We Have Seen the Future, and It is… Tampa Bay?

I haven’t seen a game there in person, but from television, Tropicana Field in Tampa appears to be the most unappealing ballpark experience in the major leagues. With its concrete exterior and interior, and catwalks suspended above the field, the Trop looks to have all the ambiance of a nuclear power plant. It doesn’t exactly provide the warm summer evening surroundings that many of us romantically associate with baseball.

But that might be changing, if the Rays’ $450 million proposal for a new ballpark goes through. Not only would the stadium have a waterfront location that would give it one of most distinct locales in the major leagues, but the structure would also have a retractable roof that would allow the field to remain an open-air environment. When in use, the roof - which would be translucent, by the way - would resemble a sail. I think the structure as a whole actually looks rather space age in design.

You can view a gallery of the design images at the St. Petersburg Times website. Let’s hope the city of Tampa and the Rays can make this happen, because such a ballpark would be a jewel for the sport, and a must-see destination for baseball fans around the country.

(via Big League Stew)