© 2025 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Our daily newsletter, delivered first thing weekdays, keeps you connected to your community with news, culture, national NPR headlines, and more.

Repair of Tropicana Field could be pushed back after 2026 season opener

View of the damaged Tropicana Field roof
Will Vragovic
/
Tampa Bay Rays
Interior views of Tropicana Field after being severely damaged by Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg on Oct. 16, 2024.

The Tampa Bay Rays had requested the city of St. Petersburg fix the Trop's teflon roof, which had been torn to shreds during Hurricane Milton. But the city is saying their current agreement does not specify a timeline for any repairs.

If hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field does get repaired, it likely won't be in time for the start of the 2026 baseball season. That's because St. Petersburg is saying there's no deadline to fix the Trop's tattered roof.

A letter sent Jan. 15 from the city to the Tampa Bay Rays says the use agreement with the team "does not establish a deadline for completing those repairs. As a result, it is possible the term of the Use Agreement could extend beyond the 2028 season."

That's because according to the current agreement, every year the stadium is not in usable shape, it extends the agreement by another year. The team was originally going to play at the Trop through the end of 2027.

How this will affect the ongoing negotiations over building a new stadium to replace the Trop is unclear. The team has gone back and forth over repairing the stadium, which could cost over $56 million. It would then be torn down to build a new stadium.

Letter from city to the Rays
City of St. Petersburg
This is the letter sent from City Administrator Rob Gerdes to Rays President Matt Silverman

The Rays plan to play the upcoming regular season at Tampa's George Steinbrenner Field, the spring home of the New York Yankees. They have until March to complete a list of conditions before they can access public money dedicated to build the $1.3 billion stadium.

In December, Pinellas County commissioners agreed to help pay for a new baseball stadium. It would use bed taxes, which are collected on hotel room stays.

Since St. Petersburg council members also approved their portion of the funding, the ball is now in the Rays' court to fulfill their obligations in the contract.

The Rays at first said the original deal was effectively dead because of cost overruns from the delay and damages to Tropicana Field. But they recanted, saying they're willing to work on finding new funding sources.

Steve Newborn is a WUSF reporter and producer at WUSF covering environmental issues and politics in the Tampa Bay area.
You Count on Us, We Count on You: Donate to WUSF to support free, accessible journalism for yourself and the community.