"Update: Montreal and Durham no longer being considered as potential sites for Rays' 2025 games"
Stadiums in Montreal and Durham, North Carolina, have been ruled out as potential hosts for Tampa Bay Rays home games in 2025, according to a report from the Tampa Bay Times.
The Rays will likely need a new venue for their home games, at least for the beginning of the 2025 season, after their current stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, was damaged by Hurricane Milton on October 9th.
There had been speculation that Montreal could be a potential location for the Rays to play some of their home games, as the team had previously considered using the city's Olympic Stadium, which was once home to the Montreal Expos. However, the stadium will not be available for three years as it undergoes repairs on its retractable roof.
The Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which is currently home to the Rays' Triple-A affiliate, will also not be able to host the team due to scheduling and logistical challenges.
The Rays' current stadium has been in use since 1990 and has been the team's home since their inaugural season in 1998.
While the team has plans to build a new $1.3 billion ballpark on the same site, it is not expected to be completed until 2028.
If the Rays are unable to use their current stadium in 2025, they may have to consider alternative options such as using various spring training venues, including Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, TD Ballpark in Dunedin, and Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
Other potential options could include sharing the home stadiums of the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves, or even using the Oakland Coliseum after the Athletics vacated the ballpark at the end of the previous season.
