Progress Energy Park (full name Progress Energy Park, home of Al Lang Field ) is a 7,227 seat baseball stadium located on the downtown St. Petersburg, Florida waterfront. It is named in honor of Al Lang, a former mayor of St. Petersburg who helped to bring spring training to the city. The facility has been the spring training home of the Tampa Bay Rays since 1998, but it has been used by many other teams during its existence.

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History

The "St. Petersburg Athletic Park" at the site was the spring home for the Boston Braves and New York Yankees from 1923 until after World War II, hosting such baseball greats such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Stan Musial, and others during that time. ^[1]

The first incarnation of the current grandstand was built for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1947, and a major rebuild in 1976 brought the ballpark to its current configuration. A succession of teams used the facility until the hometown Tampa Bay Rays started play in 1998 and moved into the stadium for their spring games. The Rays were the only major league team to train in the same city in which they played regular season games in almost 90 years - their summer home at Tropicana Field is just over 12 blocks away.

When the Rays began play in Al Lang Stadium in 1998, the naming rights to the park were purchased by local utility Florida Power for $150,000 per year, rechristening the site as "Florida Power Park at Al Lang Field". ^[2] When Florida Power's name was changed to Progress Energy in 2003, the stadium's official name was also changed. ^[3]

Progress Energy Park was home to several minor league baseball teams over the years, most recently the Florida State League affiliates for the St. Louis Cardinals and then the Tampa Bay Rays. The last minor league tenant was the St. Petersburg Devil Rays, who last played at the stadium in 2000. ^[4]

End of an era

thumb, 2008 In 2005, the Tampa Bay Rays announced plans to move their spring training home to Port Charlotte, a town about 90 minutes south of St. Petersburg. Then, on November 9, 2007, Rays President Matt Silverman proposed a plan to build a new $450 million Rays Ballpark on the site to be ready in 2012.

These developments left Progress Energy Park without a regular tenant and with an uncertain future. The Rays played the last spring training ballgame at the stadium on March 28, 2008. ^[5]

See also

• Rawhide , a 1938 feature film starring Lou Gehrig, premiered in St. Petersburg by Mayor Al Lang

References

1. Marc Topkin, "All-Time Spring Team", St. Petersburg ''Times'', February 10, 2008.
2. Florida Progress Corporation filing statement, March 12, 1998.
3. CP&L and Florida Power officially re-branded Progress Energy as of Jan. 1 Florida Progress news release, January 2, 2003.
4. Bryan Gilmer, "Deal to sell 'Baby Rays' wrapped up" St. Petersburg ''Times'', July 18, 2000.
5. Aaron Sharockman, "St. Petersburg to see its final spring training game Friday after 94 years", St. Petersburg ''Times'', March 23, 2008.