Tampa Bay Rays

DAY	DATE	OPPONENT	SITE	TIME
Wednesday	Feb. 25	CINCINNATI REDS	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Thursday	Feb. 26	New York Yankees	Tampa	1:15 p.m.
Friday	Feb. 27	BOSTON RED SOX	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Saturday	Feb. 28	Philadelphia Phillies	Clearwater	1:05 p.m.
Sunday	March 1	TORONTO BLUE JAYS	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Monday	March 2	St. Louis Cardinals	Jupiter	1:05 p.m.
Tuesday	March 3	HOUSTON ASTROS	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Wednesday	March 4	WBC TEAM - PUERTO RICO	PORT CHARLOTTE	7:05 p.m.
Friday	March 6	Pittsburgh Pirates	Bradenton	1:05 p.m.
Saturday	March 7	BOSTON RED SOX	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Sunday	March 8	Boston Red Sox	Fort Myers	1:05 p.m.
Monday	March 9	MINNESOTA TWINS	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Tuesday	March 10	TORONTO BLUE JAYS	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Thursday	March 12	PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Friday	March 13	Toronto Blue Jays	Dunedin	1:05 p.m.
Saturday	March 14	Cincinnati Reds	Sarasota	1:05 p.m.
Sunday	March 15	PITTSBURGH PIRATES	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Monday	March 16	Pittsburgh Pirates	Bradenton	7:05 p.m.
Wednesday	March 18	CINCINNATI REDS	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Thursday	March 19	ST. LOUIS CARDINALS	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Friday	March 20	Toronto Blue Jays	Dunedin	1:05 p.m.
Saturday	March 21	Baltimore Orioles	Fort Lauderdale	1:05 p.m.
Sunday	March 22	NEW YORK YANKEES	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Monday	March 23	Pittsburgh Pirates	Bradenton	1:05 p.m.
Wednesday	March 25	PITTSBURGH PIRATES	PORT CHARLOTTE	7:05 p.m.
Thursday	March 26	Detroit Tigers	Lakeland	6:05 p.m.
Friday	March 27	Minnesota Twins	Fort Myers	1:05 p.m.
Saturday	March 28	CINCINNATI REDS	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.
Sunday	March 29	Cincinnati Reds	Sarasota	1:05 p.m.
Monday	March 30	Minnesota Twins	Fort Myers	1:05 p.m.
Tuesday	March 31	Boston Red Sox	Fort Myers	1:05 p.m.
Wednesday	April 1	MINNESOTA TWINS	PORT CHARLOTTE	1:05 p.m.

Charlotte County Sports Park
The Charlotte County Sports Park, which once hosted the Texas Rangers Spring Training, has undergone an extensive renovation and is now the spring home of the Tampa Bay Rays starting in the 2009 Florida Grapefruit League season.  The site is located approximately 75 miles south of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.

The state-of-the-art facility contains 5,000 fixed seats, and has additional berm seating and party areas.  A new suite level and group areas have been added and a unique 360-degree baseball boardwalk rings the stadium.  A family-friendly ballpark, there is a Kids Clubhouse zone that contains separate play areas for tots and youth, and a concession stand just for kids.  The facility is a mode of sustainability, and features an educational green roof and Florida-friendly landscaping. 

In addition to spring training games, the facility houses the state-of-the-art Rays training complex, which includes a new clubhouse, five full fields and one-half field.  It is home to extended spring training for the Rays, and the Rays new Florida State League Team owned in partnership with Cal Ripken and Ripken Baseball on this unique venture.

"Ripken Baseball is an established and proven minor league operator and the Ripken name is synonymous with success," said Matt Silverman, President of the Rays.  Visit http://www.charlottecountybaseball.com for more information on the Rays Florida State League team.

The renovations to the Charlotte County Sports Park were financed by contributions from Charlotte County, the State of Florida and the Rays.  While the Rays will have exclusive access during spring training, this facility is truly a park within a park, and the County will use the venue throughout the year for concerts, youth sports, recreation and community events.


Port Charlotte preparing for Rays move in 2009  - Naples Daily News article, March 27, 2008 (pdf document)
 

Rays Spring Training Attendance (2000-2008)

	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Total Attendance	65,495	55,604	47,185	51,324	43,916	65,461	70,756	79,044	54,960
Number of Games	16	13	13	15	9	14	15	16	11
Average Attendance	4,093	4,277	3,629	3,422	4,880	4,676	4,717	4,940	4,996

Official Tampa Bay Rays Web Site