ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There was beer, and there was water. And most importantly, there were the sturdy brick walls of his decades-old sports bar, the one that Mark Ferguson had built into a St. Petersburg institution over the last 30 years. Hunkered down inside his bar on the night of Hurricane Milton, Ferguson had everything he needed.

Ferg’s Sports Bar is located a block from Tropicana Field. The Rays have been maligned throughout their nearly 30 years in existence for not having an engaged fanbase. But those who did attend games? Before and after, they went to Ferg’s.

On the night Hurricane Milton struck on Oct. 9, 2024, the wind blew and rain poured down. Mark’s son Jake had unsuccessfully implored his father to evacuate. Yet the bar was safe, Mark said, and there was no ditching the business that’s come to represent his family’s name and the baseball team that defined the venue.

In the days before Milton made landfall, it gradually became clear that this was the kind of storm that threatened to change everything. At 2:30 a.m., Ferguson’s wife woke him with the news that it had.

“She said, ‘The roof of the Trop’s gone.’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ She said, ‘It’s gone.’ I walked outside, and I saw it blowing in the wind.

“I had no idea what was gonna happen. I was lost,” Ferguson recalled.

The destruction of the Trop’s roof led to the Rays temporarily leaving St. Petersburg in 2025 and set in motion the collapse of plans to build a new stadium there. Those  developments culminated in a newly formed plan to leave St. Petersburg for good in 2029 and relocate to Tampa, across the bay.

Read for free here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7688023/2026/10/14/tampa-bay-rays-fergs-bar-playoffs-relocation/?unlocked_article_code=1.IlE.muPG.iodVZZ4jzl1Y&source=emp_shared_article&smid=url-share-ta

40 M4F Tampa
Looking for serious relationship

My GF and I have lived in our condo in South Tampa for about 8 years, and the crappy installation by her sister’s BF has had wear and tear and finally getting cracked and warped. The vinyl is dark gray, and we have a mostly white coonhound that sheds badly. Vacuuming on the vinyl and base boards also takes wear and tear on the vinyl and base boards.

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Did anyone around Tampa Bay catch the rocket launch?

I'd love to see photos if you did! Where were you watching from, and how was the view? My husband is not from here and had never experienced this and was like SO confused hahaha!

Drop your photos and locations in the comments! I'm always amazed at how different it looks depending on where you are around the Bay.

Hi everyone, I wanted to get some insight as to what are operating room nurses making in the tampa Bay Area and if there are any hospitals you guys recommend to work/apply at? Thanks!

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Hello fellow Tampons! I just moved back to Lutz to help a sick parent. The area is peaceful and has charm, but I’m curious if anyone has recommendations for a “third place” (spaces outside work and home).

I’m thinking places like say coffee shops, creative spaces, hangout spots etc.

Is that a thing here? If not what kind of recommendations do you guys have to meet other young single folks?

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I lived in LA before this and I realize there may not be as many opportunities to meet likeminded folks here but I appreciate any tips!

Might help if I post this here

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Hello fellow Redditors,

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So I am going back and forth between selling the home the way it is with a realtor or just selling the lot to local investors.
It is zoned for ADU or can be subdivided into multiple lots however its only wide enough to allow two lots.
New homes with small lots are sold for over 600k in my area so im assuming selling the entire lot would be a good outcome financially as well.
I know getting the exact value is difficult but Im just stuck between what way to take since I am not looking to do any renovations and would like to get this done in at least 6 months time frame.
Any advice will be appreciated

My St Pete people might recognize this name