The wind, lights, atmosphere. How would it all go during the Tampa Bay Rays’ season-opening six-game homestand at Steinbrenner Field? Would it be a launching pad?

Just when it seemed like the Tampa Bay Rays were close to securing a permanent home, trouble hit. Storm damage and funding issues derailed the team’s $1.3 billion stadium project, leaving fans frustrated and the franchise facing tough decisions.

This story was excerpted from Adam Berry’s Rays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

TAMPA, Fla. — It’s Opening Day and the Tampa Bay Rays are set to begin a season unlike any other in the team’s 28 years of existence. Chased away from Tropicana Field by Hurricane Milton’s winds last fall and staring at an uncertain future as stadium issues have become front and center, the team has revamped across the Bay.

If approved, the roof replacement will use stronger materials manufactured in Germany and assembled in China before arriving in Florida.

Steinbrenner Field, like the Rays’ Charlotte Sports Park and other spring stadiums, uses a mix of Florida clay, sand and silt on the infield that drains well but tends to “chunk up,” which can cause some unpredictable bounces.

Tampa Bay Rays Owner Stu Sternberg had an awkward encounter with a fan holding a signboard saying to sell the franchise.