the latest in video baseball games, along with many classic video games in the arcade.
Right Field Street includes many activities for younger children. Opened in 2007, the Rays Carnival is a real working carnival that delights children with family friendly games like plinko, spin the wheel, ring-a-bat and skee ball. The batting cage gives guests a chance to swing at pitches from computer images of real Major League Baseball players. The T.G. Lee Rookie Challenge area lets visitors test their pitching speed. The most popular child-themed areas are The Science of Baseball, St. Petersburg Times Press Box and Bats, Balls and Brushes.
Originally the Florida Suncoast Dome, and then the Thunder Dome, Tropicana Field is a great place to watch a baseball game with a group of friends, or with the family. The 1.1 million square-foot park is child friendly and very family oriented, with a rich baseball history and a plethora of interactive games and activities for children and young adults. The stadium is a great tourist destination when visiting the St. Petersburg, Florida area.
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