The View From Here: The Rays Return to Tropicana Field
04/07/26
Jon Kelly reflects on the Tampa Bay Rays returning to Tropicana Field and what the moment says about St. Petersburg's resilience after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Today was the Tampa Bay Rays' first home game back at Tropicana Field.
The roof that Hurricane Milton tore off has been repaired. The stadium is open.
Ten days before Milton hit, Hurricane Helene flooded my home in St. Petersburg. I was already in a quick rental downtown when the second storm arrived, watching the Trop take the hit from just a few blocks away.
I'm not a die-hard baseball fan.
But I was there today, and it felt like something worth marking.
The stadium was full. The city showed up.
St. Petersburg has a way of doing that.
There is a resilience here that becomes clearer when you actually live in the city, not just visit it. People rebuild, reopen, and keep moving forward.
If you've been watching St. Pete from a distance and wondering what it's actually like to put down roots here, I'm happy to talk.
This is where I live and work, and I know this market well.
The View From Here
Jon Kelly
The Tenpenny Collection | St. Petersburg, FL
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