Dive Brief:
- After weeks of uncertainty, leaders of Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays have voiced support for a $55.7 million plan to repair Tropicana Field prior to opening day 2026, after Hurricane Milton shredded the venue’s roof in October.
- Rays co-President Matt Silverman wrote in a Dec. 30 letter to the city of St. Petersburg, Florida, that the team expects the city to rebuild the roof. The city released the letter to the public on Monday.
- Silverman emphasized that time is of the essence in order for the project to be planned, designed, executed and completed by opening day in the spring of 2026.
Dive Insight:
On Dec. 12, City Architect Raul Quintana presented to the St. Petersburg City Council a schedule, which showed approval of a guaranteed maximum price in March 2025 and completion of the rebuild in time for the 2026 season. No contractors have yet been announced for the work.
“The League and the Rays stand at the ready to work hand in hand with the City throughout the reconstruction process to make sure the design and implementation satisfy MLB requirements and meet the necessary deadlines,” Silverman said in his Dec. 30 statement.
But he seemed to indicate playing in the stadium would be all or nothing, as he said a partial 2026 season in the Trop “would present massive logistical and revenue challenges for the Team.”
The city responded, saying it intended to fulfill its obligations to the team.
“As with so many businesses in St. Petersburg, we are empathetic to the business interruption faced by the Tampa Bay Rays due to the impacts of the hurricanes and we appreciate the Rays indicating their preference for the future of Tropicana Field,” said a statement from the city released Monday.
For the 2025 season, the team will play its home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the spring training location of the New York Yankees. Silverman’s statement acknowledged the extension of the term of use agreement through the end of the 2028 MLB season.
Damage to the Trop caused a dilemma, as the stadium was set for eventual demolition and replacement. The team had announced plans for a new $1.3 billion ballpark as part of the $6.5 billion historic Gas Plant District redevelopment.
The venue was expected to open in 2028, but in late November, Silverman and co-President Brian Auld said the organization could not move forward on the new ballpark project after the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners twice delayed bond approval to provide public financing for the project, which made the construction timeline impossible. That raised questions about if the team could relocate.
The Board of Commissioners reassessed the bond issue last month, voting to approve it Dec. 17, but the team must meet certain criteria by March 31 for bonds to be released.
