ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Louis City Council
The reversal in fixing Tropicana Field came after the board voted to delay consideration of revenue bonds for the proposed new $1.3 billion Rays ballpark. Just two days earlier, the Pinellas County Commission postponed a vote on a portion of the new stadium bond, leaving the project in limbo.
“It’s a sad place. I’m very disappointed,” said council chairwoman Deborah Figg-Sanders. “We’re not going to get there if we keep looking for ways that don’t work.”
Sinar said the lack of progress puts the new stadium plan and the future of Tropicana Field in jeopardy.
“I can’t say I’m sure about anything,” Rays co-president Brian Auld told board members.
The Trop’s translucent fiberglass roof was torn to pieces on October 9 when Hurricane Milton swept ashore just south of Tampa Bay. There was also significant water damage to the ballpark, with the city estimating the total cost of repairs at $55.7 million.
The extensive repairs cannot be completed before the 2026 season, city documents show. The Rays struck a deal with the Yankees to play next season at Steinbrenner Field, the 11,000-seat, spring training home of New York on the bay in Tampa.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said MLB wants to give the Tampa Bay Rays and politicians time to figure out a path forward given the disruption caused by the hurricane. Assuming Tropicana Field is repaired, the Rays are forced to play there for three more seasons.
“We are committed to the fans in Tampa Bay,” Manfred said at the owners’ meeting. “Because of everything that’s going on in that market, we’re currently focused on our franchise in Tampa Bay.”
Early voting was to get moving on the roof part of the repair. Once that’s done, crews can begin work on a new baseball field, repairs to damaged residences and offices and various electronic systems — which will require another vote to approve money for the remaining restoration.
The next vote reverse funding for roof repairs means the city and the Rays will have to work on alternatives in the coming weeks so that Tropicana Field can be ready for the 2026 season. The city has an obligation to repair the roof.
“I want to break it down and see exactly what needs to be done,” said council member John Muhammad.
The city previously voted to spend $6.5 million to prevent further damage to the unroofed Trop. Some council members said before the vote on $23.7 million to repair the roof that the city is contractually obligated to do so.
“I don’t see a way out of it. We have that contract in place,” board member Gina Driscoll said. “We are obliged to do it. We want to fix the roof.”
The council has voted 4-3 to approve the roof repairs. Opposing members said there was insufficient clarity on several issues, including how much the ballpark’s insurance would cover and how much the Federal Emergency Management Agency could provide.
They also noted that city residents who are struggling to repair their homes and businesses damaged by hurricanes Helene and Milton are dismayed when they see so many taxpayer dollars going to baseball.
“Why do we want to spend money so quickly when there is so much uncertainty?” council member Richie Floyd said.
The new Rays ballpark — now slated to open in 2029, if at all — is part of a larger urban renovation project known as the Historic Gas Plant District, which refers to the predominantly black neighborhood forced into construction. from Tropicana Field and the interstate spur.
The broader $6.5 billion project will transform the 86-acre (34-hectare) downtown area, with plans in the coming years for a Black history museum, affordable housing, a hotel, green space, entertainment venues, and offices and shops. space. There are promises of thousands of jobs as well.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, the main mover behind the overall project, said it is not time to give up.
“We believe there is a path to success,” the mayor said.
