Underrated at its Finest

Member Review by Jim Dietrich on Jul 26, 2010

People have a misconception about Tropicana Field: they have the immediate impression that indoor baseball is sacrilege and therefore not worth even visiting. Those people are missing out on some of the most-unique experiences available in and around an American ballpark based solely on an ingrained-prejudice toward past domes, like Minneapolis' Metrodome, Seattle's Kingdome, and - of course - Houston's Astrodome. Trust me: this is not your father's Olympic Stadium....

One of the best recommendations I can make is the tbt* Party Deck on a Friday night. Yeah, they're bleacher seats, but they're the cheapest seat in the house, and they also are adjacent of a mock-up of nearby Tampa's Ybor City party district. On Friday nights, they have a live DJ playing music through the decorative corridor that leads to the seats and connects to the full-service bar and two concession stands.

The official review has already touched on the Ted Williams Museum, the Cuesta Rey Cigar Bar (which has to be the most un-PC thing in a stadium anywhere in America), and the Cownose Rays touch-tank; they're all unique and deserve a visit when you go. One other thing I can suggest to see in the Trop before the first pitch is the murals commemorating the history of baseball in Tampa Bay - a picture of which can be seen in the scrolling slide show of pics above. From Al Lang's successful attempt to bring spring training here, to Joltin' Joe's and Marilyn's glory days, to the days of the Cardinals, it's all documented in beautifully-colored and illustrated caricature.

Eats-wise, they just introduced a fresh-pressed $5 Cuban sandwich at the stadium, which has to be the best fill-up per dollar in the Majors. The fact they also let you bring bottled water and your own still-wrapped food in (so long as it fits in a backpack or small soft-sided cooler) is also a major selling point.

As the neighborhood goes, the immediate area adjacent to the Trop is going through a revitalization, with apartments, shops, and condos all going in around the Trop where old businesses tried and - sadly, thanks to little attendance for 10+ years - died. This time, however, with a winning team and real residences being place next to those same shops, the neighborhood has a much better chance of longevity this time around.

Bars to check out on your walk from/to downtown (which I, too, recommend for the ambiance of it, not just trying to save a few bucks) are the Rare Olive on 3rd St and Central Ave, Paddy Burke's on 4th St S and 1st Ave S, Mastry's on Central Ave btwn 2nd St and 3rd St, The Independent on 3rd St N btwn Central Ave and 1st Ave N, and Courigan's on 1st Ave SE and Beach Dr SE - and of course the staple bar, Ferg's, right across the street from the Trop on Central Ave btwn 13th St and 16th St.

With a burgeoning club scene starting to form in downtown St. Pete, check out Push Ultra Lounge on 3rd St S and 2nd Ave S, Vintage Ultra Lounge on Central Ave and 2nd St, and The Bishop Lounge on 1st Ave N btwn 2nd St and 3rd St. More clubs are opening soon, too, so there's no shortage of after-game entertainment.

Good restaurants within walking distance (not counting some of the bars I listed that serve food, like Paddy Burke's and Ferg's) are Midtown Sundries on 1st Ave S and 2nd St S - and they offer free parking in their garage with a validated parking ticket, by the way - JoJo's in Citta on the ground floor of the Bank of America Tower (tallest building in the city) on 2nd St and Central Ave, Burrito Boarder on 3rd St N btwn Central Ave and 1st Ave N, the Dome Grill on Central Ave btwn 5th St and 6th St, Cafe 1001 on 1st St N btwn MLK St N and 11th St N, and Savannah's Cafe on Central Ave and 11th St.

People's biggest complaint of the Trop usually comes from what they see - or, as the case may be, don't see - on TV: fans. As a season-ticket holder since 2007, I can tell you, yes, we are there and we can get VERY loud. You have to remember one thing before judging the fans by their apparent apathy: the Rays have only been around for 13 years, and have been good for only 3 of them. To judge their attendance based on what you expect your neighborhood ballpark to have, especially since it has (unless you're in Phoenix, Miami, or Denver) at least a 20 year head start on building a fanbase. For what essentially amounts to a 3-year old team, they're doing pretty good.

Now that's out of the way, the fans do need to do more to come out to the games. They're watching on TV, and they are coming to the park - as both have increased in attendance/viewership or 3 straight years - but they need to try more. Not having mass transit besides an unreliable bus system really doesn't help matters, but the point remains that, being next to a major interstate helps funnel people into and out of the Trop very efficiently; neither of Tampa Bay's other venues can say that.

Overall, the Trop is a diamond in the rough waiting for you to arrive. It has the same features as any other great ballpark around the league, just in a form you may not be used to seeing. You learn going to the Trop that you don't need fresh air and sunshine to play baseball, considering during the time most games start in the summer, there's a lightning storm and 91˚ temps outside. You can have just as much fun in a dome, and to miss this based on a bias is a crying shame. You'll be pleasantly surprised with what you find under the roof in the Sunshine City.

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